The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1875-05-22
A Mid-Air Adventure.

Donaldson's story, as it was hu1
riedly given to reporter of the Phil
adelphia Telegraph, runs as follows
When l had reached an altitude G
500 feet, found the basket swayin
a great deal-decidedly unsteady
even for me. l let out the rope it
full length, and found that it steadie'
tile car. The balloon continued t
ascend with remarkable speed, an.
the earth rapidly receded. When
had been up some twenty-five min
utes, found, on consulting my bar
ometer, that had reached an alti
tude of over 5000 feet. 1t was in
tensely cold. l have in my tim'
reached far greater attitudes, but
remember none where l experienced
the cold more keenly than yesterday
l was chilled through, and coult
scarcely move my limbs and bands
they were SO benumbed.
| At this elevation / desired drink
and turned to a bottle of mineral
water, two of which l had taken up
with me, and | found both frozen
solid. now passed over Gloucester,
and was making my way rapidly to-
wards the ocean, which l could see in
the dim distance, between Atlantic
City and Cape May. l thought it
about time to come down and reach
up, bnt, to my surprise and dismay,
found the valve ropes gone.
You may rest assured this worried
me; l could only account for it on
the ground that by some powerful
suction they had been drawn into the
neck Of the balloon. Before my as
cension had them in my hand, and
was certain they were within reach,
aud vas stunned to learn my mistake.
Ii my hands had not been so paral-
.yzed with the cold, might by going
up on the netting, have arranged
other ropes to work, but this was now
impossible. There was a slight lull
in the wind, and let out all my rope,
with the anchor attached, and this
brought down the balloon. This
poiat where I commenced to land was
about twenty miles southwest Of Cam
den, and when [ reached a height of
one hundred feet above tl.e earth, [
had gone about sik miles beyond the
town Atco, which is about twenty
five miles beyond Camden Ny anchor
caught in the tree, and seemed to
hold fast.
The balloon, under a fieshing wind,
pulled at it like giant, and there
was between the two, not knowing
whether to trust myself to the rope
beneath or to take my chances in the
balloon. Ny fear was that the rope
would not hold, and knew that it L
went up again I should probably
come down with nothing better than
water to rest upon. In this extremity
[ heard the swapping Of the net, and
knowing that some of tho meshes dad
previously given away, / made up my
mind not to trust myself any longer
With the balloon.
So out with my jackknife and cut
the s:opes which held it to the concen-
tErting ring, and in moment the
lssaloen was going off to Europe. and
and the basked were tutubling to
the earth. ltell distance, think,
Df serenty-five feet, but dropping
with the basket, my fall was broken
and | escaped with only
some seHere bruises. | was stunned
IND lay there some time, I guess,
Hke& number Of people came run
aing UP. Some stayed, while few
hlt off to the town and sent in the |
about my ha:ing been
dashed to pieces.
That was kind fellow who wanted |
% know what to do with my body. | |
would like to see him. When [ re-
covered, which was very soon, | put |
If with a wagon to the nearest sta
ion, went to Berlin, and stopped at |
. hotel over nj ght, and arrived here
Phi1adelphia) this morning, with |
nothing but the basket in IA baggage
ragon. don't feel as happy as |
night, but under the circumstances
t is, perhaps, well that I was able to |
BRING the basket back! ] am ready |
or the next ascension in Newark.
I've always been in the habit Of |
my balloons. | don't like |
hem to manage me. This fellow was
,ew, and perhaps it was owing to his
laving never been broken in that be !
lcted ia such a skittish manner. This |
Donaldson got off in very dry, min
,ral-water manner.) This is the first |
balloon that ever got away from me.
have had them tear, but Pve always
brought back some Of the pieces. This
vent of, leaving only some baggage
behind. expect in day Or so to
lear Of its arrival at Lisbon, or some |
,oint Oh the northwestern African |
.oast.-St. Louis ISMee.