The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-30

Professor Berson and myself last InurS
Gay was believe. the highest ascension
cver made as we reached an elevation O.
1850 feet, or Eve and one fifth miles
above the earth. 1t was remarkable II
other ways, for we went Up prepared tt
make scientific observations, and were
thoroughly successful in that respect.
The vast crowd gathered at the Crystal
Palace expected merely TO see a frst-class
ascension for their amusement. But as
Professor Berson and 1 climbed into the
car at o'clock that afternoon we had
something else in our mind than making
- mere spectacle. When the rope was
cut We raised with a bound, going up in
southeasterly direction at first TO a
height of 10000 feet.
The day was remarkably clear. AS we
shot up and away from the city, the cher
Ing Of the crowd died away to a low
:nurmur in a few seconds, and after that
came the low, rumbling undertone of the
roar Of the paved streets. AS we scared
upward at the rate Of a thousand feet
every twenty seconds, even that noise
quickly died away. We were soon float
ing over the county of Essex. We could
then hear thu echo-lke sound Of a rush
Ing railroad train. Next came up family
the tinklink of cow bells, and finally,
when we were at an altitude OF nearly
two miles. we could distinctly hear the
barking Of a dog.
OF course, by that time we were almost
aAyond the sight of the naked eye of
those on the earth. Yet we in the balloon
were just beginning to get a most splen-
did view Of the landscape below. The
whole southeast coast Of England was
expanding before US. The blue estuaries
and beyond the North Sea widened out
feared that we should be carried out TO
sea, when another current of air caught
the balloon and whisked it up southwest
continued TO rise at a great speed, and
when we had reached an altitude of @, 900
we were over the southern coast line
We had sweep Of vision over a hund
red miles in every direction. Right be-
meath our feet was the dazzling strip of
the English Channel like a mirror throw
ing up at US the reflections of the sun.
Little black and white specks upon it
showed the position of ships. Off TO the
southwark a hundred miles Of the coast
~ II anu " d. III Tie ldllSe Oh our VISION
without the use of telescopes. When we
put these instruments oour eyes the
cities of Calais Bristol and Southhamp-
ron came up in detail as vividly as if
we We're lowering just over them.
So interested were we in this marvel
Gus panorama that we had up to that
time been almost Indifferent to the fright
ful cold and the brightness OF the air.
We had made every preparation, however,
Tor all conditions of our unusual trip.
As We expected to rise above the limit Of
breathing, We had cylinders of compressed
oxygen with inhaling tubes to put to our
mouths when the air become very rare
Among our scientific instruments were an
thermometer. to measure the velocity of
our ascent and descent as we'll as the
force Of the winds. Another instrument
was our aerounauts dial barometer. for
indicating our height above the earth
In addition We had for this same purpose
self registering barometer. This was
for the purpose of getting an absolute
correct record of our height, something
mat has rarely been done before, owing
20 the difficulty of making and noting
down the observations by hand at great
heights.
our balloon had a capacity Of IS. 800 cubic
feet. We used hydrogen gas, as that has
a much greater capacity for lifting than
coal gas. Our balloon was inflated with
only 10000 cubic feet, 10 allow for expan-
sion Of the gas when the balloon should
reach great attitudes. otherwise the ha-
loon would have burst at the height TO
which we rose. Although II was very
warm in London al the time we started
30 degrees in the sllade-we carried a SUP
ply OF the heaviest winter Clothing in the
car, fur overcoats. gloves, and caps to
completely cover head and ears, for we
knew we would rise into a frigid zone.
Professor Berson called my attention to
the fact that al 5000 feet high the fher
mometer stood at degrees below zero.
The furs which we had put on soma time
before. we now bUtoned up still closer.
The ughtnes of the air, which we had
felt since passing the l2,O00-foot altitude
Coy a sense of weakness. now became A
Painful sasping for breath There was
The throbinS of the heart in the throat
such as mountain-climbers experience at
great elevations.
The absolute stilines which had FOL-
e. lowed after the noise from the earr0
had died away now changed into a sound
Ike tempests raging in the upper heavens
But il was merely the blood surging
through our veins and forcing its way
through nostrils. eyes and mouth. Pro
fessor Berson then called to me for The
oxygen. and we both put the inhalers 70
our mouths. Without the oxygen we
should nave become asphyxlated after
reaching the height OF 25oo0 feet. The
deauhly sense OF sufocation and para,v-
sis which comes upon one on appros ch-
ing that distance above the earth is ap-
paihnE. Il Is ike drowning.
But wi-h cur mouths 10 the oxygen in
halers We instantly felt a sense OF ex-
filtration, Ike the sensation after taking
the dentists laughing gas We then fen
that we could go 70 any height. Our only
trouble then was RE cold. The registering
barometer showed that We had passed the
zero point al an elevation OF 21.5b0 feet
Above the temperature tad fallen abou,
four degrees 10 every thousand feat and
We were san shooting upward Ike q
rocket At y 90 feet 7 saw tia .-a
thermometer was a. q degrees below,
Zero sudden Impulse then came unon
me TO see whether the air had become any
rarer and whether I could breathe II
all lowered The inhaler from my u.ou.h
! gasped. and n fften seconds fs.t 2
dizziness and exhaustion coming over ma
and should have tainted had 7 nor clan
ped cs7e inhaler 70 my mouth again 4: tn.t
inssaAS.