The New York herald., 1879-07-08
A Reporter Asoends in a Balloon
from Manhattan Beach.
TWELVE HUNDRED FEET HIGH
Singular Aspect of Things Seen
from the Swinging Car.


is OF inferior quality. owing the oxide Of iron
used in manufacturing it. The lifting capacity of
the gas used present is 81 pounds to 1000 feet OF
gas. while hydrogen would lift 70 pounds to 1000
feet. This deficiency in ascensive power imposed q
delay upon the scores Of persons who watching
the tests to be made in the preliminary ascensions
Of this magnificent balloon. None chafed under the
disappointment more than Professor King himself.
who thus forced to wait for a perfectly calm
day. The test to be made the variation of the
ascensive power of the balloon under the varied at
mospheres and temperatures. This is done by
means of the dynamometer. which registers the
strain upon the cable, and to do the influence OF
breeze must be felt. The ascensions made the
Sd of July not important because the altitude
obtained not sufficient to test any of the prin-
ciples on which knowledge is sought; but it re-
manned for HERALD reporter to attain the greatest
altitude possibe-the full length of the cablecarly
yesterday morning.
1t was half-past seven O'Clock when he visited the
large in which the captive pioneer was
secured. and found Professor King contemplating
the folds of flag which hung from neighboring
flagstaff.
''The wind scarcely move it, said he. in evil
dent delight. "and Wen have glorious time in
tend to make several ascensions right away"
At the time the Professor thrust his hand in
side the window of his private apartments and rang
gong. In instant squad OF assistants nauti-
caly dressed emerged from door the opposite
side of the enclosure and stood respectfully waiting
orders
"iet her ready, boys" said the Professor. with
move OF his hand; Jump lads.
The score more men sprang to the immense
globe glowing with Oriental colors. and in
a few minutes. under the leadership of Professor
Kings son, were hard ut work loosening
ropes, attaching hooks and handling the
sand ballast. In the meantime the aero
naut ate his breakfast. On his return to
the scene the balloon was swung into position and
the gas hose attached to the under valve. As the
structure spherical it has neck and it required
few minutes before the amount of gas lost by
shrinkage in the cold night air replaced. Then
the full round proportions of the aerial craft were
revealed. On each side of the balloon painting
OF Columbus, while the name, Pioneer" is en-
blazoned in gigantic letters. The the decora-
ton is superb, and possibly balloon ever pre-
sented more handsome appearance than did this
it stood swaying to and fro under slight breath
of wind 1t took short time to attach the and
throw off the guy ropes; and then the instruments
were placed IN the cara wet bulb thermometer.
dry bulb thermometer, mercuria barometer and
dynamometer The thermometer, wind gauge
showed breeze of six miles an hour. Every fasten-
ing then thrown off, and the entire strain OF the
balloon was felt by the cable. The dynamometer
registered pressure of 600 pounds on the cable.
"
cylinder beyond, around which it was wound.
FIRST ASCENT.
Professor King stepped in the car, the signal was
given to let go and the balloon rose rapidly. In
eight seconds the encosu cleared and crowds
OF people hurried toward the starting point as they
caught sight or the ascending car, with Professor
King and the HERALD reporter plainly visible. AS
the sea breeze was caught it carried the air
ship out of the enclosure in northeasterly
direction. The wind was much fresher than
below. In two minutes the barometer indicated
height of 22O feet above the sea level,
the wet thermometer fell from 66 degrees to "a de-
grees, and the dry thermometer from 60 degrees to
registered $50 pounds pressure. The balloon then
Ascended OF the heavy of air reached
o milder breeze which allowed it to swing back
again directly over the enclosure. In two minutes
more the barometer showed an elevation Of $50 feet,
while the wet thermometer fell to 62 degrees and
the dry thermometer to G5 degrees. So tar the
humidity of the atmosphere uniform, but in
two minutes more. when the barometer marked ESQ
feet new current of air going due east forced the
balloon toward the rising sun 1t acted rather
strangely upon the instruments. as the dry ther-
mometer rose from 50 degrees to 81 degrees. while
the wet bulb fell another degree, marking 81
degrees. This. the Professor sail, remarkable,
mometer registered under this new current 800
pounds. In few minutes the balloon reached an
altitude OF $50 feet the instruments being fur
ther affected by the rise.
Professor King then gave the signal for descent by
waving small flag, as the wind was too strong to
allow further measurement OF the ascenslve power
of the gas. The descent graceful and the
tion delightful At eight minutes before nine the
"Pioneer" touched the ground.
GOING ALONE.
In short time the wind again lulled, and Pro-
fessor King, who had been Watching the reporter
closely for several minutes, said-"How would you
like TO 90 up alone?"
Before he could recall his words the offer was
accepted. and the reporter eaped into the car.
''When you see the mouth OF the balloon distend
itself the expands under the suns heat. pull
the lower valve cord and relieve the canvas OF its
strain. the instructions the great iron CYL
inder again reeled OF the huge snake-like cable
which the safety OF the voyage depended The
balloon rose in a straight line over the circular
fence and did not show the slightest deviation SO
well did the "Poneer' behave that in looking
down the edge OF the car the reporter could
see the Professor clapping his hands in approval
as he yelled out. "Plunb IN the centre, not hairs
breadth out"
just then a northerly wind struck the car In
few seconds it veered to the and tipped the
considerably, causing great difficulty in standing.
AZ the ascent progressed the balloon left this
rent aud was carried due east by contrary current.
maintaining that position until height OF 200 feet
was attained and the ascent stopped. the end of
the cable had been reached for the first time Here
ie car began to swing i'm an arc of DO nts
OF the compass from north to east The pressure of
the wind against the apparatus caused the floor to
assume an angle of about thirty five degrees. This
decidedly unpleasant, but the reporter caught
the spirit of his position and forgetting the raksh
car. left the instruments. and. seizing powerful
marine glass, viewed the wide surroundings.
SCENE below.
To the southwest stretched the Atlantic Ocean
In ali its grandeur. a slight mist on the horizon
hiding the line which separated the and sky.
The waters glittcred beneath the suns rays and the
roar of the surf family heard. To tho
south sandy Hook stretched out, while beyond Long
Branch could be discerncd hankcd ON the west by
the blue peaks OF the Orange Mountains and the
green, sloping shores of Staten Island. Then the
reporters eye followed around the circle TO Jersey
Again tho glass was called into play, and far away
the trees in the groves could be counted. Beyond
them an inky background was formed by
two separate chains OF mountains. which
but dimly visible. New York Bay
seemed like blue patch in green coat,
and the East and North rivers were concealed
by the huge Brooklyn storehouses. The cables of
the Brooklyn Bridge we're distinctly with the
naked eye. To the northwest the woods of Long
Island stretched out for miles and miles. In Brook
lyn the prominent houses could be singled out with
the glass; To the west Rockaway craned its neck
into Sheepshead Bay, which stood the balloon.
But tho strangest sight of all was directly beneath
where the hundreds OF people gazing upward
pearol like the inerest pgmies. The top OF the
great bath amphtheatre was spread with drying
clothing of every hue imaginagble resembling
Kaleidoscope picture. Brighton Beach and Cables
seemed only few yards distant.
little spcck appeared moving across green
field. When examined through the glass IL proved
to be a skin containing four men and AN old lady