The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-09
UP IN A BALLOON.
A Former Indianapolis Journalists Account
of a Journey Through the Air.

Mr.. VIII o. Bates, formerly connected with
the Journal, and well' and favoraby known in
indianapolis as clever gentleman and capable
journalist, has been INDUCING in his favorite
pastlme OF making a balloon ascension. Bates
mas penenant for this sort of thing, and when
ever an ascent is made anywhere
within the limits proposed to be
traversed by "the Peoples Railway of America"
he will go with it or know the reason. In fact
so firm a hold has this desire upon the young
mans mind that his friends have to tie weights
to his feet to prevent his endeavoring TO Ego up
OF his own accord. He recently made another
ascension, and incident to the narration of the
adventure, i'll the Cincinnati News Journal he
relates the following picturesque and entertain
ing account of an ascent made several years ago
from this city:
1t was not the writer's first experience in
aerial travel His initial perpendicular sail
away from terra firma was upon July a, 1876,
at Indianapolis, In the balloon "America'-a
beautifully proportoned and unusually large
aerostat, holding 10000 cubic feet of gas-with
Mr. William Shotts as aeronaut and wedding
party as ballast. The ceremony was performed
while the balloon, held captive by rope, was
bobblng up and down In the air in a manner
which could hardly be described as ''serenely,"
ana caused the minister to use his briefest
formula and cut the invocation off very short in
deed. He dld not care to go on with the party,
so his avolrdupols was made good with sand
bags, and somebody said, "Let 90, ALL" The
day was gorOusly bright and calm-ideal
weather for 6allooning-and the huge afr ship
once released rose with swift, grand motion
ana located off to the eastward. IL reached
an altitude of mile IN some
that distance above the earth for the greater
part of the trip, which lasted an hour and ex-
tended some twenty miles almost due east. The
sky was full of cumulus clouds, and upon
reaching the altitude of the strata upon which
they rested, probably tnree-quarters of mile
high, they appeared in splendid connected
around horizon. tnmhPQ and
lar on top but perfectly fiat the bottom.
Rising above them, they seemed to lie upon the
SURFACE or the earth like patches of cotton. The
ordinary phenomena observed in balloon travel
lng-the bright and vivid colors Of the fields of
grain anu velVety grass, the singular cleGrness
with which minor terrestrial sounds could be
heard-the rumbling of a carriage, the quack-
ing OF geese, and the croaking of frogs being
easily distinguished at the height of mile
and a general sense of exheration and
calm enjoyment, were all experienced in perfec-
tlon. The newly-wedded couple, after an indif
ferent glance over the edge of the basket seated
themselves In its bottom, and gave their I'M
divided attention to bottle of bitters and each
other. Their honeyed endearmenLs to which
the aeronaut and the reporter were Involuntary
listeners, with less absorbing material for OBJ
servation outside the car, would have been
amusing at any rate, II not instructive. "But let
us not pr ofane." etc The landing was made in
wheat field in manner abrupt that all it's
occupants we're he iped together in a mlscella-
neOus tHDgle in the bottom of the basket. The
balloon bounced probably fifty feet high, but
the anchor had fastened in a rail fence and
DrOuSnb IL uOWn agaln anu there we SAT anu
held the valve open for few minutes
until crowd collected from the
surrounding FARM houses. It's perfectly wonder
full tine way people gather when balloon de-
sends. When the car was balasted with rails
and powders its passengers disembarked, and
the gas bag was emitted at leisure Ii had been
the arrangement that the bridal pair should be
let out near railway station, and the rest of the
party should take more ballast aud go on for
all night trip, but in the excitement of making
the landing, fearing the anchor would drag, The
aeronaut had pulled his rip-cord, cutting a huge
cash in the top OF the envelope, and of course
wagon was procured and the whole party
drove TO Greenfield, some two or three miles far
annapolis.