The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-05
4 FARMER N
The Curious Vocation and Avocation OF n
Delaware County Man.

beihWhre county man.
1t has been reserved for a New York Yankee
to combine the seemingly incompatible pur-
suits OF aeronautics and agriculture. His farm
ing operations are confined to a few acres In a
picturesque part Of northern Delaware county.
but from the middle Of July TO the first Of De-
tober he roams the atmosphere over half Of
New England. He is one OF the few lucky men
who manage, 30 TO speak, to earn q living in
their leisure hours, for, although he Is an aero
naut first and u farmer atterward. his balloon
ing. which yields him the bulk Of his income.
really occupies only a small part of his time.
When the farmer-aeronau is on the earth he
dwells with his wife and family in the tiniest
possible weather-boarded cottage. the work Of
his own hands. He chose for his home a long,
narrow strip Of rough ground cut of from q
neighboring farm by q railroad, and lying be-
tween the railroad and n carriage road that
borders a considerable creek. Flowing through
the aeronaut's land is a tributary to the creek.
edged with a bit OF rich bottom land, recently a
tangled thlcket, but now reduced 10 order By
the hand OF the aeronaut. Scattered about the
dwelling are three or four small outhouses. one
OF them a little machine shop where the aero
naut plans and in part makes his balloons.
When the aeronnut first began business. and
indeed for years aiterward, he made balloon
ascents and parachute descents at country
fairs. Last year he took to staying safe on the
earth himself and sending curious country
folk 800 to 900 feet skyward In captive bal
looms. He still has this business pretty muchto
himself in the New England and Middle States.
He chooses to make his own balloons partly
because 1t Is cheapert to do so than to buy them.
and partly because when he began to make gas
balloons for his W use they were not made
commercially by any manufacturer in this
county. though it was and is easy to buy hot
conspicuous, feature OF the aeronaut's sur
roundlnGs Is a plank platform that looks like a
out his balloons for vanishing and drying.
ms platform was an object q much curiosity
stranger dropped from the siEsno as il T were, and and
began to cultivate potatoes and raise chickens
on a spot long given over to wild grapes. bull
He makes his balloons. not OF silk, but of
strong cotton cloth. close woven and abundantly
eight feet in diameter. when filled with hydro.
gen gas. will easily carry tTo persons Of
The car. q tall cylindrical basket OF woven rope
with @ strong wooden bottom, is OF his own
manufacture; 1t Is SO high that when a man Of
visible.
The balloonlst now seldom makes an ascent
persons. and every time he goes up he is out
e. cents. the amount Of one fare. He says
t ais 8 s}iT tHero ar Is .t I'm sh s6 Eao he s Z GGGSS erS TRs:
It's charms by the hour before any ~fairgoer has
tne, courage 10 make an. ascent. he admits
with shame that he has. occasionally at
such times "baited" the balloon. that Is.
sent up one. or two men free. Just to stir tho
interest and curiosity OF the crowd. This once
effected, business is good. and all sorts Of per-
sons. young and old. make the ascent. He has
never had an accident, but on two. occasions an
occupant OF the car has reached the ground
insensible from nervous excitement.
The captive balloon business Is comparatively
new in the East, but IL was popular In New
England last year. and the aeronaut has long had
the whole OF the present season booked. He is
planning a new scheme in the business. which
Is to be the addition OF q small balloon or tender
to the large one to help 1t pull when the latter
begins TO loose its gas. Every balloon leaks a
little. and as 1t takes a long time to refill the
great balloon the aeronaut thinks he will save
time by keeping the tender ready to send ur
when the lifting power Of the great balloon be.
gins to lessen.
The areonaut owns to q sort Of cynical salts.
faction in the fact that instead Of risking his
own life in midair for the amusement Of others
he. can persuade curious folk to pay him for the
amusement: He preserves with pride, how,
the name, OF a daring French lady. Mile
-, well, never. mind what. who USED
to. move the admiration of New England
f%airgoers by. making the ascent will
him, and who is none other than that very sim,
pie Yankee woman his wife. Striding through
his chicken yard and treadihR the few but soil,
acres Of his Delaware county farm, the aero
naut, like the retired sailor OF a certain ancien
and famous ode. takes pleasure in the though
that his dangers are over. He thinks OF calm,
his farmlet Terra Firma.