The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25

Aided by Gen. A. w. Greedy. his chief. and by
Major-Gen. McCook he has succeeded In estab-
fishing a station fotthe study OF military bal
looming. A balloon park has been prepared at
Fort Logan, near Denver, and there experiments
are to be performed with the help Of Bald
win. TIL aeranaut, therefore. does not leave
his fascinating occupation altogether by enter
ing the army.
Its just like this" said he. ave been going
around now for twenty years, anG. while I have
made good money in my time, have not made
much progress upon a scientific basis. BY hav-
ing q chance &c read up and study / do not see
why l cannot get to be way up in ballooning."
Ivy says bloom" and he does net use scien-
tifc terms yet. He still stumbles over that
awkward word - aeronaut. an6 he has to take q
long breath before he says" aerCaautical investi-
cations" lie speaks Of q "bloon" as a horse
man would Of a favorite trotter. His highest
ascension has taken him three miles from terra
flrma. and this was done with a gas balloon Of
only 5000 cubic feet capacity, which he says Is
the smallest balloon ever used. He made the
ascension in San Francisco. and descended
ifty-six miles away two hours later. He has
dropped with a parachute 10000 feet, has dived
from a tower 156 feet high. had made hundreds
OF successful as well as many unsuccessful as
tensions, and has not yet broken . limb. He
saws he is very lucky.
At an early period in his life he was q newsboy
in San Antonio, Texas. In idle moments he
practised upon q trapeze. until he acquired a
local fame as a tight-rope artist and a trspeze
performer. Finally, he drifted away from home,
and performed in the leading cities of the South.
At the age of IA he joined the wagon circus COM
bination of Thayer * Noyes at Charleston. Cne
Sunday In the summer Of 1850 he driftsd into
Salt Well Park In Evansville, Ind, where an
aeronaut was giving ascensions. The aeronaut's
assistant had that day deserted him. aud he was
looking about for another. Baldwin. having
applied for . chance to do trapeze work and
tight-rope walking. got the job anG made his
first ascension.
THAT was the most delightful sensation I
ever experienced" said he. and when | had
would he q bloonist, too"
AS a balloonist he travelled in this country
now enters the signal corps for the purpose OF
acquiring q scientific education.
Military bsll9pninE was tried d., In this country
had a balloon corps, and at Gettysburg the
knowledge gained by means OF a BALLOON was of
the greatest value. After the war the subject
was dropped. until Gen. Greedy took it up again
while steve Elkins was Secretary Of War, FL
Experiments in connection with the signal ser
vice work. An appropriation has never been
made for military AIRY. balloon Sao s5pe acasnn i. and all Ill
means of the most rigid economy and the use
OF makeshifts and extra materials already at
the command OF the signal officers,
In lSi2 the first attempt To combine balloon
ing with field telegraph trains was made. When
studied The work OF English. French, and Ger
man military officers In the adaptation Of the
balloon 70 signal work; While At Aldsrshot he
military balloon In actual experimental work.
The result Of his Investigations was given In an
official report made to the department. He also
loon, which was exhibited at the Worlds Fair
Ascsnsions were made. The balloon was after,
ward taken 10 Fort Riley, where the signal
almost Constant winds, some Of %cyelonie
force, made Fort Riley AN undesirable
i]osatiSni and as F9[. Logan sessrystiSn Is IN,
siast upon the subject, the balloon was ordered
TO this station at the time OF the general changes
This war balloon. called the Gen. Myer. was
Manufactured under the direction OF Capt.
French and the English systems. so that the
result is Q balloon better than either. IL Is
spStG sss, In sDs sG .Rt hA ;r q S GsPa sI.b q sss $4,000
OF gold6eatsrs' skin, which y the best
Is to be held captive. "a steel cable being used
for this purpose.
10 be constructed, the equipment Of the machine
there being adaptable for the economical
b iletS1sd sy9 az sss VIII siEp Ss o S%nRS; aH int S sIssi
Lubes which can be readily transported from
Dne post To another, SO that the balloon may
easily be carried to all the Western posts for
practice in signalling; BY this means the entire
army can be educated in military ballooning.
Electricity will be adapted tOthe work either In
The use of search lights In conjunction, or by
ARRIVING. an electric light suspended from the
Of the balloon. Another suggested line
for experiments is To enclose a Light within the
balloon, making II translucent, Probably the
most practicable results will be obtained by tho
search light set up within the military field.
throwing the Hash upon the captive balloon sus-
pended in the air, aud alternating Hash with
shadow will, 10 Is believed, AFFORD the same
means OF transmitting intelllgence as IL now
lone with the hellOgraph; II. will Do remem-
Dered that recently Capt GlassfOrd and his sig-
nal corps accomplished the feat OF sending a
from Mount uncompahgre In Colorado
20 Mount Ellen Ia Utah. a distance OF 1856 miles
When the balloon Is in place and the appa-
'atHs 10 all IN readiness the signal corps wil
% drilled daily, while the Aeronaut will continue
ais experiments. AT the present day tue French
officers are the best equipped and best
upon the use aud service OF balloon
nR as an aid 10 the signal corps, but With the
'nergy Tor which the United states army ON
ers are noted when allowed TO experiment.
here Is nn reason why Americans should not
AXE the lead.