The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-10
In Balloon IN a Thunder storm.

In Balloon n q Thunder Storm.
OF all imaginable balloon experie 1ces the
most terrific is to be found within the limits of
violent thunder storm. says Prof. S. A King
in the st. Louis Globe Democrat. Like most
others believedtf a. balloon could easily rise
above such a terr3fic thing as that so enc day,
when the good folks or Burlington, Ia, turned
out and kisse their hands and futtered their
handkerchiefS as my balloon rose in the face Of
a iast-approscEi q storm. l was not at ali con-
cernel as TO the Consequences
Inc thunder gr0wied and vivid flashes Of
HgbtnlIg showed plainly enough what was
coming 1t soon became apparent that the ba.-
loon as bound % meet the storm half way.
ana yet It was rising so fast that it seemed SURE,
10 20 clear. But somehow the higher clouds
rtacIed over and took the balloon in out of
sig 1T. The clouds flushed moment arily with
crimson IRE and the thunder's tones were
booming like the cAnnOn's roar. The baron
eter still showed increasing hight bu [ l began
70 feel uneasy aud k-pt looking upward for a
nreak IN the clouds, until at last II began to grow
llRhter. and thought that in moment more
the balloon would be soaring high above the
danger. There was Just then an ominous still
ness in the air, followed by an appalling explo-
sion that streaked the cloud with bliuding cleo
trlc hre, and snatched the balloon away at can
non ball speed-strange that it was not torn to
traRnents The cir was rushing, tossing and
turning II about ike leaf; flirting the car from
SIDE 70 side SO violently that there actually
seemed 70 De danger of its being thrown clear
over the balloon, and hastily caught TO a hang
ing 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 vol INES on my head held
the valve open constantly. but it seemed to
nave no effect, and for awhile suffocation ap-
peared almost certain. From the moment of
tue flrst seizure there was no respite one ex-
plosion followed another in quick succe ssion;
every moment the electric fluid was darling
hither and tnither, while escape from fire with
such body OF intiammabls gas seemed inpos-
slole All efforts to escape proved fruitless
until collapse of the cloud occurred imme-
dlately overhead whe1 the torrent of rain
carried the balloon down with it. From
the scene of commotion to the earth was a
distance OF two miles, through which the bal
loon swiftly descended The storm still ragged
above, but the rain cieavlnR the cloud in white
lines all above me was the only apparent move
ment during the descent. IL was restfun lull
after the frighttul confusion, but knew there
was more to come. raging tempest is not the
gentlest conductor TO a safe harbor, and as the
CLOUDS opened sight met my eye that was not
a. ali consolng. l was pitching pell-meI into a
forest that was thrashing wildly ia the storm Of
WIND and rain. There was no hating nor inde.
cision about the matter, Right down into the
woods the car went, and through the tops of
halt dozen TT ess then the collapsing cord had
done ITS work. The netting caught in the
branches and the car fell by easy Jerks to within
a foot of the ground. Stepping out on terra
hrml, | caught a piece of torn balloon that
came floating down aud, drawing it over my
heal, sat upon a stump to wait until the rain
was over. There was little left of the balloon,
but the man was Just as good as ever,