Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-12
BALLOON VS.. SCHOONER
A Race In Which the Aeronaut Was sup
posed To Have Been Lost.

Captain Eiermann, who made an ascen-
sion from Milwaukee in balloon Sunday
arrived at St. Ignace on the schooner
Ellen williams. which had just come
down the lake light for cedar posts. Eier-
mann was picked up by the williams
Sunday night. as near as the captain
could locate the spot about twenty-five
miles northeast of Milwaukee, says the
Chicago Herald.
The balloon was sighted Just ahead OF
the schooner by the lookout, who gave
the alarm. The balloon at that time was
driving along on the top Of the waves
with the car every once I'm q while catch-
INK in the heavy sea that was running.
The schOoneTs course was shifted and
chase given TO the air-ship. For time
the latter kept away. but each time the
basket caught In the waves the balloon
would be brought up standing for min
ute and then the schooner would gain.
In this way the chase continued for near
ly a half hour.
When the schooner came near the bal
loon Eiermann was discovered floating In
the water The Williams had passed him
when he was FIRST discovered but she was
put about at once, and after considera-
BILE trouble Eiermann was pulled on board
more dead than alive.
He was soon revived. however. and in
a few minutes was able 10 tell his res
cuers who he was and where he came
from. In the excitement of rescuinS Eier-
mann the crew OF the Williams did not
notice what became of the balloon, which
is supposed to have become disentanSled
from the car and floated off down the
lake.
Captain Eiermann said that after the
balloon shot up from Schlitz Park he
caught q current OF air from the north
west which carried him out over the
lake and TO the southwark. Hoping to
get an inshore current he threw out the
ballast to the last bag. but this did not
tighten the balloon. which was filled with
a poor quality of gas which did not give
II the usual buoyancy.
After an hour the balloon began to SET
tie and presently caught the southwest
breeze and was then hurled along down
the lake II sank lower and lower until
1t became apparent 10 Eiermann that II
was only a matter OF a short time when
he would be in the lake He put on the
cork life-preserver which he had In the
basket and prepared to make as hard a
fight as possible for his life At length
"A wave higher than usual dashed up into
the basket. wetting him through and
causing the airship to drag. A. few minutes
after the basket was dragging on the tops
Of the waves, which would dash in and
fill IT, To escape as far as possible the
aeronaut climbed into the netting, where
he chung for his life for nearly an hour
At times when the basket caught In the
waves the shock would nearly throw him
from his perch. Then the balloon would
rise few feet and sweep along until the
basket caught again with a jerk that
threatened to tear everything loose
Eiermann was gradually losing strength
and at last the contact OF bigger wave
than usual threw him into the water.
The life-preserver kept him aiioat but
he was succumbing to the chill OF the
waves when he caught SIGHT OF the
schooner He cried out about the time he
was discovered by the crew. II seemed
hours before the schooner could be put
about and reach him. but he kept up.
although about exhausted when he was
hauled out of the water and lifted on
deck by the rough but kindly sailors.