Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-11
BALLooNING IN A STORM.
nidlns In rhunorr-sssrm e.aoo Feet in
she Air.

| MocIc VIZ tJoiehbOJ =. VI. DrOOk
made balloon ascension from Win
sted, and four hours later returnei
home by the Hartford and Connection
Western railroad. Captain Moore give
this account Of TIE trip
You viii remember that we startet
at 1884 O'Clock, when we were sdver
tised to start at precisely /. The rea
son Of our early start was to avoid
heavy shower Of rain which we saw
coming. but we were disappointed. fo'
1t struck us in less than three minutes
after we cut loose, but not with suiB
Gent force 10 cause any trouble NOR
than to bring us down about 800 feet
We were at height Of l.S00 feet be
fore encountering the rain. We ther
threw out twenty-five pounds Of bGl
last and Immediately rose TO Out
former altitude, where we werl
caught by light breeze. which
carried us in southeasterly d.
reCtion, giving us beautiful view Of 1
/ panorama which is never seen except
from balloon. There were a dozer
towns spread out beneath us, some near
enough TO be recognized, while other;
were so far away that the houses looked
like white spots on the broad greer
fields. Winsted's two lakes, West
Hill pond, IN New Hartford, and Otis
pond. over In Massachusetts,. shone in
the sunlight like silver shields. The
csckling and Growing Of hens and roost-
ers, the shouting Of boys and men, and
the rumbling Of the Naugatuck rail-
road train could be heard when all
other sounds had ceased 10 reach US.
The sight was wonderfully grand, but
we did not enjoy II very long, for on
looking up we discovered that we were
being borne toward what aeronauts call
q cumulus cloud-or, TO make il plain
er, what was apparently bank Of fog,
dark and heavy, and about 400 feet
through from the top to the bottom.
This cloud was continually moving in
and out, seething and boiling like the
ocean in a storm, while cold breezes
swept along its face which chilled
us and caused the thermometer TO drop
twenty degrees in few seconds. Large
blocks of cloud would break away
from the main body, sometimes pass
ing over. sometimes under us, and then
enyeloping us in such darkness and
rain that the balloon was scarcely visi-
ble from the basket. After being
bufeted about on the borders Of this
cloud for a few minutes we were car
ried away into the sunshine again. with
clouds beneath us, but the earth visible
on one side.
Here another trouble beset US: for
though the sunlight was a comfort. yet
its heat, together with the lghtness Of
the air, which relieved the pressure
from the outside, caused the gas 10 ex-
psnd 10 such an extent that il passed
out at the neck Of the balloon at the
rate Of a thousand feet minute.
The stiffness here was oppressive.
] could plainly hear the ticking Of q
watch in my pocket. and our strsw-hsts
made such a cracking sound that !
thought they were going TO pieces.
Brooks opened the valve at the TOP Of
the balloon and we dropped down few
hundred feet and came back pretty
close to our old enemy. the heavy black
cloud. We did not like the looks Of
things here. and were debating whetherit
would not be better to continue down and
make landing, when we were caught
IN whirlwind and carried right into
the darkness and storm. Then began
what seemed hours Of terror. The rain
was pouring in on uS In torrents. 1t
came at Us from all sides-from above
and below-being forced up through
the bottom Of the basket by the chang
ing wind. Forked tongues Of light
ming severed the clouds on all sides
Of us, each fash followed immedi-
stely by sharp. mapping thunder.
The balloon tTembled. and some
times stood still for S second or two.
then swung away. 70 be again brought
10 halt by q cross current. The net
ting would occasionally Shift from its
position with grating sound. while we
held on as best We could until the wind
began to whistle through the cords.
when We Immediately dropped to the
bottom Of the basket knowing that our
course must soon change and the basket
90 swinging around Ike school-bovs
Play inc snap the whip
" We were travelling al wha, seemed .
better thEn q mile a minute. in total 4
darkness. sometimes 10 one direction 4
ard sometimes in another. when we be- 1
gan throwing out ballast in hopes Of (
rlslng above the storm. but after hav- I
ing thrown out lG5 pounds. and having I
bet 10 pounds left with which 10 man
age our landing. and beng sill in the
storm. we concluded TO return 10
mother earth. We we're still 600 I
feet from the ground. as shown by the
barometer. having gone 1900 feet
through that one cloud. The Their
marked 45 degrees.
Throwing out ballast was stopped.
and w started downward. When we
EFF the cloud the thermometer and
watch showed rs that We were going
iown d! the rate Of leo feet every four
seconds. A moment later We heard
he voices Of men. and looking down
discovered that We were nearing some
trIu-houses, and that the people were
,nt watching Us. Many of their re.
marks could be plainly heard; ami
, hes within about 300 feet of the ground
Ne dropped the grapplng-iron. which
ragged safely through 4 herd Of
attic in = pasture without catching on
0 suything that could stop Us. Brooks
allied ont 70 me to pull the rip-cord.
rhich did, opening hole forty feet
eng IN the side Of the balloon and let
ing IN gust Of wind which turned it
inside out. and dropped the whole thing
n Barn-Door Hin in CRANKY. without
BjurIng either Of us. We were Up
fty-four minutes and landed sixteen
lileS from the starting point
Aarafosn Races.
IBy telegraph 10 the DisDatch.l
SARATOGA, August 10. - First
Active farlongs-won by Red Girl
III. = o...-.-sfl. $500 a. D.