Middletown transcript., 1876-05-27
seven Miles Up In the Air.

On the fifth day of September, 1862,
two seronauts, Glaisher and Coxwell BY
name, made one Of the most remarkable
ascents recorded in the history Of bal
looming They started from Wolver-
hampton, England, and the elevation
reached was the highest ever attained
by man-nearly or quite seven miles
above the earth.
Mr.. Glaisher has given modest yet
thrilling account Of this almost fatal
adventure. The balloon left the earth
at three minutes past one p. m. Moth
ing important occurred until the party,
at forty minutes past one, reached the
altitude Of four miles from the earth
Discharging sand, they rose to the
height Of FIVE miles during the next ten
minutes. More sand was discharged,
and the balloon shot rapidly upward.
Soon Mr.. Glaisher's sight failed, and he
could not read the fine divisions on his
instruments. All the time the balloon
had been spinning round and round. and
the valve line had become SO entangled
that Mr.. Cexwell had to climb into the
ring above the car to adjust it.
At this moment Gone o'clock and fifty
four minutes) Mr.. Glaisher looked at
the barometer and found its reading to
be 81 inches, implying height Of over
29, 900 feet. Wishing to record the
observation, he found his right arm pow
erless. He tried to move the other
arm, and found it powerless too.
"Then | tried to shake myself. and
succeeded, but l seemed to have no
limbs On looking at the barometer.
my head fell over my left shoulder |
struggled aud shook my body again,
but could not move my arms. Getting
my head upright for an instant only, i
fell on my right shoulder; then | fell
backward, my back resting upon 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
considerably SO over those Of the neck,
but none over either my arms or my
legs. As in the case Of the arms, SO
all muscular power was lost in an in
slant from my back and neck. | ldimly
saw Mr. Coxwcll, and endeavored to
speak, but could not. In an instant
intense darkness overcame me, but l
was still conscious, with as active
brain as at the present moment whilst
writing this | thought had been
seized with asphyxia, and believed |
should experience nothing more, as
death would come unless we descended
speedily; other thoughts were entering
my mind, when ] suddenly became un-
conscious as on going to sleep
Meanwhile, Mr.. Coxwell was in quite
as critical q condition. Hoar-frost was
all around the neck Of the balloon, and
the ring was piercingly cold. He at
tempted to leave the ring. and found
that his hands were frozen. He dropped
to the car almost insensible. and dis
covered that his companion was appar--
emily dead He tried to GO to him, hut
could not. He wished to open the
valve, but his hands were frozen and
bis arms powerless Feeling insensi-
bility coming rapidly over him, he made
a desperate effort, caught the valve-line
with his teeth, and held the valve open
until the balloon took a decided down
ward turn.
In few minutes Mr. Glaisher began
to revive, and soon became conscious
that Mr.. Coxwell was trying to rouse
bin.
II then heard him speak more en-
phatically. but could not see, speak, or
move. I heard him again say: Do
try; now do Then the instruments
became dimly visible. then Mr.
Coxwell, and very shortly | saw
clearly. Mr.. Coxwell told me that he
had lost the use Of his hands, which
we're black, and I poured brandy over
them"
What if Mr.. Coxwell had lost the use
Of his neck also
It has been said that during the crit
ical moments when Mr. Glaisher was
and Mr.. Coxwell nearly 50,
the balloon reached the fearful height
Of seven miles.-Janaes Richardson, st.
Nicholas for June