The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-06
UP IN "A BALLOON.
The Official Report of the Air Voyage by the
Signal Observer.

j. G.. Hashagan, the Signa-Office obser-
yer who accompanied Prof. King on his re-
ent balloon voyage, which so nearly proved
disastrous 10 both, has made n report OF the
voyage to the Chief Signal officer, in which
Is embraced a record OF aerial metcorologi-
cal observations. The balloon. The '.Great
Northwest" broke from her fastcnings at
$3.50 u. VI. on Thursday. October 18th. be-
fore preparations were completed, carrying
with il Professor King and Private IiaSha-
gan. In i've minutes the balloon had
arisen 10 height OF 1880 feet above sea-
level, moving southwest. Darkness
coming on, II was impossible for the
yoyagcrs 10 tell in what direction they
were moving. They found themselves,
however, about 8 o'clock, suspended over
small city. where they appear to have
come TO 4 standstill for three hours. The
wind then changed, carrying them north
west, passing over Spring Valley, Wis,
startling the inhabitants by dragging their
"drag-rope" over their housctops. Pass
ing over what they supposed were the
"Platte Mounds" their balloon seem
ed bcwitched, dancing and Whirling
among the mound-tops, at times nearly
striking them. This performance on the
balloons part they attribute TO currents
OF cold air circulating in the valleys, and
perhaps in a greater measure to the adj
ditiOnN force OF gravity exercised by the
mounds. Once while passing over Sean
dinayian settlement load OF shot was fired
at them, and they distinctly heard the shot
as il passed. Going then, at 80 on Fri
day, at the rate of thirty or forty miles per
hour westward, they were unable to dis
Germ stationary objects, and soon thereafter
were not able TO note the course they were
pursuing. Rain came on and poured in
torrents, rendering observations impOssi-
Bile. At 12:45 p. VI. Friday they reached
their highest elevation, $500 feet a
steamboat whistle and other sounds were
distinctly heard at this elevation.
In ten minutes after this height
was reached the balloon rapidly de-
Scendcd. filling for several minutes
at the rate OF 500 feet per minute.
They soon found themselves floating over
small. SWift-running river, and could
plainly hear the falls below them. They
were now hcmmed in by walls OF high
pines on either bank OF the river, the walls
hemming the current OF air so that the bal
loon moved up the. middle of the stream
not more than fifteen feet above the water.
An opening i'm the bank was soon reached,
up which the balloon sailed, and soon
thereafter. entering a cranberry-bog, the
balloon collapsed. From the last person
spoken, they Judged that they were about
forty miles from st. Paul, MINI.
Stepping from the car into eighteen
inches Of icc-water, they took the mstru-
ments and a few other articles and started
10 recOnnoitre. Night overlook them at an
old decayed hog-pen in the bog and cook
ing a hedgehog they had killed en route,
they settled for the night. After cOnslde-
ration they decided TO abandon all pro-
perty not essential to their safety, and re-
traced their steps the next day toward the
balloon. from which TO obtain ropes, etc,
with which to construct a raft TO cross a
river they discovered. Before rctracing
their march of the previous day they hung
satchel, containing the Signa-seryice
Instruments. on the top of a pole, TO ut
tract the attention Of any who might be in
the neighborhoOd, and convey informa-
ton OF their situation. An explanatory
note was left with the satchel. After great
fatigue and dangerous mishaps the balloon
was found. With piece of cloth ten feet
square, cut from the balloon, ropes and the
seat OF the basket, they started ont once
more. Reaching the river, the baSket-seat
was put ailoat with bottle containing
note detailing their condition and request
ing assistance. a red handkerchief fastened
on stick Oh the basket served as flag to
attract attention. They then camped for the
night. but the cold night air and bowling
of wolves kept sleep from their eyes. The
next dav, Sunday, they tIamped south
ward all day, finally bringing up at what
had once been an extensive logging camp.
Here until Tuesday they stayed, building
their raft, in the midst Of droveS OF howl
inc wolves. Tuesday they pOled their raft
until thev entered a lake with no outlet.
Unroping their raft, they took the ropes
and resumed their tramp, at times making
circuits OF three OF four miles to avoid
impassable swamps. Living upon berries,
they mt length came upon an old logging
road. which they followed. The tinkling
of n cow-bell soon greeted their ears, and,
following the sound, reached river and
followed It's banks, shortly discovering Il
cabin on the opposite side and boat con-
tainingtwO men. Attracting gtherattention
thev soon found themselves among friends
(paid friends). They were then on the
Flambeau river, Chippewa county, WIS.
Next day, in company with the two men
and eight others, they retraced their steps
10 the balloon, where they secured the valve
and sipnal-seryice instruments. On Thurs
dov tbev were taken to Chippewa Falls,
thirty miles by water and thirty-iiye miles
by road, reaching the Falls by s. O'Clock
Friday morning. Leaving on the 4:40 L:
NJ. train. escorted by citizens and a band
of music, they arrived in Chicago at I y.
NJ the next day