The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-10-12
KISSING THE CLOUDS.
Louis ID. Ear's Thrilling Aerial voy.
age and Parachute Descent-.It Will
be Feature of the State Fair.

be Feature of the State Fair.
There will be three balloon ascansions
during the State Fair, the first one to
occur on Tuesday, October 18th, at four
o'clock p. m.
The aerial feat will be performed by
Prof. Louis D. Earl Following is de-
scription of one of his flights by the Fort
Wayne, Qnd., } Journal.
1t was the croWning feature of the day.
Words fail utterly IN expressing the beau
ty of the terrible drop, which could only
be appreciated by being seen. At two
o'clock the furnace was started and the
huge canvas was steadily inflated until it
began to fill out into its monstrous size.
The crowd pressed eagerly forward, in
creaslng as the balloon grew larger. At
four o'clock the pulleys were made ready
for quick release, All eyes were expec-
tantly waiting for the courageous young
aeronant. After a few more seconds
Louis Earl made his appearance, took
his position on the bar and at the words
''let 'er 60" the monster of the air shot
upward like rocket amid the cheers Of
10, 600 spectators. Louis, by way of an
swer, waved his hand and was heard to
say, goodbye, everybody" Higher
and higher rose the air ship, bearing far
| below it the intrepid aeronaut, who per-
formed rapid and graceful evolutions
upon the bar as he assembled. At a
height of what must have been 1920
feet, the balloon seemed to vibrate like
thing of life, then suddenly dart into
new current. The young aeronaut ap-
peared no larger than a mans hand.
The balloon was now in the cold air cur
rent. Knowing that the upper cnrrent
would soon cause the balloon to de-
scend, Manager Ryder sgnalled to those
below that the boy was about to make
the parachute leap. A pistol shot was
the signal for the boy to prepare, and
the multitude held its breath in suspense.
A second shot rang through the air,
the signal for the drop, and as the limp
parachute separated from the balloon,
trembling men and women watched,
with strained eyes and bated breath, its
downward flight. Down it shot with
lightning speed, taxing the swiftness of
the eye to follow it. Will it never open2
Has some one blundered No, it opens
partially, closes again and then opens,
this time to it's full extent and the ter
rife descentlls checked. After a drop of
200 feet or more, the parachute caught
the breeze and sailed as gracefully as q
bird upon the wing and fioated toward
the earth. But look at the released
e balloon. When the weight of the
parachute and aeronaut leaves it,
it suddenly springs upward, then slowly
turns upside down, while thick, black
smoke pours from its mouth like that
from some huge furnance. Soon it is
. empty and the beautiful thing of life
q which it seemed, is transformed into
|. limp, black rag, and comes swiftly to
/ ward the earth. Again all eyes return
T. ed to the daring young aeronaut, nov
/. rapidly descending But few feet NOR
r and he came down on housetop, an,
losing his hold, he fell to the ground
about twenty feet, but was not injured
He landed one quarter of mile fror
the starting point and the balloon fell
n mile and quarter from the grounds Q
the celebration.
+. The first successful ascension in ba
loon was made in 1773, in France, |
Peiatre DeRosier, a young naturalist, an
the Marquis D'Arlando, who ascende
at 10 the height of 3, 600 feet. Subsequen
* ~ DeRoiser was killed in an attempt
cross the English channel in ballot
inflated with hot air. The parachu
n was first used in descent in 1902 and Il
ov second attempt to use it resulted in t.
= death Of the hazardous aeronaut. 7
~ danger of ballooning has scarcely be-
ne lessened during the past hundred yeal
and not season passes but what sor
aerial voyager meets death in his /;
tempts to navigate the air.