National Republican., 1881-07-06
TRIP OF A BALLOON.
AN EXCITING RACE WITH A STORM.
Collapsing the Air.ship in the Nick Of Time AMER
Dash Through Jersey Forest-An Ascen.
sion Beginning in Sunshine and
Ending in Storm.

l
| t----
"Let her gow ~ shouted Professor Samuel
| A. King, at twenty minutes to Ave o'clock yester-
day afternoon, as tho great Wanamakor balloon,
which had been Juggling impaiiently at the ropes,
shot up into the dir. The balloon went up in sun.
| shine and came down In storm. Its send OF was
favorable in the extreme; It's end was anything
but that. rent from top to bottom brought the
nir-ship to landing In hurry. The balloon as
cension, under the charge Of Professor King was
| the crowning event Of the entertainment FUR
nishcd by Mr.. wGnnmaker. Tho balloon was
new one and named In honor of the new
erial visitor, the Comet The occupants of the
basket were the Professor, who was making
! his one hundred and twenty sixth ascension,
| q Indy friend Of Mr. Kings family, and n
| representative Of the Tines. The balloon, which
was inflated with 25OO0 feet Of gas, left the earth
| behind ina jfy amid the applause of the thou
sands Of spectators and the music of Carl sentz's
orchestra. The wind, which had been blowing
strongly throughout the afternoon, seemed to die
away as the word Of command was given, and at
first the great air-bng hung llstlessly above the
heads OF the multitude At 1900 feet above the
earth the view was perfect one. All the people
Of the city seemed to be gathered near Me-
mortal Hall. Their figures faded away gradu.
ally, then blended into ono solid mat1, and finally
disappeared entirely.
| ONER THE tlIn.
The talloon took southcasterly course and
followed down over Ridge avenue Far beneath
lay the great city. Itw0s n city composed Of red
brick. Prominent buildings could be easily dis.
unguishcd. The pcntcntiary looked like the
spokes Of great cart-whccl-tho public buildings
like massive fortress. At five minutes Of five the
balloon was over the Delaware. The vessels were
In their holiday attire, and the swapping of
crackers and the explosion of guns from the
| (ufn1an eida horo hat bn Iov
ing spent by the Jersey small boy IN a much
different way than by his brother the other side
the river II was beautiful country that the
balloon passed over after crossing Camden At o
height OF three thousand feet the truck gardens
looked like the squares Of n checker board.
Now the wind died away and the sun shot its rays
down spitefully upon the occupants of the bal
loon. 1t was warm, very warm, away up there in
the clouds, and the rarihed mir acted upon the
ears In rather disagrecable way but nobody
minded that Far below pulling engine drew
train Of passenger cars toward Atlantic City.
Although they looked like toy at the distance,
the rails were perfectly disnguishable. The in
trc0ces of the average Jersey creek could be ap-
precated at this height. They were something
awful to contemplate.
FIVE THOUSAND FEET IN THE AIR.
And so the balloon lloated over the cultivated
! lands of Jersey At quarter after five the bal
loon was five thousand feet high. Then 1t took q
sudden fall, as the sun went behind cloud, and
popped up again as little ballast was thrown out
+ What sense of quictncss and peace It was, away
up there Hardly sound could be heard The
faint putting Of an engine away of to the right nm
occasional bird call from the trees the almost in
distinguishable cackling Of the barn. yard fowl
that was all. All the rumblng noises of the city
were let far behind This was new world, as
yet unexnlored except by the few. Mists hung
about the air ship on all sides Dark clouds were
pnllprinQ off n tho lnm Tbnv fnrahndad M
1t was quarter to six when q low, rumbling
, roar in the distance caused all cars to quicken
, It's wagon going over bridge" said the Pro.
, fessor. mo, I'm wrong" lie added n moment
later; "its thunder A little village was neal
by, and the passing balloon caused commotion
Tar of to the left the gathering clouds caus.
Ing different kind OF q cOmmoton. There wai
a heavy storm brewing, The question was, How
l long would 1t hold off and where could the bal.
loon make a landing? At six o'clock the village
Of Atco was just beneath. A train drew up TO- the
depot and the engine saluted Then the sun dis
appeared the chill Of the coming storm was felt
; and In moment the balloon had fallen to within
few hundred feet of the earth. There was moth
ing ahead but the forest. 1t was gloomy out
look. Sharp eyes searched for a favorable spot.
$ landing must be made or tho thunder. storm
Q braved In the skies. There was no telling wher,
the balloon would wind pshould she get into I'll,
centre Of the storm.
RACING WITH STORM.
The balloon kept on falling until the drag -rone
b whipped along through the tops OF the trees, onl!
!, about one hundred and fifty feet below. To thu
l. LEFT n clearing was discovered, with farm
= house upon 1t. Strong and loud calls for aid
l. brought ready responses. Head us OF! Catcl
the drag roper shouted the captain OF the air
= ship, but the drag-rope whipped merrill!
along over the trees skirtng the clearing
: and dehed capture. Matters were comm,
\ TO n crisis The ghaIpw of hn
ing storm upon the trees in the distance blacl
as night The professor sat with the neck of bal
of ballast In his hands as the balloon sailed over
swamp covered with tall cedars 1t would b.
impossible to land here. Tho water was nccl
deep. The balloon would have thrashed itsel
TO pieces in short order Down went the Arrives
sci, as II 10 recOnnoitre. cold current strucl
her. 1t was the advance guard of the storm
+ With the swihness Of an express train the great
= gns-bag flew along. "Look out Brace yoursel
= well" sang out the Professor MS II became evi
= dent that the balloon would strike. The shocl
came, and the basket rushed through the tree top
y and then bounded up ngain, Down she cam
again, and dashed in among the cCdGrs as try
. ing TO level them, 4 little more sand wa
a thrown out and the basket cleared the trees an,
a in moment more the dangerous swamp had beef
a | cleared. II was high time The storm was almos
upon the balloon NOW look out for yourselves !!
and the Professor threw over the anchor as tn,
gas bag hoatcd over dry spot, covered will
0 bushes and small trees, ave must come dow
a here, and I'll explode the balloon IL necessary.
I. The anchor caught and held and the balloon ca
!; reencd over and went up above the trees. Tn
a valve was opened and the gas rushed out; but no
d half fast enough. The wind increased and th
4 balloon iuggcd 10 get frce The Professor seize
X. the collnpsing cord. In IN instant the balloo
! was rent from top to bottom. out went the 50
$ with rush, and down came the balloon. 1t fcl
l eNsR aaf
: the rain descended in torrents; and there, in III
: midst Of Jersey forest and In the midst of It'll
a tornado, the voyage Of the Comet was ended. sh
. had been in the mir an hour and a half The raj
IS stopped and the mosquitoes came. A tramp OF a
hour through swanips and wet bushes and hcl
was found, wagon took the air voyNgers thrc
or four miles TO Atco and the city was reached q
:, one o'clock this morning -IhlddclLhia Taes (yes
II terddO,