Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-05-04
VOYAGING In THESKY
eAILooNlNG WITH Pro aeR CARE IS
NOT DANGEROUS.

- "AJ Vis Hiaylne ShuttleCOck Be
tween Two Thunderclonds.
Among tho very fcw PEOPLE who have
ltduced leritl navigation to anything
IKE an exact science Gie Mr.. and Mrs
Carl d. Myers, who are now living on
Reid avenue, Brooklyn. b. series of
experiments stretching over period OF
more than l6 yeaIs they have learned
to manage and guide balloon with
approximately the same accuracy that a
sailor employs in guiding ship, the
only element of uncertainty being the
weather. A reporter called on the
Myerses a few days ago to learn some of
their experiences and adventures in
cloudland.
de found them not at all like what
one would expect of people who pass
large portion of their lives in most
perilous occupation. Mr.. Myers is a
slender, rather short man about 40 years
old, with black side whiskers, the face
of a scholar and benevolent express
sion. Mrs. Myers, who was formerly
known professionally as Carlotta, is
sweet faced woman, with keen gray
eyes, wavy brown hair and bright,
eager manner in conversation. She
looks to be about SO years old. She does
not now make ascensions, having
stopped in 1891, but she helps her hus-
band in his experiments at his farm at
Mohawk, N. Y. In her career she has
made more than 500 ascensions. Mr..
Myers has been up among the clouds 55
times himself and has superintended up
ward of 1900 aerial excursions. For
observational purposes and in pursuance
of his studies in meteorology he still
makes his dangerous trips, although
indeed both hoand his wife maintain
that ballooning, when carefully con-
Quoted, is not dangerous occupation
Neither of them has ever been injured
ITO an experienced aeronaut, says
Mr.. Myers, the danger is really no
greater than that of sailing in small
boat. 1t is possible to navigate bal
loon by taking advantage of the differ
ent air currents, and in going down the
balloonist can steer by weights on the
leaning TO one side or the other. The
platform ON which the aeronaut stands
serves as the rudder, and by throwing
his weight TO one side or the other and
thus slanting the platform he can guide
himself. OF course his rising and fall
ing are controlled by the valves and the
sandbags.
l. illustration of this Mr.. Myers told
how his wife once followed a course
mapped out for her by Peter @. Camp
bell of Brooklyn, who built the airship
in which Ed Hogan went out to sea and
was lost four years ago. Mr.. Campbell
challenged Mrs. Myers to start from
East New York, go to the city hall in
Brooklyn, thence up the river, across
New York and to the Pennsylvania sta
tion in New Jersey. to the city hall in
Jersey City, and Enally TO land in Sc.
caucus. She made the trip in less than
an hour, and Mr.. Campbell gave her a
handsome gold badge ag memento.
"There are two or three rules always
10 be observed in managing balloon,
continued Mr.. Myers. First, be sure
that everything is taut and shipshapei
secondly, don't try TO estimate distances
for yourself-thoy are extremely decep'
tive when you are IN the air. Refer 10
the barometer, which is the aeronaut's
always. The most important
rule OF all Is, Never give up the ship.
No matter what happens, as long as
there is anything LETT Of your balloon
and you are still fastened 10 II, you've
got chance"
Have you ever had any unpleasant
experiencesf' asked tho reporter,
Mrs, Myers has had more expert
enees than ! have,
Being appealed TO- Mrs, Myers, after
a minute of thought, said "a very pc
euliar aerial adventure ! once had wac
over Stafford Springs Conn, whore
two thuudorcl0uds played baitledoor
aud shuitlecOck with mo aud my bal
loon Usually experience no diiiioul'
iies with electric clouds, Their terToIs
diminish 40 you approach them, snd
when actually among tbem the danger
10 slight, II u exists at all IN this in
stance. however ! got between an up
peI cloud aud lower cloud, both heaY'
NY charged and ny balloon aeled ~
a conductor between them, Firsii !
would 30 up o. tho upper cloud gpd he
como charged With electricity and lhon
lo Iepelled ~ ihe lover cloud only 20
he TeehaTHed and bounced back ~ the
gpper agsin. I played lhls elevator
game 1 iimes hei0Fe ihe clouds gol
matters adjusted a. ihelf satisfaction
Then ihey Va no ~ puhaFi bat pIoliy
hadly frightened by bnlps made lhe
plsylhlng ~ ppob gigantic poNeIs'
" "An0ihDT fspeneDrfi nl0Fe common
10 hallnuulsip and m0Te aangrlont,
hHd 0u ihe Qpraai0p ~ ihp hfal lflAi ~
nalnful Ras f0I ascension Va 1883 ~
ffauklln fa panilnHrd Aff hgrls
'Tbp balloon Nas hllnd hgfnedly apd
iu soms Wsy ihe hsllpNa elpih ~
ssggpi pYff ihs valve elosins a.
Wppi up 80 FapdlY fu4 nlei ~ 0ifn
ihe YalFn bui lfnkt lhs pWa, lp snfh
fase fhfla "a hHi ung iling ~ ~ tpVi
ihe lolins apd soy 900 balloon flun -
pandiug h. 40 700 rsipHi Nniu OIdi'
I..NN a..NN "a