The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-01-27
Terrible Experience in a Balloon Dur.
ing Thunderstorm.

Augustus Post writing the Expert
/ ences of an Altman" in the February
| American Magazine, tells the following
story of a thrilling adventure he had in
balloon during thunderstorm:
After supper was over and our things
slowed away, we noticed what seemed
to be occasional flashes of heat lightning
| far off on the horizon, but we thought
little OF it, Soon these became frequent,
and we saw that storm was gathering,
! but, as it was far to one side OF the di-
rection in which we were going, we
thought it would pass around us How
ever, we began TO hear the rumble of
thunder and knew that the tempest was
nearing. The air grew chill. and be-
fore we could realize what was happen
ing the balloon, pitching and swaying,
was sucked into a mighty vortex where
amidst the deafening roar Of the thun.
der and the lghtning's vivid glare, surg
ing and swinging and spinning around
and around. the balloon skot right up
into the very heart OF a cyclone. Every
fash of lighting blinded us, and each
clap of thunder felt like the blow of
a mighty hammer on the side of the
car. We had to hold to the edge of
the basket to Keep from being hurled
out. The balloon, bouncing and tossing,
rose and fell thousands OF feet with
frightful rapdity in the whirl Of Tire
maelstrom
"We rose thirteen thousand feet,-over
two miles, and then cast out ballast
to try to ride above the storm, but it
was impossible. We lost all control OF
the balloon usually so amenabe to
guidance. it was now like a chip in the
gorge of Niagara. Its upward rushes
were like those OF rocket. through
darkness black as ink, changing now and
again to binding glare as the lighting.
more vivid than we had ever seen, turned
night into strange and lurid day For
we were not watching the lightning from
afar, as one does on the earth, where |
il is like 4 light seen through d win
dow--we were inside of it, envcloped in
its binding glow.
Through a rift in the clouds we
caught sight of the earth far below, |
and saw that we were dashing down
ward with such violence that it seemed |
as if the ground were rushing up at
us. We saw too that the basket was I
going to strike. Just as the shock came
balloon started on a mad dash across
the fields, dragging us with terrific speed
after it, ! crawled ont into the CON
ring at the risk of falling
put on the ground or of getting my legs
'aught under the basket. Grasping the
lip cord, ! pulled il with all my might
L slipped through my fingers and tore
III ring ! was wearing, and the flesh
With it. Just then my companion, Mr.
Harmon, nearly fell out. and pulling
him in we erouchcd in the bottom of
he basket.
"The balloon dashed on, crashing right
through two barbed wire fences. tearing
Town two telegraph lines, smashing
pole to splinters, bounding on
nto patch of woods, over farmhouse.
nd landing in a corn field fully two
niles from where it first struck the {,
round.
I'VE made up our minds then and i,
here that the next time we were in =
balloon and saw a cyclone coming we J
fould come down.
There is an interesting sequel to this /.
dventure. which shows that the unex-
ected sometimes happens. and that some
I the Arabian Nights Tales may be
Dundei on fact. Some time afterward [
lr. Harmon received a letter from the 5
lrmer who lived near where this oc- b
lrred. saying that while blowing in p
is field he had found a ring, and ask 4
" if VIC had either of us lost one. We L
I'D him that one of us bad he sent IL Fl
n, and so ! have my seal ring again as 81
unfaun so,tvonir Of The ,y,,o,,r,,,r 4.