Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-12-19
The Wise. Burr Ascension.

The ascension of Burr and Wise was
made from Lindell Park, Sunday after.
noon. The balloon filed much faster
than Professor Wise had expected 1t
would, the gas pressure at the Lindell
Park being greater than had been rep.
resented to him. At IL O'Clock the bal.
loon was inflated sufficiently to carry
four passengers and it was the profess
sors intention at this time to take three
companions with him, young Burr,
Charley Coulter and MIR. Downey, his
nephew. The ascension was not to be
made until five o'clock. About three
o'clock gentle breeze turned to strong
wind and the balloon surged its fasten-
ings, the net work to which the sand
bags were attached. Prof. Wise and
his assistants, one of the latter his
grandson. caught the balloon and held
it down till the valve was opened and
the gas let out. The balloon of course
collapsed and fell to the ground en-
tirely. The professor was disguised
with tho way the Pathfinder had
acted, and he said that he would post.
pone the ascension to some future day.
The netting was all brok en- and it would
take all the afternoon to fill the balloon
again. The ascension would no doubt
have been actually postponed had it
not been for the professors friends,
and particularly the three that were to
accompany him on the voyage. They
could nil the balloon again in time they
said and repair the netting. There
would be a big crowd of spectators
there, and it would be a shame to dis.
appoint them. Balloon people were
generally looked upon as humbugs.
any way, and it would never do at all
to disappoint the hundreds and thou.
sands who would surely gather on the
grounds to see an ascension. Young
Burr was particularly anxious that the
ascension should be made. He was all
fixed Tor the trip; the professor had
promised him time and again to take
him along. and he didn't want to be
disappointed. Besides, if the professor
wouldn't make an ascension himself, he,
Burr, would for him, for the people
must not be disappointed. At last the
old aeronaut gave in, and the initiating
OF the balloon recommended and the
netting was patched up.
1t was agreed between the four par
ties most interested in the ascension
that in case the balloon received only
sufficient gas by five o'clock to take one
man, that Burr should 60 up. If there
was gas enough for two, then Professor
Wise ehould 60. If three could 60,
the third should be Charley Coulter,
and if four, then Downey was to be
one OF the voyagers. When the hour of
five o'clock arrived the netting had
been repaired and the balloon about
two.thirds inflated. The professor
thought that she would carry no more
than two persons besides the packages
OF Mabley's advertisements and the
Iron Mountain railroad circulars and
couple of sand bags for ballast. All
these things were put into the basket,
and also several bottles of Anheuser's
bottled beer and q dozen or two sand
witches. The park was pretty we'll
filled with people, or at least that por-
ton OF it about the balloon was, and
the street outside the park WAS crowded
with people. The scene in the vicinity
OF the balloon was of very lively
character. "Crazy Ward" q cracked
skull painter, with an ambition for the
stage, was making himself very con.
spicuous in the crowd about the bal
loon, saving the air with his arms, re.
citing Shakespeare and Byron and yell.
ing to Professor Wise every now and
then, asking him If he didn't remem-
Der the time when they too sailed over
Lake Michigan once in balloon.
When the gas was cut off and shut Of
and the basket fastened to the netting,
about forty men in the crowd stepped
forward and took hold of the netting.
The sand bags were then all unlocked
from the netting, and the basket and
balloon were dragged over to the ex.
treme southwest corner of the open
space between the trees, some forty
feet from the position the balloon first
occupied. This was done because q
strong wind was blowing from the
south, and the professor wanted all the
room he could get in which to clear the
trees. Burr stepped into the basket
and stood upright. He was smoking
cigarette at the time, and his hands
were kept busy shaking hands with his
friends. Professor Wise climbed into
the basket.
"Now can you all let 60 when say,
the word ?" he asked.
Yes, answered half dozen OF the
men holding the top rim of the basket.
" All right. let her CO."
The hands of all left the basket at
the same time, and up shot the balloon,
taking direction almost due north.
The basket brushed through the
tree tops on the north side OF the open
space, but it was only momentarily,
and no damage was done. Young Burr
stood on the rim of the basket and
waved his hat at the crowd below with
one band, while holding to the rigging
with the other. The drag.rope. about
the size of an ordinary clothes.line and
1900 feet long, lay in q coil on the
ground when the balloon started up,
and there was q shout. Keep away
from the line. Let her run out" The
crowd obeyed, giving the rope plenty
OF room. In q few seconds, perhaps
nearly O minute, the end OF the drag
rope was reached and drawn up through
the trees out of sight. As the balloon
passed over the fair grounds some OF
the visitors there caught hold of it, and
Professor Wise was compelled to cut
the rope loose from the balloon. This