Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-10-16
W IN A BALLOON
In The Midst Of a Gale 10 Land on = Lonely
Mountain.

RUTLAND. VT, Oct. AIDA Mitchell,
who made balloon ascension from the ex-
hibition grounds in this city, last Wednes-
day, has returned. She alighted on Ro-
chester mountain, 26 miles distant, after
most successful, remarkable and perilous
voyage. The wind was blowing perfect
gale when the ascension was made. Miss
Mitchell has given description of her ex-
perience since her return.
1.-The wind was blowing almost gale"
she said, .'shen l was preparing to start.
The balloon pitched considerably, and it
was with diff ;ulty that got fairly off.
had no sooner left the ground that l dis
cover that two of my bags OF
ballast, weighing % pounds each,
had slipped from the basket underneath my
feet, so that only one bag remained. The
ballast had hardly left the basket. when the
balloon shot upward and off to the north
y it'll marvellous speed that increased every
moment as got into the higher air cur
rents this, with the triple ascending force,
due to the absence of the ballast, gave
maximum speed of mile a minute.
Gas neared the clouds took out of my
pocket an aerial barometer ard found that
l
sooner entered the clouds than the car be-
gan to toss and lunge frightfully in the
cross currents.
at blew great guns. The wind seemed
to blow from several directions at once.
Suddenly / was in the midst of whlrlwlnd
OF grea, violence. The balloon turned first
one way and then another. 1t pitched and
swayed spasmodically until / thought l
lould lose my hold upon the ring around
my waist or step from the board upon
y hich / was standing. More than this, it
WAS terribly cold, and damp chill seemed
to creep into my bones. numbing my hands
until there was no feeling in them.
~ do not know how long l was in the
cyclone. twas not more than few sec
onds, probably, but it seemed an age. Sud
My again a last struck the top OF the
ship, ke cling it over so quickly that l almost
lost my hold on the ring, then it lurcbed
upward so suddenly that the last bag of
ballast was pitched overheard. AS the bag
left the basket the balloon. with l25 pounds
less ballast than it should have had, shot
upward with the rapidity of ghtning, and
IN few seconds l was gliding quietly, but
rapidly, through clear atmosphere, with
the bright sunshine about me. 1t was still
cold, but the air was free from the damp
ness that prevailed in the clouds and be-
IN to get warm agein and regain my COM
posure.
Gas soon as I was out of the clouds
took out my barometer again and found
was at an altitude of 5000 feet, or of more
than mile and quarter. 1 continued to
sail steadily for about minute, when
struck a current of air moving in north
erly direction.
"Immed 'ately the speed increased agen.
but there was no fuctua.tng movement in
the bag above my head. 1t was simply an
other swift flight toward the mol h. For
| all that the wind was so strong behind me
it seemed as though gale was blowing in
| my face. 1t was 50 strong that 1t carried
| me out nearly in ver.csl line behind the
car, upon the vanished surface of which
the ropes and cordage ra,tled ornously.
Having now passed to considerable
distance beyond the section of the clouds
through which | had assembled, l began to
think of coming down. Accordingly l
pulled the rope connected with The escape
valve and soon began to descend rapidly,
at the same lime continuing in MOI ierly
direction with great velocity.
"On reaching the clouds again encouut-
cred violent cross currents OF air fhst
caused the balloon to pitch and sway
.rightfully as before. Seeing that was
again IN an aerial storm, | Iied to close The
escape valve, but it had become jammed in
some m amer and would not shut. For
moment l was thoroughly I.,ghtened. |
knew if the valve could not be closed, end
if continued to drop Mt the rate was go
ing, should be dashed against the ground
and probably killed. / did not lose my
presence of mind, however, and kept work
lpg at the rope, at the same .'ne taxing
occasion to throw out my anchor.
"Soon to my entire relief the valve closed
together v it'll snap, and the balloon slack
ened its rapid pace. Just as / was begin
ming to think that must be about out of
the clouds, number of dark objects
doomed up in front and b, low me. The
anchor cs yht in something, and moment
later | found myself on top of large
spruce tree, with the big bag above me,
banging and Shaping about, pitching and
STAINING violently to free itself.
81 then fastened the ring to the tree and
climbed to the ground. ] made my way
down the mountsin by following small
streams of water | came out into large
clearing, in the center of which stood a
house with single light shining through
4 window. | was Hospitality enterta'ned
over night, and the mex. day after engss ing
a man to get my sirsfip, box it up and send
It to Rutland, | wss driven to Randolph
station and arrived in the city at noon.
The landing was on one of the most
i solate heights Of the Green mountain
range"