The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-03-13
HIGH Up IN A BALLOON.

Late on o clear autumn afternoon of
1888 the well-known "Woodard's Gar
dens," in the city Of San Francisco,
could scarcely contain surging crowd
come together from all quarters Of the
city to witness the ascent of monster
balloon. In that ascent our artist and
the faithful reporter were directly in-
terested; nor was the fight into ether
which they and the Captain tan expert
enced aeronaut) of the undertaking
proposed by any means o commonplace
affair, being no less than an attempt to
cross in mid-air the mighty range OF the
Sierra Nevada, and land far on the
other side Of that tre nendous palisade,
in Salt Lake City itself.
It Is hardly necessary to state that
this aeronautic feat had never been ac-
complished. Undertaken, the uthful
writer regrets to confess, it had been,
and by the same venturesome trio, who,
sitting in shame on the roof of the cow
shed where they had collapsed at the
very outset of their trip, rallied at the
brick chimney which had wrecked their
air ship, endured the jeers OF the throns
below with humility, and vowed to 10.
peat the attempt within week. A
charity picnic afforded an excellent op.
portunity. The balloon had been
patched, the temper of the trio re.
stored, and once again the immense
swollen bag toppled in air, pulling up.
ward with all Of its 81, 900 cubic feet oi
gas.
Our party were fairly prompt. We
took our places amid the cheers of the
crowd. Everything was looked to
quickly. "Are you ready?' rang out
the question. "Ready; let go!' assent.
ed the Captain. The cables were
jerked of; with the sweep of the hurri
cane our aerostat shot mp into space
The ground, the crowd, the building.
surrounding the gardens, the TALES,
treetops outlying us. dropped like en-
chantment below-still further below
far beneath. Our undertaking wa.
we'll begun.
So much has been said Of the impress
sions which the air voyager derives
during the first half hour OF his ascen,
that space may be saved here. The
thrill of intense excitement rs all con
nection with earth seems sundered; tn.
up-turned faces and black coats in tht
concourse Of spectators becoming blacl
and white dots; the universal "fore
shortening of all creation as one look.
down upon it-all combine to produc,
feeling that can never pail. The fas
cination Of floating at SO vast iii alti
traI a hn aAx xa,., 10, Il
licious. Few persons are troubled b,
giddiness. Confused sounds rise lull
ingly to the ear, one scarcely distin
guishable from the rest. 4 kind of in
toxicatlon steals over the navigator. TX
live aud move thus seems u rapture
Small wonder that the man who "bal
looms" once will balloon again ant
again, each time becoming more infat
uated in tempting fate.
Our evening was perfectly serene AM
cloudless. A gentle breeze waited III
northward. The earth became q pal,
green and gray map as We reached th,
level of 1000 feet above the Bay Of Sai
Francisco, which stretched out glim
mering toward the horizon. We coul.
discern the city, the Golden Gate, tn,
Earallone Islands. On the east ros,
Mount Diablo aud the Coast Rang.
submits. Northward rippled Sacra
mento Bay, with q golden dust of clou.
hanging over it. The prospect invig
Grated us and soda water was appro
priately absorbed by all present
stronger beverages being interdieted
Sunset came on. We had beer
gradually reaching the speed Of ninet,
miles an hour. Not that it was possibl
to perceive the fact without scientiti
help. Even il hurricane be blowing
there is still the endless sensation o
aostlng, doatiag, tor the sir-ewrea