The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-17

| 8 - - ! J.
CLEARED TEE POLE H 4 FEW INCHES.
ings. ! stopped on ono foot a. low as
possible, resolved TO drop off, II the
car struck tho pole, and By thus
tightening the balloon at least save my
companion. But the pole was cleared
by few inches, tho buildings by more,
and. stepping inside the car, felt like
ono who had taken Q now lease OF
life.
This was but the Beginning Of voy.
ago full Of incidents.
Our course at first was southwest
ward, but by midnight It had changed
TO the northwestward. and by ten
o'clock, when about forty miles from
St Fsul, we had evertalsen = rain
storm. Tho rain coursed down the
sides Of tho balloon into the car In q
most uncomfortable way; % we con-
cluded to ascend above it. At the
| greater altitude the current changed
our course to tho northeast, though we
were utterly ignorant of any variation.
After some hours spent among the
clouds, We descended over swift run
ming river. in the midst Of a primitive
forest As all reckoning had been lost,
it was thought best to effect land
ing near tho river. This was dene at
the first opportunity, aud was followed
by Ave days fast while e1tricatinc
ourselves from tho wildwood tanFle.
But ''all's we'll that ends we'll" We
came out with greatly improved ap-
petites, gave thanks and ate our first
meal at a lumberman's ranch on the
Flannbeau river, sixty-Ave miles above
Chippewa Falls. Wis.
Sometimes, rather than disappcint an
audience, tho aeronaut makes some
surprisingly close calculations. Here
is an instance:
OF all imaginable ba3oonexperiences
the most terrific is to be found within
the limits OF q violent Thunderstorm.
Like most others, believed that q
balloon could easily rise above such
trifing thing as that: so enc day. when
the good folks of Burlington, Iowa,
turned ont and kissed their hands and
Huttered their keschiefs as my balloon
rose in the face Of the fast approaching
storm, was not at all concerned rs to
the consequences.
The thunder growied, and vivid
flashes Of lightning showed plainly
enough what wss coming. It soon be-
came apparent that the balloon was
bound to meet the storm half way, and
yet it was rising SO fast that It seemed
sure to 70 clear. But somehow the
higher clouds reached over and took
the balloon IN out of sight The clouds
flashed nomentarily with crimson fire
aud the thunder's tones were booming
like the cannon's roar. The barometer
still showed increasing height. but I
began to feel uneasy and kept looking
upward for break in the clouds until
at last it began to grow lighter,
and I thought that in mo-
ment more the balloon would be
soaring high above the danger. There
was just then an ominous stiffness in
the air. followed by an appalling ex-
plosion that streakcd the cloud with
binding electric FIRE, and enatched the
balloon away at cannon-ball speed
strange that it was not torn to frag-
mcnts- The air was rushing, tossing
and turning it about like q leaf; flirting
the car from side to side so violent
II that there actually seemed to
be danger of its being thrown clear
over the balloon, and hastily caught
at a hanging rope and tied myself in
To add to the misery Of the situation,
the gas had expanded at the very first
to Overlooking, and continued pouring
down in volumes upon my head. l
held the valve open constantly, but IL
seemed to have no effect, and for
awhile sufocstion appeared almost
certain. From the moment of the first
seizure there was 10 respite; one ex-
plos;on followed another in rap
id succession; every moment the
electric fluid rvas darting hither and
thither. while escape from hre with
such body OF infamnable gas seemed
impossible. All efforts to escape proved
fruitIess, until a collapse OF the cloud
occurred Immediately overhead, when
the torrent Of rain carried the balloon
down with it From the scene of COM
motion to the earth was distance OF
two miles, through which the balloon
swiftly descended The storm still
ragged above. but the rain cieaving the
cloud in white lines all about me was
the only apparent movement during
the descent 1t was q restful lulu after
the frightful confusion, but | knew
there was more to come A raging
tempest is not the gentlest conductor
to q safe harbor, and as the clouds
opened sight met ny eye that was
not at all consoliug | was pitching
peu NEIL into = forest that was thrash
Ing wildly in the storm OF wind and
rain There was no hating nor indie
cision about the matter. Right down
into the woods the car went and
the tops OF half dozen trees;
then the eoilapsing chord had done rs
work The netting caught IN the
branches and the car fell by easy tcrxs /.
70 within . foo. OF the ground. Step
ming - n tara IRA 1 cAaESt r