The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-10-15

TlRILLlNG EAGERIENCE Ole THE LADY
AERoNAUr CARLoTTA AT OTTAWA, CAN
ADA. JULY 2, 1S83-AN EXCITED CROWD
THE BALLOON BURSTS IN MID AIR
TWO MILES HIGH-TIIE LADY LANDS
THIRTEEN MILES AWAY IN SAFELY.
[Apropos to Madame Carlotta's balloon
ascension tomorrow, at the Fair Grounds,
the following account Ct a perilous ride Of
hers will be read with peculiar interest
Editor VIRGINIAN.
The above is one of the headings which
prefaced long accounts which the news.
papers published at the time in such pro-
fusion that l have scrap book full Of diff
ferent extracts from this source. I now
give my own experience.
The balloon Flying Cloud had been filled
with coal gas in the city and then con-
veyed along the Rideau river bank nearly
two miles till opposite the Exposition
grounds where from an elevated position
watched and awaited it. When it be-
came visible on the opposite bank of the
river the exposition grounds fronting on
the water became thronged with specta-
tors to witness its conveyance across with
the aid of a small steamer, to whose stern
it was attached by a one inch rope fastened
to the concentrating ring of the balloon.
The wind opposed the crossing, ard the
balloon pressed by the breeze churned the
stern of the little steamer up and down as
if trying to carry it away. the inch rope
nearly parting with the strain. On reach-
ing the grounds an immense crowd sur
rounded the balloon and hundreds caught
hold Of the attached ropes and drew it
toward the central portion till further
progress was stopped by the aecumulating
masses. Thousands pressed forward to-
ward the balloon center threatening every
moment to crush Or trample those in front.
If the locality Of the balloon had been a
yawning pit, hundreds, nay, thousands
would have been pushed into it, just as
the masses crowded people to their death
at the Brooklyn Bridge disaster F.; hut here
one portion pressed against another on all
sides, and the space about the balloon
shrunk to the size of the little 20x30 inch
platform attached to the balloon in place
of basket. Every one who could, grasped
some portion Of the netting, balloon, ropes
or concentrating ring to sustain himself
or to crafty his excited instincts by hold
ing the balloon down frantically, just as
people do wildly foolish things at a fire.
Nearly hundred hands grasped the con-
centrating ring and attached cords, each
straining against the other, and presently
this ring, which had withstood test
strain of a thousand pounds and had
lifted and churned up and down the stern
of the little steamer in crossing the river,
parted like stick of candy, though solid
bronze, three-forths of an inch thick
Then the netting began to give way in
the hands which strained upon it, and
next the mouth of the balloon was nearly
torn off
Now. this crowd was not a disorderly
one, OF vicious one it was only stimu-
lated by curiosity or excited by a spec
tacle in anticipation. Nothing but bolts,
bars, walls ard c'aius could restrain it
and it was just Oh The verge Of destroying
itself in the central portion by crushing
together of its forces when / managed
to reach that centre which held the bal
loon. How l got there l don't know. l
certainly did not go through the crowd and
l do not remember of walking over it,
80 I must have flown
Prof. Myers had been for several min
utes letting out gas. and l could look up
through the gaping rent in the balloon
and see the open valve at the top. The
ascension was abandoned by all interested
parties as wholly impossible to accom-
plish under the circumstances. Making
more ascensions during the last four years
than all other aeronauts in this country
combined, / had never yet failed and l
was 10th to lose reputation now. said to
Mr.. Myers, Cant this balloon be fixed so
as to go up ~ eyes," he said, IF the
committee or any one can force the crowd
to release the balloon can make it a sue
cess in two minutes time - / appealed
to the crowd, and they began to give way
pressing backwards by slow movements
till a space was cleared some ten feet
across. Meanwhile Mr.. Myers had slipped
the broken ring out of it fastenings and
had tied the twelve netting lines to the
| light metal ring forming the edge of my
| basket" this rim rising about as high as
ones knees when standing on the slight
platform beneath it. Then the platform
was piled with ballast. 1870 pounds, to-
gether with other matters for safety and
convenience. Mr.. Myers gave a quick
look all around to see that everything was
secure, and then said. Are you still de-
| termined to go?'' said Yes stepped
upon the platform, and in another instant
sailed skyward. while the relieved crowd
of 10000 persons stopped crushing forward
and looked upward. There was no more
danger to them, and my ascension had
probably averted one of the fatal trampling
scenes sometimes attendent upon large and
excited crowds.
Higher and higher went the Flying
Cloud, though from the first had held
the valve constantly open to check its
/ flight. Over two miles in height was at
tanned before the escaping gas restrained
its further ascent. The Capitol City, OF.
tawa. with its splendid spires, was dwind-