The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-11
ADVENTURES IN A BALLOON.
DR. THOM ass RECENT NARROW
ESCAPE NOT HIS FIRST.
PeOple VINO Grab the Drag Rope Trouble
when Balloon Takes Cold Sensations
oT an Ascent Earth Seems Fame
Auprw ard How Balloons Are Made.

ward balloons Are Made.
When the gas bag Of the balloon cavorted
up into the air the other day with DIR. Julian
p. Thomas tangled In the ropes 1t but added
ore more thrilling experience to a long list
previously enjoyed that's what he savs,
enjoyed-by the gentleman.
The drag rope has been a prolific source
Of these adventures. In Apptfon's for
November DR.. Thomas tells how he has
l,een nearly killed with Observation-Disclosures
and his drag rope,
The latter il 800 feet long and weighs rs
pounds. One Of its functions Ia TO act
as ballast when its enc drags on the ground
Just 40 much weight ia removed from the
balloon. II also is a sort Of feeler In a fog
or at night.
The objections to it are that it destroys
property and that in passing over a forest
IL catches in the branches and jerks and
rocks the balloon, causing the gas to escape
and the ~aeronauts to become seasick. There
is also the very considerable risk that en-
thusiastic SPECTATOR will grab IL and cause
great danger to the aeronaut in their en-
deavor to save his life.
Once some eager Brooklynites twisted the
drag rope OF my balloon around a post and
dashed my wife and me down on top OF a
church. The force Of the concussion threw
lis 10 our knees in the bottom Of the basket.
Looking up we found directly in front of us
the cross on the steeple. We were then
dragged on down to the ground in spite OF
eur ex~postulations and it was only when
the police began to use their clubs that We
were finally released.
an z--ak,- .nnnnGfnn onUoTQI hnnHrOd
persons grabbed the guide rope and caused
us TO be blown toward four large chimneys
belching forth smoke and sparks. The bal
loon was surrounded by the sparks and It
is a mystery how il escaped ignition. For
tunately some Of our friends we're following
in an auto and with the help Of the police
freed us.
After 80 many mishaps with the guide
rope I devised a c~ontrivance for hosting
and lowering it quickly, both to keep II out
Of the reach OF a crowd and to raise 1t when
missing over a forest. II is nothing more
than a double pulley. but I consider it a
permanent improvement in a~eronautics.
Even with q large amount OF alias one
cannot always control the b~uoyancy Of the
balloon. On one occasion We were 10000
feet up in the air in the hot sunshine above
the clouds.
A cool current OF air struck US and con-
densed the gas in the balloon, 80 that we
fell into the clouds. There, out OF the suns
rays. we cooled still more, n fell more
RAPIDLY.
was throwing out ballast all this time,
but without stopping u descent. Indeed
at one time in our fall the a cast over
board seemed 10 move upward, at such a
tremendous rate were we descending. From
the clouds We fell into the cool breeze that
always blows over a forest; and lastly We
crossed a river, which added the finishing
touch TO the condensation OF the gas In the
balloon.
We threw over all the ballast, the anchor
and guide rope. our luncheon and water, the
camera, and all the clothes we should not
absolutely need on our arrival on the earth
we were 40 rapidly approaching. Nothing
seemed to check the rapidity of our fall, and
when finally we struck in the midst OF a
forest our legs were doubled up under US in
spite Of the protection afforded us by the
basket.
I should nave had 70 throw my brother
overheard, too, TO nave kept in the air, and
indeed he had 70 get out OF the basket
AIJcT VIC D1d In AOSONCiCA " bIit
shock OF our alighting -before the balloon
would rise 80 that we could steer Il TO a
suitable place for debating II. Fully one
third OF the gas wa lost-or rather IL was
condensed TO two-thirds its former volume
The first cost OF b~allooning In smaller than
that OF a~utomobiling, but each ascension
costs about 5000. The delights OF the sport
are so intense that in the reaction after
they are over the earth seems tame and
not worth while.
One has almost to become acclimated on
descending from the high attitudes; for a
week after an ascension l rave no appetite
and am depressed. Incidentally | should
Hot recommend b~allOoning to a person Of
oak neart or nerves.
When one leaves the earth the impress
sions come so fast that one can hardly
differentiate them. They produce "A kaleid-
Oscopic ef oct. A mar must stop and
concentrate his mind on certain special
sensations, or else on returning 70 earth
hs wil find that he has no sensation in
partIcuIar I'd tell aDOut.
There In the imyf cssIUn OF tine crowd Of
people shouting n waving their hands
Before you realize IL they have vanished
~ individuals. The earth sinks from you
the houses become tiny boxes, the streets
lines, and large rivers appear brooks that
you could easily Jump across.
The likes are pools q marshLand
.. ..N.a. ~. $500 N F.NrrHW 49,.