Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-17
The Heather in Richmond Yesterday
ros clear and pleasant.
po,c< af TI,rrnomsfsr Yesterday.
Range of 7'Aerm
THE EAGLE EIRIES vOYACE.
Professor King Makes Another saceessfui
Balloon Ascension.
fphfia del nh In Press


As swiftly, silently, and gracefully as
the fight of bird the :" Eagle Eyrie,"
Professor Samuel A. Kings balloon, in
which he is making ascensions fo- the
Government Signal Service, rose above
the tree-tops of the massive buildings
of Girard College yesterday afternoon,
and aoated easily OFF in south
west course. As cary as
o'clock in the morning a :. ur-iuch
pipe was connected with the ga main
on the east side Of the college grounds,
next to the residence Of its officers, and
through this, by means of small
oiled-silk feeder common illuminating
Gas was let into the balloon. 1t lay
upon the ground a confused heap Of
shiny-looking cloth covered with rope
netting, but as the light Gas began to
rush in the mass rose and fell as if throb-
bling with life. BY IL O'Clock he bal
loon was more than half inhatG. and
standing about twenty feet high, ro~ <ed
by the wind.
Professor Kings only companion
Yesterday was Sergeant W. II. Ham
mon, of the Signal-Service Office, Wash
ington. ID. c. He had with him wet
and dry bulb thermometers. syco-
meter, and an aneroid barometer for
taking observations in the upper re-
gions. Both he and Professor King
wore only the usual winter clothing.
with cloth caps, which could be pulled
down over the ears. The raw. pcne-
trating cold kept those standing around
the balloon busy stamping their feet
and swinging their arms to try and
keep warm.
You'll freeze up there" said an
individual whose blue nose and pinched
features showed plainly how cold it was
for him below.
"Oh. no. :" replied the Professor.
when we get above the clouds there
won't be so much dampnesS, and We'll
he more comfortable than you are
The observations taken by Mr. Ham
mon just before starting showed tem-
perature of "A degrees. by l:30 the
balloon was fully inflated. The I'M
wieldy-looking thing rolled like ship
in heavy sea. but dozen or more
heavy sand-bags kept it down upon the
earth. All the boys in Girar9 College
were marched out to witness the
ascension. People in the houses in
the neighborhood leaned out of win
dows. and many gathered on the house
tops to obtain good view. Sergeant
L. F. Townsend of the Signal-Seryice
station. at the Maritime Exchange Ser
geant c. y. kitchell. OF the Office at
Ninth and Chestnut streets: President
Fctterolf. of Girard College. with sew
eral of the teachers and number of
attendants, stood around the balloon.
The gas was shut off, the SandbagS
unloosened. and the instruments ar
ranged in the basket preparatory to the
start. A score of men held the balloon
down by long rope until the sailors Of
the air were ready for the voyage.
Then. with a merry GoOd-bye," they
let it slip, and, amid the shouts of the
boys. the Eagle lyric hoated gently
and swiftly upward. 1t took south
west course and. in less than five
minutes after starting began 10 enter
the clouds. where il soon passed from
sight.
This is the 2jSth ascension Of PROBES
sor King. who made his first trip from
Philadelphia in 1851. lie ha-. IN
doubtcdly. seen more Of the country
than any other man in it, having made
ascensi0ns from all sections OF it, and
travelled hundreds of miles in balloons.
| He has hal many exciting trips and Ell
countered many dangers amid storms
and winds. but has only met with acct
dent on two occasions.
Professor Ming has contracted with
the Government for live aScenSionS. and
that of Yesterday was the second of the
series. the same balloon being used each
time. 1t has been suggested that one
or more be made from some point in the
Mississippi basin. probably at Nash
vile. Tenn, but this has not been def
ni,ely decided.
Mr.. Harmon sent a telegram to the
Sienal-Seryicc observer at Ninth and
Chestnut streets last night from Birds
boro', Pa, saying that they had landed
safely near that place at $3.50 p. NJ.
and that hc had been very successful
iu taking good observations.