Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-06-28
Seven Miles Up In the Air.
From st. Nicholas for June.


On the 9Th day of September, 1852,
two English aeronauts, Glaisher and
Coxwell by name, made one of the most
remarkable ascents recorded in the his
tory of ballooning. They started from
Wolverhampton, England, and the ele-
walton reached was the highest ever at
tanned by man-nearly or quite seven
miles above the earth.
Mr.. Naisher has given modest vet
thrilling account Of his almost fatal adj
venture. The balloon left the earth at
three minutes past one P. M. Nothing
important occurred until the party, at
forty minutes past one, reached the al
titude Of four miles from the earth.
Dischargiug sand, they rose to a height
of five miles during the next ten min
utes More sand was discharged, and
the balloon shot rapidly upward. Soon
Mr.. GIaisher's sight failed, and he could
not read the fine divisions of his instru-
ments. All the time the balloon had
been spinning round and round, and
the valve line had become so entangled
that Mr. Coxwell had to climb into the
ring above the car to adjust it.
At this moment 4 AS o'clock) Clash
er looked at the barometer and found
it's reading to be 81 inches, implying a
height of over $4,000 feet. Wishing to
record the observation, he found his
right arm powerless. He tried to move
the other arm, and found it powerless,
too.
"Then I tried to shake myself, and
succeeded, but [ seemed to have no
limbs. On looking at the barometer,
my head fell over my left shoulder; I
struggled and shook my body again, but
could not move my arms. Getting my
head up for an instant only, it fell on
my right shoulder; then I fell back
ward, my back resting on the side of
the car and my head on its edge. In
this position my eyes were directed to
Mr.. Coxwell in the ring. When [ shook
my body [ seemed to have full power
over the muscles of the back, and con
siderably so over those of the neck, but
none over either my arms or my legs.
AS in the case of the arms, so all mus
cular power was lost in an instant from
my back and neck. I dimly saw Mr..
Coxwell, and endeavored to speak, but
could not In an instant intense dark
ness overcame me, but was still con-
scious, with as active brain as at the
present moment while writing this. ]
thought had been seized with asphyx-
la, and believed [ should experience
nothing more, as death would come I'M
less we descended speedily; other
thoughts were entering my mind, when
I suddenly became unconscious as on
going to sleep.
| Meanwhile, Mr.. Coxwell was in quite
as critical condition. Hoar-frost was
all around the neck of the balloon, and
the ring was piercing cold. He at
tempted to leave the ring, and found
that his hands were frozen. He drop
| ped in the car almost insensible, and
discovered that his companion was
apparently dead He tried to 60 to
him but could not He wished to open
the valve, but his hands were frozen
and his arms powerless. Feeling In
sibility coming rapidly over him, he
made a desperate effort, caught the
| valve-llne with his teeth, and held the
valve open until the balloon took de.
| cided downward turn.
In few minutes Mr.. Glaisher began
to revive, and soon became conscious
that Mr.. Coxwe1 was trying to arouse
| him.
"I then heard him speak more EN-.
phatically, but could not see, speak, or
move. [ heard him again say. DO try
now do Then the instruments became
dimly visiable, then Mr.. Coxwell, and
very shortly saw clearly. Mr., Cox
we'll told me that he had lost the use OF
his hands, which were black, and |
poured brandy over them
What if Mr.. Coxwell had lost the use
of his neck also?
It has been said that during the crit
cal moment when Mr.. Glaisher was
unconscious and Mr.. Coxwell nearly SO
the balloon reached the fearful height Of
seven miles.