Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-07-08
AN AERIAL RUNAWAY.
Woodword's Balloon swesps Across the Bay
The Aer, nauts Dragged Through the Water
Their Miraculous Escape-Miss Allison
Injured.

course of pleasure-soekers, drawn
thlther by the desire to see as
many and varied entertainments
as possible for one admission fee.
The place is very popular resort
for San FranciscaDs, especially on
such a gala day as the Fourth of
July. which fact was never more
fully demonstrated than yesterday.
Aside from the matinee perform
ance in the pavilion, the grand at.
traction was the ascension of Pro-
fessor s. w. ColgrOve and Miss
Emma Allison. correspondent of
the New York Graphic. The bal
loon, which is named the General
Grant, was filled with $4,000 feet of
gas fully an hour before the ascen-
SION, and was anchored to the earth
inside II rope ring in the amphithe-
ater by some hundred or more
sand bags. After the gas flow was
shut oft, several men busted them
selves in stitching up the mouth of
the monster to the proper size. and
as the huge bag swaycd to and fro,
first in one direction and then in
another, until 1t dipped towards
every point of the compass, the
workefs were dragged about the
ring and ever and anon half buried
in the folds of the air-ship TO the
intense amusement of the bystand-
ers. AS half-past 3 O'Clock ap-
preached the performance in the
pavilion concluded, and in few
moments the phitheater was
filled with thousands of spectators,
who sought the best attainab!e pO-
sitions and awaited the event
THE ASCENSION.
AT twenty minutes past 3 the
basket was attached, the sand-bags
cut loose, Professor Colgrove
clambered into the swaying basket,
twenty or thirty men seized the
sides of it and held it down, and all
was in readiness for departure, save
that Miss Allison had not arrived.
She came in a moment, however,
dressed in plain black and with the
notebook sticking out
of a back pocket, and escorted by
Manager Williams, proceeded to
the basket and was lifted inside.
All being in readiness, Professor
Colgrove gave the signal, the men
cast loose and sprang away, the
balloon gave II leap into the air, the
Professor drew a keen knife blade
across the one rope which bound
the monster to earth, aud the air.
ship shot heavenward at 1925
O'Clock and took a southeast course,
with such velocity that, in two and
one-ha!f minutes, it was calculated
that it was at least three miles
away, poised over the waters of the
bay. There ii appeared to hang
stationary for few moments, when
it slowly ascended to considerable
hight, and striking another air
current, drifted away to the south,
and in the course of half an hour
disappeared from sight. The ascen-
sion was very successful, the only
incident being that, as the balloon
spraDg into the air, Miss Allison
stopped and picked up flag which
she waved at the spectators, and in
doing SO, her notebook slipped out
of the back pocket referred to and
returned to earth, leaving its
owner to pursue her journey with
naught but the tablets of memory
upon which to inscribe the incl
dents Of the trip.
THE VOYAGE.
A telegram was received last eve
ming from Lathrop. stating that u
large balloon had come down near
there, it having struck and torn
away the telegraph wires. This
telegram caused great uneasiness
to be felt, as il was very certain
that it was the one in which Mr..
Colgrove and Miss Allison had as
cended. No trace of them could he
found, and fears were aroused for
their safety. The arrival of Col
grove III the city about 10 o'clock
explained the mystery. His clolh'
ing was wet through, torn and COW
cred with mud, and he presented
the appearance, to use his own ex-
preston, of "a man who had
had a rough deal" He proceeded to
the room Of his friend, ID. II. Haw-
ley, the well-known gymnast and
aer0naut, where he was provided
with dry clothing. He was visited
there by a Chronicle reporter
to whom he furnished the
particulars of the catas-
tr,phe. The balloon assembled
from the Gardens very rapidly, and
caught current which swept 1t
swiftly in sou, neasterly direction.
Miss Allison showed no fear what
ever, but seemed to enjoy the trip.
When over Hunters Point the bal
loon came to sudden stop and
remained there for about fifteen
minutes. 1t then began to drift
slowly to the southeast at a height
of 5000 feet. AS this would lead
them in an undesirable direction.
Mr.. ColgrOve lowered the air ship
to 8 500 feet from the earth. 1t
was then caught by another cur
current of air and assembled in
diagonal direction to 1850 feet,
keeping in the same current. 1t
then began to descend rapily again;
Ballast was then thrown out again;
but, as it did not produce the de.
sired effect, the balloon descending
rapidly toward the water, the
heavy lunch basket, u box OF lem
onade, the remainder of the sand
bags, the large cloth used for wrap
ping up the balloon were all
thrown out in the hope of tighten
ing the balloon. Seeing the dam
ger of falling into the water, the
aeronaut then cut off pieces of his
landing rope and threw them over.
Miss Allison now began to grow
frightened, and the situation be-
came dangerous. AS the shadow
of the balloon on the bay became
longer, and as he could hear the
water biainly and knew lie was
falling to it swiftly, Colgrove flung
out everything. even his anchor
90 4 ropes, ia ere hvpe 0I aiu5
agttfa D. wac 5f ~ t9aii
rIIE Ca4ss isUtHE.