Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-10-14
eALooNrNe A CRAZE.
A. Much a Fad In the Last Century
AZ Cycling IL Now.

was as much a craze as bicycling in
the ninteenth, and a writer recounts
some half-forgotten stories Of the days
OF Horace Walpole, who, old gTumbler
that he was, had a special dislike to
the aerial contrlvances. In the early
days Of the sport the balloon was sent
up much after the fashion OF kite-1y-
ing; later, animals were attached to
the balloons, and their immunity seems
to have emboldened many notable per-
sons to hazard the aerial ascent. 1t be-
came the popular craze. its very dan
ger lending 1t a charm to men of dar-
ing minds.
In 1884 the sky was crowded with
these aerial carriages, and to make a
balloon ascent was one of the achieve
ments Of men Of fashion. The Due de
Chartres undertook a short voyage
from st. Cloud, piloted by the brothers
Robert, and a reverend father OF the
Oratorian Order came from Nantes in a
balloon. In 1855 Blanchard. accom-
panied by DIR. Jeffries, crossed the Eng
lish Channel to Calais, and Dr. Potain
flew over st. Georges Channel from
Dublin to London These daring ex-
ploits increased the popular admlra-
tion, and England did not escape the
balloon contagion.
Vincent Lunard, secretary to Prince
Caramand, the Neapolltan Ambassador.
was the first to follow on Montgolfer's
track. Lunardi seems to have been a
man ofcourage, not easily daunted by nil
nor difficulties else he would never have
succeeded in launching his balloon.
The correspondence between him and a
friend in Italy is full OF interest, and
sets before us in a life-llke manner his
experiences, while the freshness and
sincerity which the letters display have
the charm which always attends per-
sonal narrative. We gather from this
correspondence that Lunardi was by
no means a man to whom money was
no object On the contrary, the outlay
caused by building the balloon made
It matter of necessity that he should
make It paying success.
After many contretemps and disap-
pointments our Secretary carried his
project into effect on September Is,
1884. The ascent was to take place
from the grounds of the Royal Artll-
lery Company. The charge of entrance
was 1 guinea for chairs close to the bal
cony, with admission to view the con-
struction of the balloon four times
Half guinea tickets admitted to seats
behind the first row Of chairs, also two
admissions to view the construction OF
the balloon Horace Walpole, writing
to Sir Horace Mann, tells him how che
would not stir one step or pay / guinea
to see one Lunardi, an Italian, mount
into the clouds, such navigation ap-
pearlng to him as childish as the flying
kites Of schoolboys."
At 1870 the Prince of Wales arrived
and showed the utmost interest in the
filling of the balloon with hydrogen
This delicate operation, which, as every
one knows, is a slow process, was con.
Quoted under the personal superinten.
dence of DR.. George Fordyce. Before
1t was half filled the hour mentioned
for the start was far exceeded. Lun.
ardi, seeing that the impatience of the
crowd was getting uncomfortable and
afraid that the destruction of his bal.
loon might follow, hastily determined
to commence his voyage without the
necessary force, and, to lessen the
weight, he left his companion behind
and took with him dog, a cat and o
pigeon.
At 2:30 o'clock the cords were let go
and, a gun being fired off to announce
the event, the balloon sailed away amid
the shouts of the populace, who were
now convinced that no imposition was
intended. When the balloon had risen
to a certain height the pigeon man
aged to escape, and its flight through
the air was greeted with acclamatlons
by the gazing crowd below.
Lunardi describes how he occupied
himself on his aerial voyage. First
looking after his inner man, he tell;
his friend how much he enjoyed hi:
lunch Of cold chicken. This despatched
he took to writing letters. Three o.
these he dropped from the balloon
trusting to the chance that some kinC
Samaritan might pick them up ant
polt them. One, at all events, was de-
livered, for to II we owe vivid picture
Of the aeronaut's first Impressions: 90
could distinguish st. Paul's and othel
churches from the houses; l saw thu
streets in lines all animated with be
ings, whom knew to be men and wo
men, but who l should otherwise hav'
difficulty in describing. 1t was an enor
nous beehive, but the industry Of 1
was suspended.
"All the moving mass seemed to hav,
no object but myself. AS for me, 1
seemed as If had left below all thu
cares and passions that molest man
kind. / had not the slightest sense O
motion in the machine; I knew no
whether 1t aseended or descended
whether It was agitated or tranquil
save by the appearance Of the object
on the earth" At $3.50 he descended
by working his oars, on the Common
of South Minns, where he landed tn
cat, which was suffering from the cold
People crowded around him, but h
was so infatuated with his success tha
after few minutes he assembled agail
SO rapidly that the thermometer de
seended two degrees.
Warned by the intense cold that /
might be dangerous to remain mucl
longer exposed to its Arctic effect:
Lunardi wisely descended. He cam
down at O'Clock in large and beauti
full meadow, which he found was nea