Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-17
4 TERRIBLE BALLOON RIDE.
The ArRonaut.

The Argonaut.
Count Zsmbeccari was going to as
oend from Bologna In q balloon hold
ing $4,000 cubic feet Of gas, and
sought for two friends to accompany
him on his trip These were found in
Dr.. Grassetti, of Rome, and myself.
The week before the Asoensiop, while
We were making preparations. was q
time Of great excitement for us. The
count VA thoroughly cool; he had
often trusted himself TO the frail ship
and risked his life; but with Ms 1t was
different. Two things made an aerial
trip perilous: First, the covering must
be chosen Of some light material,
which II therefore less durable and
frm; and, secondly, one IL entirely
dependent upon. the wind. Wherever
II takes the balloon, and however it
drives is-whether slowly or swiftly,
or with the fatal fury Of the tempest
one must submit. For this reason
Grasserti and l were anxious. Early
In the morning We began to fill the
balloon, for which we had provided
200 pounds of iron filings, 5000
pounds Of ELMO and $500 pounds of
sulphurio acid. But hour after hour
pissed; the increasing volume Of gas
was very evident, and yet the balloon
was not filled. Noon came; 1t was 3
o'clock; We had reached pernaps 7 1000
cubic feet of gas, and Zambeooari said
to us:
Ascending to-day Is not to DO
thought Of; It will be night before the
balloon viii be filled"
VIZ saw he was right. What obser.
vations could we make In the dark.
nesa2 We were not the only ones on
the spot. All Bologna was on Its legs
old and young, rich and poor. In
the forenoon the people rushed to and
fro, but In the afternoon stood firm,
and awaited from hour to hour the
longed.for spectacle.
The sun set, and evening came. The
spectators were inpatient, and began
to sing and make q noise. When at
last, about midnight, the Count told
N the work vas done, We did not
know what would happen. We did
not want to ascend, yet we knew we'll
that the people would not be DO easily
deprived of the desired sight.
Zambecoari mounted q barrel, got 9
hearing, and announced to the spectA.
tor that a. nothing could be seen q,
Eight, he would ascend In the morning
the balloon was now filed; they could
60 quietly home, and next morning
the ascension would take place.
But what cries arose! How tn,
crowd raved2 "Whatf' screamed tn,
people, "we stand here sixteen hour
and see nothing! We have waitet
since morning, and now shall we &c
home7 Go up! Go up? Start q
once2" And q howl arose that strucl
terror into our hearts.
The count obtained q second hearing
"You will lose nothing by it," said he
ION the contrary, you will only gain
If you will be patient till morning
What a you Q now In the dsrl
night2 Nothing! In q moment W
vanish from your view. In the morn
Ing you can watch the balloons fllgh
for miles. We can throw you note
and letters from the air. The specta
ole Is entirely different"
They would not let him speak. &c
upi go up!" beloved a thousan
throsts. They shook their fists. TIL
crowd pressed sgainst u barriers
complete destruction threatened on
arrangements. An q climax, stone
were thrown at the balloon. "Start
stsrtr' was howled. Laths and beam
cracked. Every moment the stone
thrown threatened to destroy tn
balloon Even our lives were In dan
ger.
my friends, "Zambeccari Whispers
TO M, ''the mob has gone mad. LIE
us ascend. All wait for the perform
auce. We will fly half an hours dis
tsnoe and let ourselves down again
TO begin the genuine expedition to