The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-05-13


that he did not care to talk on the sub
ject, but at a third solicitation, con-
veyed by the servant, Prof. Barnard
came out, and, having been prevailed
upon to appear, talked very freely of
his trip.
"The hill from which | started, !" he
said, sis a good place, and then it isn't.
There is a clump of trees there that an
noyed me, to begin with. When got
above them and before the ropes were
cut loose entirely the balloon struck
current of air that gave it that swaying
motion which you say you noticed, and
l thought several times should be un-
able to get above the current or to sue
cessfully enter it. Finally, at my com
mand, they turned the balloon loose
and / went up without any trouble
whatever. 1t was a dead calm below
where those watching me stood, but I
Immediately found myself in very
strong current of air. However, in
order to see whether had any control
of the machine, worked the aeroplapes
and turned the machine around two or
three times. I might have continued
to do that indefinitely, but as it was the
first trial, I wanted to go slow with the
experiment &c. after few minutes,
l let the machine go with the current.
HE INTENDED TO CIRCLE THE CITY.
eft was my desire and intention tor
circle the city and return to the cen
tennial grounds, but I struck some un-
expected and unfavorable current of
air which made it impossible. | went
up three miles high to avoid them, but
} could not find a favorable current in
, any region. When [ dropped very
4 low the same unfavorable conditions
= prevailed. If the currents had main
= tanned a regular course / could have
9 controlled the airship much better, but
e they were very contrary. SO con-
: cluded to sail west and try to return
!, later in the day, when, perhaps, the
!. wind currents would be blowing more
: favorably.
n 'In seeking for current that would
/ enable me to circle the city must have
n crossed the river, going backwards and
forwards, as many as seven or eigh'
!. times. | know that I crossed it -four
e or five times, but, of course, was 81
- busy thinking what was best to do and
, how best to manage the machine that
= could not take note of all these matters
''Not succeeding in finding favor
= able current, [ concluded to sail west,
., stated, and accordingly did so. | sup
N pose went about twenty miles. The
!, | found favorable current and starte,
+o back But | had let out so much ga
90 to lower myself and thrown out so muc
. sand to elevate the ship from time t
or time in trying to avoid those blustel
bo ing currents, soon began to find
~ impossible to attain proper or favort
nd BILE height for propelling and manae
ing the machine.
ed HOW THE LANDING WAS MADE.
,et "This began to impress itself mor
ed and more upon my mind as | neare
of the city, and | finally concluded that
is would make landing, feeling, anywa
lal that l had accomplished enoughfor OF
at day. When 1 made up my mind
.rd alight [ was passing over a small Vi
a lage, which I afterwards learned to
Icb Watkins, and | selected an open fie
about half mile beyond Il
town as a good place to fall. Accc
Ell dinghy, I directed the aeroplan
downward, and the airship began to a
ms cend. 1t settled down very gradual
he and I began to think I was going
OF fall on the exact spot selected in Il
Ills mind, but about fifty feet above t
lde ground struck stiff current of q
Ino and instead of alighting on one side
1t the fence in an open field where l h
OPP intended, | fell on the opposite of t
by fence in the midst of some willow
tor No, not on top of them, but betwe
them. 1t was just as good a place
ted land, except that it became harder
the terwards to get the airship out Of
laSU place.. "
a "Were you injured at all in falling
"Not in the least.
Sed "Were you propelling the mach
ng, all the time?"
bl- eyes, except about five minutes
CO. the time, [ guess stopped then j
we're to see how it would 60 At the tim
tile, was in calm but presently the s.
1r a drifted into current and I had to
n 1t to propelling again to get out of it.
one cit is said that you damaged the l
irop chine in landing"
two "Not at all. One of the spars bro
ten however, while l was about two m
opes high. l got into squall and the s
oose snapped. 1t was of no consequence
sky "People said that you would be cC
ing back in a coffin"
itors MHcH1NE is PEREcTY SAFE.
edln Prof. Bernard laughed. "That's n
ut of sense. " he said. 'sThe machine is
tents solutely safe. Even if the balloon bl