The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-06
AN AERIAL BRIDAL TRIP.
Marriage in the Air, Followed by Bal
loon VOYAGE.

n marriage IN the AR removed cy Abdl-
loon Voyage.
| Cleveland tOhio, Special.
A couple, OF Springfield, ILL.,, Walter Davis
and Rose Kennedy, were taken up by
Professor KIM, the balloon being held by
ropes. and were married by Judge William
Fuller, fifty feet over the heads of the crowd.
They were pulled down, the magistrate
got out, and your correspondent stepped in.
| The wind had been nearly all day toward
the lake. but about r. NJ varied toward the
south, and the balloon had to be pulled to
the northwest corner of the square to avoid
striking guy ropes to electric lights.
AT 500 Professor King gave the word to let
go. and the Tapping monster bore away its
human freight, and at least one very precious
| life. The space was surrounded by trees, and
as the car rose it struck projecting branch,
scratching the brides face and causing all but
Professor King 70 turn several shades whittier,
but the old aeronaut complacently hung
with one leg out of the basket. The writer
thought very seriously of the comforts of his
boarding house. as the earth sunk beneath
him. There was no sensation of giddiness,
but a somewhat uneasy feeling at the pit of
the stomach. The air seemed perfectly quiet,
although the loose mouth of the balloon
seemed as though it would blow up into the
| body. The landscape seemed one immense
water-color painting spread out below, and
as the shouts of the populace grew fainter
anu fainter, OlSNeldnu SpTedu OUT ike u
d's-eye view. The rattle of musketry
was soon heard as the air-ship drew near
the fair grounds, where a sham battle was
being held, and the evolutions of the troops
could be seen, but not distinctly, as every
thing seemed to grow dark suddenly. Ithad
been necessary in avoiding the electric light
masts to carry but little ballast, consequent
ly the balloon shot up at great rate and
the overflow OF gas was quite strong, and, to
avoid the odor, Prof. King opened the
escape-valve, and the company decended
some 200 feet. Ballast was thrown over and
again the air-ship rose. One senation here
experienced was decidedly pleasant
The day had been exceedingly sultry
down below, but in the upper stratum it
was cool as an ice chest The height at
tanned, mile ana three-quarters, was not
sufficient to produce any but agreeable cool
ness. The first conversation of the trip was
then INDUCED in. The native curiosity of
why did you not take more ballast, Pro-
fessor?''
II wanted to avoid chat guy. I don't like
to think what might have happened had we
struck it, We would probably have slid up
to the top of the mast, tore the balloon badly,
perhaps cut the ropes and taken tumble 200
feet"
All this was reassuring and comfortable to
the reporter, as only one bag of ballast re-
NAMED, and the descent had yet to be made.
For moment the car cleared beneath the
cloud to see the earth plainly, and the lady
exclaimed: "0h, we are going toward the
lakeF' and it certainly looked that way.
Can you swimT facetiously asked the
Professor OF the correspondent.
Not more than ten miles at time"
The comforting assurance was impaired
that because of the elevation the lake ap-
peared nearer than when last seen. The
damp cloud again enveioped the car while
below it was raining. 1t was determined to
land soon, and the drag-rope was thrown out
and the gas allowed to escape. Near the
ground heavy gale was experienced. Pres
emily the endof the drag rope was entangled
in the telegraph wires and gave the car and
its occupants fearful wrench, breaking one
or two meshes in the netting rope. 1t was
freed soon, and the ballon drove on before
the blast, Just Swimming the roof of big
barn. toward which it was impelled at the
rate of forty or fifty miles an hour. Never
50 forcibly was the writer impressed with the
full value of the phrase, "a plaything of
the elements" He realized that at any time
some big tree might fly with him, and the
fielders might fail to catch. The car
struck once or twice on the tops
of orchard trees, humping slightly
and breaking dead branches off. Converse
ton was suspended for a while in view Of the
possible occurrences in which all the occu-
pants were more or less interested. For
safety's sake the lady curled up in the bot
tom of the basket, and the wisdom of the
proceeding was shortly established, as it
was not long before the car collided with q
post and rail fence knocking the breath out
OF the lady, and completely demolishing the
fence. The drag rope was finally seized by q
farmer named ]. G. Walton, after two
bathers had failed in the attempt. Crap
| pling hooks we're thrown out. catching on a
| stump. In the collision a rope was pulled
which tore strip the whole longitudinal
diameter of the envelope, allowing the gas
to escape instantly, and the voyage was
safely ended. The point of alighting was
about one-half mile from Scion station, on
tie N. Y, 2. & o. railroad, and the time
about half an hour before the evening milk
train into the city The balloon was hastily
packed, and, the train being late, Professor
King, the welded pair, and your correspond
ent returned to Cleveland at 10 P: NJ