The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26
HOLDS BALLOON RECORD.
Aeronaut Went 1000 Miles in Nineteen
Hours in 1859.

From the Philadelphia North American.
While aeronauts, reveling in their redis-
covered sport, are exciting themselves and
the public over record breaking trips, a
voice from the past reminds them that
startling feats in ballooning are not new.
For instance, the recent trip of 225 miles
by DR.. Julian P. Thomas of New York
was hailed as a record. Professor John
Wise of this city and Lancaster for out
stripped this half a century ago.
DR.. Thomas and Knabenshue, starting
Sunday, August 5, from New York. trav-
eled to Brant Rock, Mass, and were
eighteen hours in the air. Compared with
trip made by Professor Wise and three
companions in July, 659, in which more
than 900 miles were covered in nineteen
hours, this recent feat fades into insignifi-
cance
Professor Wise was the most noted aero
naut Of the country. He made many long
voyages in the air, not few of which ex-
ceeded 500 miles in length. and on one of
which he finally lost his life.
His most memorable feat, however, the
establishment of a record which has never
been approached by any other aeronaut,
and to equal which DR.. Thomas and Kna-
benshue would have had to travel some
US miles further, was made on July |,
1882
With Professor Wise on this journey
were two other aeronauts and a reporter
from st. Louis newspaper The trip was
made to demonstrate the feasibility OF
Professor Wises dream of a balloon voy-
age across the Atlantic ocrean.
Leaving St. Louis at $50 o'clock In the
evening, the four voyagers sailed all night
through the air. In the morning they
made a temporary landing near a small
town in Ohio and anchored their balloon
to a post while they had breakfast in a
farmhouse.
During the day they had thrilling ex-
perineces. Travelling at express-train
speed, they sailed out over Lake Erie at
about o'clock in the morning, and for
nearly four hours were above the water.
While they were still more than 90
miles from shore they were overtaken by
a thunderstorm, which had been following
them for hours, and which was accom-
panied by wind of terrific velocity.
When the storm struck them the balloon
was hurled almost on it's side, the big
gasbag offering more resistance to the
gale than the car, and it was thought
safer to descend nearer to the lake. In
the descent shifting currents drove the
balloon down TO the water. in which the
basket dragged for nearly an hour
Ballast was thrown overheard and at
last the big balloon began to conquer the
force of the storm, rising slowly and trav-
cling at the rate Of go miles an hour be-
fore the wind In short time land was
sighted, and the storm had passed, al
though the wind was still blowing gale.
From a point high in the air the party
could see Niagara Falls. BY this time the
ballast was running short. and the ball
loon began to descend.
Everything that could be spared was
thrown overheard. but rapid condensation
of gas overcame all efforts to rise again,
and the balloon rushed along above a
great forest in uncomfortable proximity
to the tree tops.
Then the coats, hats and even shoes
of the balloonists were thrown out as ball
last in a last effort to defeat the ele-
ments. Finally the car of the balloon was
dragging In the tops of the trees.
After nearly an hour of terrifying ex-
perences the balloon reached small
place which was partially cleared of trees,
and descended. Swimming along over the
brushwood. it made it's way rapidly to-
ward a large trees the opposite side
of the clearing, and the last hope of the
aeronauts was gone.
Seeming to howl with joy over the de-
struction it was causing, the wind caught
the balloon up and hurled it into giant
oak. while Its human freight, clutching
blindly at the ropes resigned themselves
to their fate. Held tightly by the tree
and unable to go any farther, the gas bag
was fattened by the force of the wind,
and in moment exploded with a roar
like cannon. allowing the car with its
occupants to drop to the ground, fifteen
feet below.
The big gas envelope was ripped and
torn into fragments and the pieces We're
carried high in the air by the tornado.
while the aeronauts untangled themselves
from the wreckage of network and con-
graduated each other on their escape
from death
Professor Wise made his last ascension
In 1879 starting from St. Louis. The wind
at the time was blowing strong. and the