The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-10-20
|. A Monster Balloon.

a.. Visitors to the exhibition of 1857 may
remember on the Champ de Mars captive
| balloon of large size. This was the first.
| captive balloon that had been maneuvred
by means of q team-engine, the balloon
itself having been $500 cubic feet in
capacity, and capable of rising upwards of
500 feet. above the ground. This was at
the. time considered the great aerostatic
triumph, and was due to NJ. Henry Gifard,
the inventor Of the well-known s'injector,o
from which Invention for many years past
he has been in the enjoyment of a hand
some fortune. The organizers of the Phil
adelphia Exhibition asked M. Giffard, we
believe, to construct similar balloon for
the great Centenary display, but the veal
thy Frenchman would not listen to the
proposal as he wished to reserve an aero
static surprise for the visitors at the next
International Exhibition at Paris. M.
Giffard has devised the construction ola
balloon for 1878 which will far surpass any
effort hitherto made in this direction, and
which will no doubt be one Of the most
popular attractions at the forthcoming exhi-
bition. The plans were submitted to the
Commissions of the Exhibition by M. G.
Tassandier, who has just published some
of the details Of construction. This new
balloon will be formed of resisting ma
terial-solid, absolutely impermeable to
hydrogen gas-1nanufactured of alternate
sheets of linen and gcaoutchouc, protected
externally by several layers of varnish and
coated with white paint to diminish the
effects of the SUMS rays. This balloon will
have capacity of nearly 100000 cubic
feet, and will form an immense sphere
the greatest ever constructed, the diameter
of which will not be less than 112 feet. By
means of system of valves it will be
managed with the greaest ease. When
moored to the ground the balloon will form
monumental dome 166 feet high, exceed
ing by Is feet the height of the Arc de
Triomphe The balloon itself will weigh
$500 pounds, and to Join the pieces to-
gether of which it is composed will take
nearly four miles of sewing, with % miles
of thread. The car of the balloon will
| form a gallery so feet in circumference
A circular space in the center of 10 feet in
diameter will be reserved T; in the center of
this space the cable, a powerful rope of 10
inches III circumference, will be joined to
the upper circle by means of an apparatus
which will constantly indicate the ascend
ing power of the balloon. This aerial
machine will be held to the ground by
eight cables, attached to iron rings fixed
securely in masonry, and will be- suspended
above vast conical basin. The Car will
be reached by two movable gangways, and
from 40 to so persons will be taken on
board at each ascent. The cable will de-
scend to the bottom of the conical basin,
and by means of secure system of wheels
will be carried along a tunnel to be worked
by an engine of 200-horse power. This
cable will be 1,730 feet in length. The
captive balloon will be placed in the center
of circular enclosure 333 feet in diameter.
It will tower above the beautiful gardens,
and will form the most elevated dome in
the Champ de Mars. The greatest pre-
cautions will be taken to have every part
resist all possible contingencies the cable
that fixes the balloon to the earth will be
SO strong that hurricane could not snap
it.. An elaborate but easily worked appa-
ratus will fill it with hydrogen gas. With
this balloon, then, it will be possible to
raise more than 200, 600 visitors 1,60o feet
above the earth during the continuance of
the exhibition. They may contemplate
from that height, SURPRISING that of eleven
Arcs de Triomphe, the fine tableau of the
| City of Paris and its surroundings and
| they will be able to see that the scenes de-
scribed by aeronauts are not exaggerated
pictures. The steam captive balloon will
be located in the centre of the Exhibition
great park, between the Palace and the
Jena bridge. NJ. Giffard proposes to con
struct this enormous machine entirely at
his own expense; it will cost several hun
dred thousand francs-an Insignificant
sum, no fever, compared to the fortune of
| the inventor of the "injector."
4 'ssa HYrEsei- t4#E{ sf .s--esss