Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-10-24
A PEkILOUS RIDE.
Ball0oning In Gale-Rushing Through
Space at Seventy Miles an Hour.
philadelphia Record.]


Ballooning In Rushing Through
Space at Seventy Miles an Hour.
Philadelphia Record.l
Professor Samuel A. King, the
aeronaut, made his two hundred and
eleventh ascension on Saturday from
Scranton. The balloon used for the
occasion was the mammoth king
Carnival" which requires $4,000 feet
fgas for imitation. The ascension had
originally been fixed for the previous
Wednesday. and would have taken
place on time but for an unforeseen
occurrence. The balloon had been
inflated at the gas works, and a large
batch OF men had been detailed to
convey it to the public square. As
they were in the act of doing this q
sudden wind sprung up and the mon
ster became uncomfortable. Finally
it was blown against telegraph pole,
causing q rent nearly ten feet in
length. Nothing daunted, however,
the professor, determined to try
again. The service of four young
seamstresses were obtained and by
midnight the balloon had ouce more
been made whole. The next day
"wednesday the wind blew gale
and an ascension was out Of the ques-
ton. The same state of affairs exis-
ted on Thursday and again on Friday,
Still the professor was not discour.
aged. IF 1t blows q hurricane to-
morrow I viii go up" he remarked
on Friday night He kept his word.
The ali. was calm on Saturday
morning. During the night the bal
loon had been inflated, and at an ear
ly hour the balloon was removed from
the gas house to the site selected for
the ascension. This, in itself was no
easy matter, as railroad bridges and
telegraph wires were encountered at
every few yards. The balloon, how
ever, was got to It's destination In
safety. and dnring the few hours sue
ceeding several captive ascensions
were made, The grand ascension
proper was to take place at noon. At
IL o'clock stiff south easterly wind
sprung up. rnd the balloon Tapped
and swayed with violent mo-
ton, rocking from side to side.
He'll be afraid togo up went the
round of the immense concourse Of
spectators, and then somebody else
started the story that it was not meant
to go up and that the whole affair was
fraud. The rumors prevailing were
whispered into the ear Of the aero
naut. He smiled sarcastic smile
but said nothing. Meanwhile as the
wind increased In force, 30 did he
hurry his preparations At last his
anchor. ballast drag rope, etc., were
all arranged, and stepping into the
Car with the ulster across his arm the
professor Instructed the men to pay
out the rope. The windlass was set
In motion until the air ship had at
tanned q height OF several feet.
sCut the rope" he shouted at ten
minutesof noon. The men complied,
and the balloon shot up still rocking
to and fro in the gale. Away it head
ed east Of south and in a moment
more was making for the spire Of the
Presbyterian church. The concourse
below watched with bated breath.
Acollapse was momentarily expected.
inst, however, as it approached close
to the spire it shot up several yards
In the air. The spectators applauded
to the echo. The danger was averted,
and In few minutes more the air
ship was out Of sight.
The story Of the voyage can best be
told n the words OF the aeronaut him.
self. @When I escaped the steeple,
he naragated, Il turned to salute the
crowd, but I was travelling so fast
that I guess they failed to see me. 1t
was blowing perfect gale. Seven
minutes after the start I was on q
level with the lower cloud strata. OF
1000 feet above the earth Down be.
low I could see nothing but woods
and mountains. I was then rushing
through the air at terrible rate.
never experienced anything like II
before since my Boston ascension
several years ago, when I made thirty
miles in twenty-five minutes. In
nine minutes from the start got in
to the second strata OF clouds and
passed from sight I then endeavor.
ed to keep the balloon down by allow
ng the gas to escape, so as to Keep II
from getting into the sunshine
The heat OF the clouds however
caused the gas to expand, and pass.
upward again. Looking up I saw
mist or haze. In moment more
was above this again, and by making
calculations found that I was two
miles up. At this juncture the ex-