Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-10-29
THE BALLOON VENTURE.
The story of the signal Service
Operator who Accompanied kfng
nm His Fearful Voyage.

The story of d. Signal Service
Operator who Accompanied King
ON His Fearful Voyage.
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis, Oct. 2l.-The
yoyagers who took such hasty fight last
Thursday from civilization feel no such
disposition to-day. If you should see us
now, dragged, torn, water-soaked and ex-
posed, and our appetites-what a wonder
full thing they are-you would surely say
we loved civilization, and more especially
the good table. Before five minutes after
leaving terra firma we reached an altitude
Of 1890 feet, moving southwest. A rev
minutes later we reached an upper current
moving slowly westward, so slowly that we
barely ~moved-but what a prospect be-
meath us Chicago, which at best Is pare
ly endurable to q Downeaster, was now a
thing of beauty, but not a JOY forever LOT
we were soon shut out by night, and bad
nothing hut its myriads OF lights twink
| ling in the distance. We remained there
| Suspended, neither rising nor falling, for
| several hours, but at last a puff of air sent
| us southwest, changing before morning to
west and northwest. While going south
| west we remained becalmed about three
| hours, swinging in a circle over a small
| CITY that. from its location, / judge to be
| Peoria. Illinois. After getting tired OF the
| early stars we turned in, that is, took " cat
Maps" At5:15 A. M. Friday we passed over
| Spring Valley, Wisconsin,, startling the
natives by dragging our drag-rope over
| their roofs, and one ambitious fellow,
probably thinking we were Nick with his
| legion. sent q shot after us. After we
| passed over Platte mounds at 7:l5 A. M.
| these mounds are 1881 feet above the sea
Ievel), Of various colors and fantastic
| forms, which, with the bright colors and
| surrounding foliage, gave q picturesque
ness to the surface unequaled by anything
| but a most vivid imagination, the balloon
| circulated among these mounds as though
| drawn by an inspired force, and one par
| ticularly, as if 10th to part with US, kept us
| lust one-half an hour dancing this circular
| attendance. We were compelled at last
to use our ballast to escape this apparent
attraction. OF course it was nothing but
currents Of cold air circulating in the val
leys which it was necessary to rise above
to escape. As though dissatisfied with
her late action, and wishing to give US Q
heavenly view, our balloon took an upward
turn, carrying us 1000 feet above the
stratus clouds, literally burying us in
milk for an hour. In passing Little
Falls, Monroe County, Wisconsin, we
came SO near the ground that we came in
contact with the trees and were compelled
to take a large portion OF one as a souvenir.
When we neared the ground we were greet
ed with the examination OF the verdant in
every variety Of forms. Children were
hushed, dogs called of, horses whipped vi
and old country matrons stood in theil
doors with arms akimbo and in the mos
surprising and comical attitudes. II W,
had had an artist along, he could hav'
made his fortune out of their figures. A
s A., NJ, we passed over Putton, or som
similar named place, but, being in a hurry
we could not accept the many invitation
to descend. At $40 A. NJ. we passed owe
Tomah. At9:50 we arose among the cloud
and lost sight Of Mother Earth for a few
hours. The wind increasing carried us a
o rapid rate, probably 40 or 80 miles pc
hour, and, not being able to discern station
airy objects, where we were or what cours
we we're pursuing. Meanwhile the rail
poured in torrents. Collecting on the out
side OF the balloon, it poured down tn
mouth OF the bag into the basket in a stead
stream, compelling Mr.. Hashogan, the Sig
nal Service, to put away his instrument
But 1t was useless, as there was not a DIR
pin-head among them. At 12:47 P. NJ. tn
highest known elevation was reached, be
ing 1900 feet. From the last perso
spoken we found we we're 40 mile
from st. Paul, and we descended 8
81 80 p. NJ. on the west bank OF the river
one-half mile inland, and concluded tha
we we're in the State of Minnesota, probs
bly, 40 miles north Of St. Paul, on the Mi
sissippi river. With this supposition /
mind we stepped out Of our car into abou
10 inches of ice water. and found We wei
in q cranberry bay, and bad to get out. T
recite our experience after that for tn
succeeding FIVE days is too horrible fc
anything. How we walked for five day
up to our knees through DOGGY swamp
without food, except half a pint Of bel
ries how the wolves and bears scente
around US at night how we slept IN til
ground at night through heavy frosts, onl
to start again in the morning through tn
swamps. with its ice water, and falling owe
muddy logs at every step |; how, as the las
resort, We built our raft, expected to 6
over the Falls Of st. Anthony; our subst
quent disappointment and tramp, wit
blistered feet and torn shoes. But oh, on
joy when at 4 o'clock on the evening OF tn
fifth day, we reached Flambeau river, an
were rowed across by Cleromen Bertran
and Michael Miner, and here we are enjoy
ing the good things before us.
MARRIAGE" said an unfortunate hui
hand. Hia the churchvard NJ Iowa. can