Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-06-30

In balloon, some of the time with
their clothes frozen stiff and at other
times in the midst of u terrific electric
storm. DR.. Julian p. Thomas of New
York and Charles Levee, a French
aeronaut, returned safely the other
night, confident that in several ways
they have broken all aeronautic rec
ords in America, says the New York
Herald.
They left New York in DR.. Thomas
big balloon. the Nirvana, at o'clock
on a recent Sunday night and for four
teen and half hours were buffeted
about over New York. Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. landing on the farm
of c. L. Miller. in the township of But
ternut. Otsego county, y. Y, at half
past 9 O'Clock the next morning.
DIR. Thomas gave description Of
their journey. Immediately after ris-
ing above the city" he said, 1--WE en-
tered storm stratum, and the last
thing we saw was Grants tomb as we
sailed over it. We did not know wheth-
er we had crossed the Hudson or were
sailing out TO sea until we heard the
church bells of Hackensack. Far above
us the sun was then shining with mar
velous radiance, while below us there
We're rain and clouds, and how beauti-
full the clouds were as we looked down
upon them! Over Little Falls, y. j..
we dropped within a few hundred feet
of the earth and shouted my telephone
number to several persons. and that
message reached my wife.
Then we rose again rapidly for the
night. We wtre not quite sure which
way we We're drifting, but realized we
were travelling very rapidly Presently
we entered the most terrific electrical
storm imaginable. Below were the
great banks of clouds that looked like
mountains.
The thunder seemed to roll along
their SUBMITS and through the great
cloud canyons, bursting and cracking
with an effect like the splitting of the
air. There was something weird in
the sound of thunder below US. Above
and about us there was the most won
derful display OF electricity. The light
ming fitted through the basket, ran
up and down the ropes and played
across our faces. but we did not inter
fere with it and it did not modest us.
If you could comprehend the tranquil
Indifference and utter absence of fear
that come TO one 50 far above the
earth you would understand why / say
we did not modest the lightning. 1t
did not seem to impress us except that
we enjoyed the grandeur OF the thing.
This storm lasted from Q o'clock
until 3 in the morning. Meanwhile we
were from 1000 to 5000 feet above the
earth and going through space at prob
ably twenty OF thirty miles an hour.
Whenever the storm abated we saw
myriads of small lightning bugs far
below us, and with all seriousness I
am obliged to tell you that at times
we We're nearly devoured with mosqui-
toes while passing over New Jersey.
Suddenly the wind changed, n little
after midnight, and we felt sure we
We're going out TO sea. / confess that
this was a very unpleasant period of
our journey.
I'VE talked the matter over and de-
as soon as we could see the lights of a
city would alight For miles we sped
or, but no lights appeared, and then,
with a distinctness that made us both
spring for the valves without a spoken
word we heard the sound of water
waves beating on the shore. AS we
let out the gas we dropped down like n
shot and landed in the top of a tree.
Where we were we did not know, but
1t was in the mountains of northern
Pennsylvania, / think.
1.-The treetop seemed pretty COM
Portable place, and after making the
ropes fast we curled up as best we
could and both fell asleep to await
daylight Our nap had lasted about
half an hour when there was a big
crash, Il sudden lurch of the balloon,
and away we sailed again, carrying
some of the branches in the coils of
the ropes. We could see the dark
peaks and forests all about us, and,
realizing that the danger of the sea
was past, we threw out ballast and
began TO go up like feather. Up. up
we went until we were two miles
above the dark forests.
II looked at Levee and saw that his
lips We're getting very blue, and my
own fingers were of the same color.
Our clothes cracked as we moved
about, and / saw they We're frozen.
Neither of us had said anything for
long time, and when / attempted to
speak to Levee my voice sounded
harsh and strange.
"'We're going up fast said, and
don't like to go back to New York |
with frozen feet. What do you think |
we better dor
"Lewee made no reply, but his face |
told me what he thought Being an |
experienced aeronaut, he knew better |
than l that 1t was perilous TO con-
tinue our flight upward. With be-
fingers we opened the valves |
again and slowly began to descend. |
After a time the sunlight once more |
came back to us, but we were still so |
high that 1t did not relieve the painful |
chill. Then we sailed on again"
DR.. Thomas says they went higher |
Than anv other American ha1ioonfSf |