The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-21
HERR ANDREE's ASCENT.
The Beginning of His Balloon Voyage
to the North Pole.


Berlin Letter in London News.
The morning of July H. says the cor
respondent of the Lokal-Anzeiger, drought
sunshine and blue sky. The rain-soaked
things could now be dried Moreover, a
south wind was blowing, not softly, but
right freshly, and it was a genuine south
wind From on board the Svenksund the
crew at divine service was chanting. / sat
in silent devotion in my tent
and listened. Scarcely had the
ships bell struck IL o'clock than
[ became aware of unwonted activity on
board. While was still pondering over the
matter observed several men at work on
the upper portion of the front side of the
balloon house. A moment later the planks
were being thrown down, the beams sawn
through, and screws and rivets loosened
Truly, this must be in earnest. 1 hurried
with all speed to the scene, and learned
that Herr Andree intended forthwith to at
tempt the ascent. With almost painful
pectation the men were putting forth most
strenuous exertions. Andree himself pres
emily appeared on the scafolding above and
shouted his commands to the men through
the medium of a speaking trumpet. He and
his companions were already clad in their
travelling costumes-Andree and Strindberg
in dark blue, Fraenkel in a gray suit,
with collars of VOLTS fur.
I'm Peak House a pair of trial balloons
were inflated and let loose, and the breeze
carried them in precisely the desired direc-
tion. On the beach the crew was busy lay
ing out the dragropes to prevent the pos
sibility of their tangling. With a crash
the loosened portion of the towers front
wall fell out. Inside the tower the greatest
activity prevailed. In every corner stood
men regulating the ropes by which the bali
loon was held. Every one helped, even the
commander of the gunboat. The ballast
bags were hung in narrow circle so that
the balloon might rise. Then, when the
north wall had been removed as far as the
center of the building, this circle was still
further reduced.
'At last the lashings were secured to the
last bolt, and the balloon swung some two
meters from the ground. 1 helped Strind-
berg to fix the pigeon cages above the car,
where also the food supply is stored. The
cook carefully showed in a small barrel the
dinner which would be the first to be eaten
aloft. Fraenkel brought up a few glasses
of beer for immediate use. The car was
quickly put in order, superfuous ballast
bags were severed from their fastenings,
several of them being placed in the car for
preliminary use. From the west side of
the balloon waved the Swedish colors and
beside them white silk flag, adorned with
blue anchor, the happily conceived, and,
it may be hoped luck bringing, gift of a
woman. Immediately under the balloon was
fastened diagonally a bamboo to which
sails like wings were attached on either
side By means of ropes the aeronauts can
manipulate these sails from the car.
Shortly before 2;30 Andree was quite ready
for the journey. Heartily shaking hands
with those assembled in the balloon house
stood watching, he addressed warm, deeply
felt words of thanks to all those whose
hands he could not reach owing 20 their
inability to leave their posts. With sturdy
handshakes Fraenkel and Strindberg also
took their leave. Strindberg appeared to
be deeply moved, and, indeed, the solemnity
Then Andree called aloud: 'FraenkeT!
Strindberg! Standing in the car the three
severed the thin ropes holding them, An
dree counting one, two, three. At three the
last cord binding them to the floor of the
tower fell away. Proudly and majestcally
the balloon rose, passing directly through
the open northern portion of its former
dwelling. Andree gazed with happy conf
dence on those who remained behind, and
caps he cried out: Greetings at home TO
Swedenr Those who had a photographing
apparatus took yet another snapshot.
Running to the shore. we all saw the
balloon floating some $50 feet over the
water. A moment of intense anxiety fol-
lowed, for the balloon was driving right on
to a jutting prominence of rock on the east
side of Sweerenburg sound and threatened
to collide with it, Suddenly, however,
gust of wind coming through the sound
from the southeast sent the air vessel back
TO sea in a nOrthwesterly direction and
struck it so strongly above that for some
seconds the car trailing along the
water. At the same moment we discovered
that the three dragrOpes from whose assist
ance Andree had hoped so much lay quietly
on the beach. The swivel fastening them to
the ring must have been loosened at the
moment of the ascent. But how that was
possible will never be explained. AS they
have a reserve stock of ropes with them
for ballast the loss of the three lines Will
not however, be irreparable. Meanwhile
they had thrown out several ballast bags.
"a few minutes only had passed since the
time exactly 2:35, at which the start was
made and the balloon was now seen moving
exactly as Andree had wished-over the
fiat peninsula Hollaendernaes toward the
north. 1t is true that at the north end
of Sweerenburg sound a southwesterly air
current caught it again and apparently
drove it toward the craggy cliff of Voge-
sang but with shaded eyes we could per-
ceive it sail few yards above this danger
point and proceed completely free at last
once more directly north. 1t was precisely
3 o clock when the balloon disappeared on
the northern horizon.
Nrrr a S,rprSs