Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-09-20

fore o'clock. and took south-easterly
direction Professor Allen, from his po-
sition in the cordage above the basket,
and his companion below shouted fare
well to the answering crowd, and then
threw a few bags of sand overheard,
when the air-ship started on a swift
upward course. The turkey with the
parachute was thrown out, when
a thousand feet had been gained, and
taking an unceremonious departure, de-
scended rapidly toward the earth. The
balloonists watched him in his descent,
and saw him reach the earth in apparent
safety. The dark cloud that lowered
above them was soon entered, and the
sight of the earth disappeared from view.
For several minutes the thick fog envel-
oped the balloon and nothing could be
seen above or below. Emerging from
this stratum of clouds, the tops of neigh
boring mountains appeared in plain
view, and away in the east the White
mountains could be distinguished, while
the tops Of the Green mountains were
visible in the west. The aerial voyagers
had been sailing in south-easterly di-
rection and heard below them the rum
bling of the Montreal express train as it
passed southwark some half an hour af-
ter their ascent; about this time cur
rent of air was reached that bore them
northward, back over Crystal lake, and
in passing they plainly heard the
sound of the band playing on the
Fair Ground. A stratum of beautiful,
feecy clouds was soon reached. and in a
short time a snow storm was encounter
ed and there was every indication of be-
ing in a violent wind. The scene was
gloomy, indeed; the air was very cold
and the clouds thick. Their upward
course soon carried them above the storm,
and they came again into fair weather.
The sun was shining, although there was
still another thin. hazy cloud above
them. The rarefed air and the sun
shining on the canvas caused the gas to
expand and fill the balloon full. The
aeronauts were reaching high altitude
and began to feel the effects of the light
: air considerably. Gas was allowed t.
. escape, but their course was still up
S ward. The dense clouds below were
I. very beautiful the sun shining on thei
u uneven and changing surface made then
b look like sea of FURNISHED gold; ant
: floating in the cloudy sea below was tn
e shadow of the balloon, as it slowly NOV
J. ed onward. The last aud fourth stratum
+ of clouds was passed the air had be
o come very rare, was cold and breathin
y was difficult. The sur shone clear, an
ID there was nothing but the blue sky
lie be seen above and the shining cloud
e below. Prof. Allen thinks he must no
'. have been more than four miles high.
e. long and vigorous pull was made on tn
y valve cord, and after time the air-shi
I'd neared the mists Of the upper clouds an
es soon descended below the first stratum
Mt The descent through the clouds was vel
8. similar to the ascent, though no sno
Id storm was encountered Bits of pap,
lie thrown out of the basket showed tn
We the balloon was falling rapidly, and b
IS. ing carried north by current Of al
x Thinking that they might be neariI
he the earth, the balloonists began to hs
Of loo, and after a while terrified dog I
lir sponded by barking. As the journ
th, proceeded the aeronauts kept up lol
he halloOing, which began to be answer
'ut by the denizens of terra .frDaG, W
70 could not ascertain whether men or :
nc gels were calling for them, as the b
eci- loon was all the while in dense clo1
tty Occasionally, the unseen ballooni
ind would relieve the anxiety and curios
age Of those below by crying. Cup in /
g a loom" 1t had now been about two no
Dur since they made the ascent, and Il
lion we're looking for time and place
1t alight. Suddenly they came down tn
pom the fog and discovered that they W
the but few hundred feet from the grou
DIS So rapid was the balloon falling, at
time, that they had no time to tn
ballast overheard, and could only 10
cess preparations for reaching the earth.
,om- ballasted drag-rope struck the earth,
,rest at the edge Of an opening, in the tow
here Holland. some twenty-five miles dis
en- from the point Of ascension, and
) re- balloon swung over the tops Of the
,ver- and was brought to sudden stop
lum- the strength Of the long drag-rope
aem. the grapples. The rope fell over
! the high branches of large birch tree
hall. allowed the basket to fall within
rned feet of the ground, where it was b
rials Prof Allen suddenly opened the v;
we're which, together with a large rent
The in the balloon, allowed the gas to csc
Guilty and left the lifeless body of the def
lerits air-ship hanging on the limbs of
. and trees.
any The citizens who had heard
that strange noises in the skies, saw
ed monster as it descended from the cl
swell and quickly went to the assistanc