Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-09-11


| to reach a current that would bear
me away. Finally / threw out the
anchor rope, and instantly ascend
ed with great rapidity, and my bar
ometer registered 1860 feet. At this
height there was no perceptible diff
ference in the atmosphere, my ther-
mometer registering only so degrees,
and | believe that it was fully that
on the ground. My balloon now be-
gan to move slowly off in southerly
direction, but / was not yet high
enough to catch the strong current,
and having no more ballast, deter
mined to let her drift as long as she
would, and land as some point con-
venient to transportation. For sew
eral minutes / did not travel more
than three or four miles, and sitting
easily in my hoop, | could take a
view of the country for miles around.
Winchester, Hagerstown and interim
points were plainly visible, and |
could see people below me at almost
every farm house watching my prog
ress. could see the farm operations
and hear the cackle of the chickens
at this altitude easily. j never made
l q DlCttDttliU ttOtCIlG lnJ l1lC.
The bag foated easily, and without
effort, and had only to set still and
take in the beautiful views that came
and went in quick succession. Final
| ly the gas began to fail and my hear
ing stopped, and l knew / was de-
cending. Looking ahead mile or
so, saw that there was rough re-
giOn to cross, and being over a clear
country which / took for valley, |
pulled the valve-cord and let the gas
escape, to secure a good landing and
come rapidly down in an open field
between piece of wood land
and house, which | soon learned
was the residence of James M.
Vanmeter. A colored man working
near by, saw my landing and ran out
to assist me, and was of great help
to me i'll packing my balloon. Mr..
| Vanmeter and his two sons also came
out to where | landed, and assisted
in packing up and carrying my bal
loon to the house. | was in the air
from the time started until landed
about forty minutes, and travelled
seven miles. After my balloon was
packed, feeling fatigued, / laid down
and slept for an hour on more, and
then was driven to town by Mr.. Van
meters son, arriving about half-past
seven O'Clock, completing to me a
very successful ascension. On Thurs
days | hall have less difficulty than
to-day, for knowing the capacity of
my balloon, / can provide to remedy
any defects of carriage, &C., that
might have been felt by me to-day,
| but invisible to the crowd Please to
give extended notice that l shall
start on Thursday promptly at half
past one o'clock.
Very respectfully, &c.
JOHN n. SHEARER.
This is the story of the balloon as
cension yesterday as seen by our
selves and the crowd, and as related
to us by the aronaut. 1t was a
grand success from first to last, and
the great crowd who will come on
Thursday tOsee it repeated, may rest
assured that they will be delighted.
After the balloon was lost to sight,
the people turned their attention to
the racing. Two contests were set
down for decision. The county trot
for three minute horses, and the half
mile heats running race also for
county stock. In the first race two
horses came to the post-R. M. & J.
j. Jobe's b. G. Bay Billy" and Dr..
Goldsborough's b. m. Dora" They
got the word at the first attempt,
with Dora at the pole and in the
lead, which she kept throughout the
heat, winning in 1908. She also took
the next two heats in 3:06 and 3:07.
The half mile heat race was called
between the heats of the trot, and
three horses faced the starter,
viz: L. McCottrys b. M, Betsy
Nelson" George Lights b.. G., "Tal-
| lyho,' and I'll. Billings b. IN. Meg"
| At the third effort they got the word
to bad start, with Meg at the pole,
Betsy second, Tallyhoe last. Betsy
cut out the pace from the start, and
came III an easy winner i'll 50 seconds.
She also won the next two heats in
% and 553 after an exciting contest,
Tallyho being her competitor, "Meg"
was not in the race from the start.
The. race ended the sport for the
day, and the crowds left the track
and wandered about to the stalls or to
Floral Hall awhile, and then dispers-
ed for the day. Thus ended the first
day of the Fourth meeting, and ey-
cry one who saw will say that, all in
all, it was the most suspicious open
ing day we have ever had. The re-
ceiptS were one hundred dollars in
excess of last year upon the first day.
TEL Sc % ND AY-
The second day Of the Fair was a
repetition of the first, barring the
balloon ascension. The attendance
was good, the weather a little warmer
than on the first day, but not excessive
~ hot, and the exhibition first-class.
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