Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-05-29

telegram stating that Higgins and his
ballon arrived at East Croydon by
train.
In an interview with a correspondent |
Higgins stated that he had experienced
the most wonderful of all his aerial !
voyages. When he had reached IL
height of 1000 feet he egan to get into
II strong current, and the balloon !
twisted right around. The current
then caught his parachute, causing the
tightly under the arms. The test cord
which held the parachute then broke.
Directly that happened he saw that
the parachute was hanging below him
fully inflated, and the pressure on him
was SO great that it was impossible for
him to descend into the middle of the
town with anything like safety. He
therefore opened his pcnkniic with his
teeth and cut the parachute away.
This caused the balloon to shoot up
5000 feet higher, and on reaching that
altitude he met another current, which
brought him back. and he saw nothing
until he passed through some sleet and
snow. He could hear, however, the
sound of trains.
All of IL sudden he found himself in
darkness, caused, he presumed, by the
snow and the thick atmosphere. He
was in the snow storm for at least ten
minutes, and when he had passed
through it the sun was shining beauti-
fully. Below him he could see what
appeared to be snowy mountains rising
up and down for miles. lie could see
distance of some forty clear miles,
and was able to discern the sun glistcn-
ing on the water at Brighton. 1t was
evident to him that he was going to-
ward TunDridge Wells. He found the
air getting very sharp and keen; icicles
were hanging from his moustache, and
he had no sooner rubbed them Off than
others formed. For few minutes he
was quite deaf. He now seemed to be
descending on the mountains of snow,
and he thought he was getting near
Hastings or Brighton. He could
smell the sea. Thinking he was COM
ing down, he took hold of four of his
guy ropes and pulled the balloon partly
over on one side to allow the gas to es-
cape at the mouth.
The balloon then turned round three
times, and he felt he was descending
He did nothing more to the balloon,
merely sitting on his trapcze watching
for terra ii.m,, which he did not see
for some t..!e. At length he saw
ploughed fields, and close by there was
what he took to be Il large park, with
white roads across it. He then travel
led about five or six miles at very
rapid pace, and saw more ploughcd
fields, which he thought would be a
suitable place to land on When he
was about 1000 feet from the earth he
prepared to descend by hanging by one
arm to his trapeze rope as if he We're
using his parachute. When his feet
touched the ground, the balloon, which
was in front Of him, dragged him for
ten yards, and then rebounded some
| sixty feet in the air, between two trees.
> Two laborers ran from opposite direc.
tons, and, in response to his signals,
, they arrived just rs he came down a
second time and held the balloon until
f he let out the gas. He found that he
had landed on farm in the occupa-
, ton OF Mr.. Nash, of Penhurst, about
thirty miles from Croydon. In reply
toquestions, he said that at one time
. he must have been five miles above the
earth, the highest he had ever been
= He added that the balloon had nc
, escape valve.