The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-17

binRtions OF the mysterious force, "A
goNd-siEed balloon was attached 70 tht
machine, and when this was inflated
. with gas brought from down stain
through q hose, everything was ready
for US 10 step into the box which hung
from the network OF metallic rods,
ut was summer time, and we agreed
that we would make q trial trip one
morning before sunrise, We were on the
houSe-top at $3.50 in the morning and II
was already light, The balloon was
sWaying in the breeze and the arrows Of
light In the east told us the sun was on
his way TO our longitude, ! was good
deal 'rattled,' / admit when my bold
friend told me 10 take q seat in the box,
and keep q Arm hold OF the cords by
which 1t was suspended, He Joined me
in the car and reaching out cut the ropes
which held the balloon captive, We
arose quickly and soon the town was but
q spot on the landscape, which seemed
a tiny picture OF itself so far below us,
As we arose 1t grew lighter till suddenly
we saw the sun over against the east
ern horizon. II looked as though We
were higher than the snu, There was
quite q current OF airat our altitude and
we were being carried rapidly eastward:
Now for the test, said the German, and
he turned and twisted and adjusted
several levers and handles which were
above US within reach, There was a
ierkey, swaying motion given to the
machine and We shot directly northward
for a moment, but another lever was
pulled and We seemed TO stand still, al
though astif westerly breeze blew over
us, What time Is itP' asked my com,
panion, 1t was 5;l5 o'clock and told
him so. we will be In San Francisco
at s, said he, This was the first intima,
ton ! had had Of the extent Of our trial
trip; - a., A., -. H..
l could see nothing except a confused
mass OF dull color with an occasional
patch OF darker or lighter shade passing
to the east with increasing speed, I
can't distinguish anything, saldI. No
wonder, was the reply, we are travelling
westward at the rate Of 1000 miles an
hour, or rather we are remaining still,
held by the attraction OF the magnetic
pole, while under us the earth moves
eastward on itsaxis 1000 miles an hour.
A dull-brown space, that required hall
an hour 10 pass, my guide told INC was
the great prairies oil the west. The
Rocky mountains seemed like bright
thread as they flew beneath us.
"My friend became anxious after
awhile and often inquired the time and
then made calculations on some paper
he had brought with him, At $3.50 he
reached up and reversed all the levers,
which he had set In place Of starting,
and with considerable OF an oscillation
the balloon seemed TO start again into
motion. We saw the earth's features.
Almost under US was city and away To
the west stretched the blue Of the ocean.
That Is the Pacific and the city should
DO San Francisco, where the clocks
should correspond with your time. We
will descend, said my conductor.
"Pulling the escape valve our balloon
Ilowly collapsed and We landed In q
Itreet in the suburb OF San Francisco.
10 a policemen who came up we told
ZONE yarn OF having made asllort ascen.
lion. We entered the first public house 4
Ve found and the clock on the wall
Ihowed the same time as my watch. In i
,ther words, we had assembled from the
'ooi Of my store In Ohio and waited there
i'll San Francisco came to US,
elbow will We get back" asked the &
inventor. He seemed paralyzed at the
question and for moment did not an.
liver. Then he broke out in self.revil.
ngs. Fool that | was, | never thought !
II thatr he exclaimed. For all my J
years OF labor have been only fool; I
,an travel only in one direction The {
nan seemed TO suffer so much disap.
pointment that ! pittied him and tried
% cheer him up, but to no purpose. 4
will 20 around'the world in tYepty.four
lours, he said, II ! don't do anything
,lso.' He proposed that We again ASCEND {
md complete the circuit Of the earth, {
coming down again at Columbus, but
leclined. | had enough.
"He said he would try 1t alone, and he
lid. The next morning, the balloon
having been filed at the city gas works,
he SCARED elolt, watched him till
knew by the sudden disappearance OF
the balloon out over the Pacific that he
cast his magnetic anchor and that was
lying away from him at ] 900 miles an
hour
~ do uotknow what happened to him.
never saw him again"