The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-15
A BALLOON STORY.
A Chicago Man Who Took an Aerial
Trip with Samuel G. Young.
From. the Chicaoo MoL


From the Chicago Moh
Young was engaged by a fair associa-
ton to make an ascension from the grounds
on the big day of the fair, and he wanted
me to 60 down there and help him make
things interesting. OF course l was glad to
60. | had made a number of ascensions
with him, and some way 1 took quite a
fancy to ballooning. The day was beauti-
full one, and the crowd at the fair ground
was the largest by several thousand ever
seen there. Young had a magnificent ship,
one of the prettiest | ever rode in We cut
loose from our mo9ring about $3.50 O'clock
III the evening, amid the shouts and cries of
thousands of people who gazsd wolderingly
at US as we swiftly and silently sailed for
the skies Never before had | felt so
strangely as l saw the earth rolling away
from us. /"
'How was the windr the reporter ven
tured to inquire.
Never mind about the wind was Just
going to say that some way felt as in a
dream. We were going up SO rapidly that,
despite all efforts, could not get my eyes
fixed upon the earth. can just remember
hearing Y oung say, rather carelesSly:
well, we are going to have great sail
this time
Some time later-probably five or ten
minutes-Young pressed flask to my lips
and l took small draught of brandy. Its
action was speedy, and in minute or less
time | was entirely myself again. peered
over the basket and, Great Scott! | could
see nothing below but rolling clouds
"'How high are wel' | said to Young.
"'Higher than you ever we're before; over
mile, and still going up
I'VE sailed along and upward for proba-
bly, half an hour, during which neither of us
spoke a word. The balloon had assembled
to height of nearly three miles. Our
hands grew numb with cold.
My God exclaimed Young, we must
get the balloon down or we'll freeze
at seemed to grow colder and colder as
he spoke The clouds below us seemed to
be hummocks of ice and the stars appeared
to hang i'll the heavens like icicles from a
shingle roof.
There's but one thing to be DONE said
Young, and that at once, or both of US
will be called to another world
And with this hurried exclamation he
grabbed 10000 feet Of rope and dropped it
down toward tae earth.
'Itw am awful moment to us, yet as |
let the rope down Young said not word.
II knew what he meant by letting the
rope down.
My God l thought to myself, what
an awful thing to contemplate
1.-The balloon was still bounding through
the air and the cold grew intensely pain
ful.
"It is DOWN. he at last exclaimed. Now
for the descent. I'll go first
Young grasped me by the hand, and
with solemn, earnest, yet sort of shivering
farewell, securely fastened tho rope to the
basket and swung out into the air
Good-by,' | said as watched tie brave
fellow slide down the rope toward the
earth. Throw tho rope around a tree or a
house, anything to stop the balloon
These were my parting words.
I'm moment Young had disappeared
II was almost breathleSs rs | contem-
plated the awful fate which might befall
my brave friend, bat could tell from the
action of tho rope that he was still going
down safely.
"Sixteen thousand feet
Just think of it!
But at last, almost frozen, could tell
that Young had reached the earth. but
whether he had fallen several hundred feet
or had reached the ground in safety, could
not tell
Minutes seemed to be hours. breath
lessly awaited some sign from Young. Han
an hour went by-an hour-yet not a sign
came!
II grew desperately fearful lest he had
lost his hold and fallen. | could not con
tain myself IN the balloon any longer.
Awful as was the fate which seemed To
await me, / grasped the rope and swung
out Of the basket and began 20 descend.
/ would see what had become Of Young /
went down, down! Ga, ii seemed miles
Twas mios | passed from view of the
clouds and down into the darkness. |
could not see the rope down which | was
sliding. Unexpectedly my feet struck an OBJ
ject. 1t occurred TO me instantly that it was
The anchor. But that there was no auchor
on the rope was thought which came to
me simultaneously. When almost ON the
point of reaching for my pocket for a
match vo.ee cried out, What in the devil
are You doing down herep
1.-THE voice was the voice of Young.
81 was so thunders.ruck that came near
losing my grip.
81 tumbled about In my pocket and got
match. | struck it and held it above my
head. Ny eyes did not dec live me.
There was NOulg astraddie OF knot in
the rope, smoking ms pipe.
81 reached cut aud grabbed club, and
IN another instant l would have dashed
Young into eternity but for one thing.
81 didn't have the club ~