San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-20

Up Hanging To the SIDES.
Herr Maximilian Wolff, the celebrated
aeronaut, III his balloon ascension from
Cologne, had one of the most frightful
experiences recorded i'll the annals of bal
loon travel. He dreaded making the yoy-
age at all on such day, but as an air
sailor. like his brother at sea, makes
money only while on his ship, he decided
to take the risk.
"At o'clock ir the afternoon the balloon
was ready The weather was worse and
my courage was ebbing fast | would
gladly have given my pay twice over to
remain on solid ground, but my reputation
was dear to me, and 1 dared not face the
jeers and insults of the vast crowd as
sembled to see me off. Two gentlemen,
Herr s. and Herr D., from Cologne,
were to accompany me.
"At half past gave the signal LOST
and our ascent began favorably. Our
course was southwest to northeast, and in
one minute we had risen 5000 feet.
The temperature was cool. Behind
us lay Cologne in a thick fog and gather
ing thunderstorm. Our 'Stollwerck"
scared continually higher in a fog that
grew every moment more dense The ane-
roid barometer showed height of eight
| thousand feet The basket swung like a
pendulum.
A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
"At last spicd clearing on the mount
ain side, which seemed our best chance
| for alighting. pulled the check, dropped
| anchor and we sank gently toward the
ground The violent wind knocked us
| about for time, but fortunately the anch-
or held. We had been seen, and people
were hurrying to the spot. The strength
| of eight men was barely enough to hold
| my struggling, pitching ship long enough
| for my companions, s. and D., to
| Chamber out.
$50 far all was well. Then, without a
1 moments warning, violent gust, like a
| whirlwind, broke over us; we were tossed
| wildly to and fro, but by straining every
| muscle managed to hold down the 'Stoll-
| werck Still in the balloon, threw out
| rope, and with great difficulty tied it to
| tree Then came violent wrench, and
| fell over backward in the basket. As
I sprang TO my feet found myself soaring
| cloud high once more, and to my horror
| two men were clinging to the outer edge
| of the basket!
| II seized upon one and tried with all my
| strength to drag him in. He was a peas
| ant of the rcighborhood, a good hearted
| sturdy young fellow, who had worked with
| will TO quiet the wild plunging of the
| 'StollwercE, as she dragged at her anchor
| down in the clearing. But it was of no
| avail; my arms were rs weak as q woman's
| and the poor fellows strength was spent
| With wild. despairing look straight in
my eyes he let so, and heard his body
strike upon the groand with horrible dis
| tinctness.
| my heart stood still, my head swan,
| and ! should have sunk down Indifferent
| to my fate had it not been for the cries of
| poor s., my companion, clinging to the
other side Of the railing. / tried to rescue
| my friend from his frightful position, but
| alone ] could not drag him over the edge
| of the basket, and he was powerless to help
himself
HANGING IL THE AIR.
| ''lt was an awful moment. Already the
clouds began to float below us; we must
| have been at least 1900 feet high; leaned
| out so far that il seemed every instant as
| If must lose my balance, and seized
| SIS coat with my teeth. ! managed to
I grasp rope, with which | hoped to tie
| him fast. Those minutes, not knowing
| whether ] could succeed or not, were like
an eternity.
| 'At last the rope slipped under his
| arms. ! drew it taut, and to my mex
| pressible relief il held; but the danger was
| postponed fer few brief momeuts only. If
| S. lost consciousness he would be sure
to drop in spite of the rope.
| at was life or death to the poor wretch,
| according as our descent was rapid or slow
| | pulled the check and we sank noticeably,
| but ALAS into the thick of a thunder cloud.
| The balloon spun round like a top. 1t
4 hailed, Numbered and Eghtened, as il hell
itself had broken loose. We swung to and
| fro with frightful violence. I fell on my
face with roaring in my ears like the
screams of a thousand angry fiends. But
dared not give way.
| "'S-,' | called frdntiCally, hold on,
for Gods sallep
Its all over with me--the rope is slip
ping niy pocr friend gslsped in reply.
| Pull yourself togetherl In moment
| more we will touch ground 7 screamed
hoarsely.
But the nearer we came to earth the
more wildly we pitched to and fro.
| Don't leo go the first moment you
/ touch the ground or we are both lost |
cried 20 S..
| 1--WE SKINNED over q house aud barn
cracking, swapping, jerking. A rent
| yawned above my head. we iegv onward.
| swift as Il feather before the wind.
| "Let go, s. painted: let so, and
| Jump for your life--to one SHE, away from
| the anchor
| ALL HANDS SAVED
| Not moment too soon he obeyed me.
The balloon. lighter by 100 pounds, swept
me up again TO the clouds. With all my