The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-23

globe containing the hydrogen was a
large wicker basket, Or car, and sixteen
feet below this was suspended the boat,
or ship. Edibles, drinkables, warm
clothing, compass, thermometers ba.
| rometers, ballast, maps. ETC., having al
ready been loaded aboard, bundles of
the principal st. Louis newspapers, an
express package directed to New York
city and cards Of candidates for office
were taken on, and the voyagers
stepped into their assigned places. The
signal to remove the ropes holding the
impatient and Juggling craft down was
given, and amid the applauding shouts
of the people the Atlantic rose slowly
and nlajestically far above the house
tops and sailed off in direction a
little north Of northeast. At 1920 o'clock
the ship seemed but a speck in the
deepening twilight.
To these voyagers the experience was
most thrilling. The motion Of the craft
was perfectly steady. There was no
rocking of the boat or car, no rustling
of the silk, nothing to tell the pas
I sengers they were not poised between
sky and earth in dead calm but the
receding fields and forests beneath.
At first objects became less clearly
defined, the smoke disappeared from
the sky, streets grew narrower and
darker until they seemed like thin
lines, and finally the city faded into a
spot.
The descending darkness gave to the
color Of the soil the appearance of
frozen lakes. The sun had set to the
inhabitants Of the earth, but to those in
the balloon it was yet four or five de-
grees above the horizon.
10 fIn Mt occ,i,,
over the magnificent prairies of Illi-
nois, with ST. Louis lying south, half
west, behind, and the brightness of the
Western sky was in fine contrast with
the oncoming darkness of the Mis-
sissippis eastern tributaries. About 8
o'clock a descent was made from a
two-mile altitude to one mile. Ballast
was then thrown off. and from partial
darkness an ascent was made into full
sunlight, II, 900 feet above the earth
The difference In temperature then
manifested itself, and overcoats and
shawls were taken out.
It was at this time that Prof Wise,
alone in his wicker car. had narrow
escape from asphyxiation Overcome
with the days exertions, he had fallen
asleep with his nostrils close to the
mouth of the balIooHta and was inhaling
the hydrogen. Mr.. Eager discovered
him, and few minutes vigorous work.
IN Wn1Cn all COOk id IlduQ, Drought
him around The Atlantic had entered
the west-east current, and the aero
nauts were feeling much elated. The
continued cold, however, cooled their
ardor, and drop was taken into. a
less swiftly running current, but one
In which the addition to comfort more
than compensated the loss of time III
making the coast. ID
AS soon as the more violent discom-
forts were remedied the elmer man"
asserted himself and all hands fell tc
on the edibles with, an alacrity and
relish that bespoke for them perfect
digestions. 1t was now a little past
midnight The milky way appeared
like luminous phosphorescent clouds.
and stars glistened brightly above and
below, while over all the newborn
moon shed it's mellow light, adding
the touch that made, the poets dream
perfect.
Shortly after o'clock another de-
scent was made, until dense forest
was Visible and the wind could be dis
tinctly heard passing through the tree
bougf1s, sounding like heavy rain.
After the forest, farm lands appeared