Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-26
The Famous Balloon Voyage.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF SIGNAL OFFICER HASHAGEN-
EXCITING ADVENTURES BY AIR, LAND AND WATER
CHICAGO, Ills, November II, 1881.
To the CHIEF Signal 0Gcer ar the Army, Washing
tom, ID. c.:
SIR: In compliance with instructions contained
in your communication OF 9th ult, l have the
honor to enclose herewith a record of aerial me-
teOrOlOg1cal observations, taken during the balloon
voyage OF October 18th and 14th 1881 land in connec-
ton Herewith to narrate as follows, viz: The bal
loon SAD. .Nuttng," otherwise known the ssGreat
Northwest" with a capacity of 100000 cubic
feet, broke from her fastenings at $50 wash
1ngton time) Thursday, october 18th, before pre-
parations were concluded, carrying with it Prof
s. A. King and your observer. This sudden flight
was due to the high winds then prevailing, which
made it exceedingly dangerous to attempt the
voyage. On this account your observer was un-
manner, and was compelled to suspend and
hold them In position by means Of cords
p IN, with fearful swoop the balloon cleared the he
houset! ps and moved OF rapidly to south SOUTH
MesL west AZ ;So P; m, at an elevation OF 1880 feet
and seemed In contrast to be becalmed, but very
slowly moving westward. This may have been not
a calm, but diminution of buoyancy, occasiOned
by entering stratum OF air in which the weight
OF the balloon equaled the weight OF air displaced
Sana COZ connnulng TO move in this stratum until car
Iled Out Dy decrease OF density force OF veloc-
Iy.) Darkness coming on we could not tell what
course course we were pursuing, but about O'Clock,
from Chicago, concluded we had changed our
course TO southwest We remained suspended
ovcT tIliS city ABOUT three hours, when the wind
changed, carrying us northwest. AT 6:15 a IN.
$WaShington umel Friday, we passed over Spring
valley Wis, startling the Inhabitants by dragging
our 'urag rope" over their houses At7:15 a. M.
we passed over what l concluded were
the "Platte Mounds" These mounds are
1,28l feet above sea level They are OF various
c0lOrS and fantastic forms, which, with the yarie
gated colors OF the surrounding foliage, gives
pfcturesquenesS unequaled by anything but
most vivid imagination
A BEwTTCHED BALLOON.
The balloon circulated among these mounds as
though drawn by force OF inspiration, and kept us
a half hour dancing n circular attendance, when
we were compelled to use ballast to escape. This
was probably due to the currents of cold air elrL
culating In the valley, and perhaps In gres(er
measure to the additional force OF gravity exer-
cised by the mounds While passing over Scan
dinavian settlement In this neighpOrhood We were
greeted with a load OF shot Which could be dis
unctly heard as it passed. AT 30 a. m. we passed
over Little Falls. Monroe county, Wisconsin, mov-
ing westward. At a. m passed over Tutlow,
{probabiy Tuapleauxl At 10:40 a m, passed over
Tomah, Wis. At II so q. m. the wind increasing
carried at rapid rate, probably thirty or forty
miles per hour, and not being able TO discern sta
tionary objects, could not tell where we were or
what course pursuing: Rain began at e:45 a. m,
and by p. m. it poured In such torrent that OBJ
seryattons were necessarily discontinued From
reached our highest elevation, e60 feet, at 1885
p. N, passtng al the while through solid mass
q stratus al u1nbW cloudB over aeoo feet In