The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-14

fpl, however, and they nov rank among
those who have contributed to the orna'
nenta6on rather than 70 the practical
advancement Of the world. Nothing
has been added TO either the mt
or the science Of balloonipg in these
hundred yeafs, Three or four years after
fhe Nonfpolfers bag assembled by the
Greater ievity Of the bot air that was IN It,
q balloon took up for mile or 30 nearly as
many people as Prot. King proposes TO SET
ont with from the Minnesota State taiF. In
this time all manner OF pranks have been
enacted by Rfonauts In the lore part Of
this century it was q common sight IN
England for men TO mount upwards on inc
backs OF their fayorite riding horses, which
were ingeniously stationed on platforms
under the balloon, Women were among
the earliest adventures in the mir, going
alone or accompanied BY male escorts, AT
one time what may be called extra'hazar-
dOus ballooning became SO common IN
England that It was deemed advis'
able to interpose legal restraint to
the spirit Of ioolhardy adventure,
The ieats Of the trapeze performer
in mid air, Is We believe, about the only new
feature that modern times have introduced
intoaerial navigation. When the first bal
looms carving human beings rose toward
the sky, thousands Of spectators gathered
TO be thrilled by the sense OF risk to the
yoyagers. In time, hover, It became clear
that there was really no danger connected
with the business, In order to feed the
public appetite for crushed skulls, one freak
OF risk after another was introduced until
a display OF gymnastics amid air was tn,
only thing in aeronautics that would
satisfy spectators. A few years ago two
or three Of these trapcZe performers lell
from heights varying from I'VE hundred 70
a thousand feet, and since then that me OF
entertainment has been practically ADAM
dOncd .....-.-...-,-..
Asideirom purposes oipleasuree excursion
, ing among the clouds the balloon does not
appear to be Of any use to the world, The
present tripirom st, Paul is, We doubt not,
undertaken more for pleasure than for the
expectation that anything new and useful
I will be added to the practical operation OF
. the government signal service. 1t may be
: we'll 10 make experiment withthe cO-operI'
lion OF the signal service rs It Is now or
/ mniZed, for never before have the facilities
6een 40 far perfected for aiding an aero
naut, The telegraph will be- used to inform
|, thc central Office ut Washington of the
T, moment when the Northwest" shoots
, into tho mir and from the central office
, word will be sent 10 all the stations from
. Dakota eastward to be on the lookout Tor
/ the air ship, In this way the temperature
, of the several signal stations can bO com,
. pared with the log OF the aeron0uts, ana
| possibly some useful deductions may bt
, made rs to the result Of tho voyage,
{ Tie great object OF the flight, however, Is
/ inside from the exclamation which 1t will
\ afford the accompanying Journalists, to d!s
' cover the alleged eastward current OF ar
!. This assumed current is to teronants VIVA
a the hypothetical Polar seq u to explorers 0
!. the north. Whether the fact oil itsexlst.enc'
Q will be OF any value to Gronautics Is ~
3 problematical as the utility OF an oper
Il Polar sea to commerce Is, The nearest ap
|, proach that has been made to u settlement
o Of this question WIS In 1850, when Wis.,
!. trayersed distance al nearly 200 mile
II east from st. Louis. II Prof. King can, by
|. inland experiments, satisfy himself that
e current oiair eastward can be depended OF
d he may be induced to set out on the much
Il talked about trip across the Atlantic; d
d trans- Atlantic voyage Is now the only thin
II left for Rronauts to DO IN order to surpaS
). their predecessors In ballOoning 1t WIZ
}. long ago decided by public opinion thu
g there vas not enough danger in the busi
y ness to entitle 4 man TO fame, Statistic
C show that ordinary balloon voyages arc at
/. tended BY very little risk. Given bal
It properly made Of the right material, tIlet
!. with good coal gus, and the whole m9nagct
8 by experienced and intelligent hands. ant
k the danger Is reduced almOs to q leye
o with that which attends travel on tn
o ground. g.- .... .l. ..F...