Year: 1879

.A0se OeeA aCtuAlAy poStponeu nau IL mol
been for the Professors friends, and par
ticularly the three who wese to accom-.
pany him on his voyage. They could fill
the balloon again in time, they said, and
repair the netting. There would be a
big crowd of spectators there, and il
would be shame to disappoint them.
Balloon people were generally looked
upon as humbugs, any way, and it would
never do at all to disappoint the hun
dreds and thousands who would surely
gather on the grounds to sec an ascen-
sion. Young Burr was particularly anx-
lous that the ascension should be made.
He was all fixed for the trip, the profess
sor had promised him time and again to
take him along, and he didn't want to be
disappointed. Beside, if the Professor
wouldn't make an ascension himself, he
Burr, would for him, for the people must
not be disappointed. At last the old
aeronaut gave in, and the initiating of the
balloon recommended and the netting
patched up.


It was agreed between the tour parties
most interested in the ascension that in
case the balloon received only sufficient
gas by five o'clock to take one man, that
Burr should SO. up If there was gas
enough for two then Professor Wise
should 60. If three could go, the third
should be Charley Gonter, and if four,
then Downey was to be one of the voy.
ayers. When tho hour Of five o'clock
arrived the netting had been repaired
and the balloon about two-thirds infIa-
ted. The professor thought that she
would carry no more than two persons
besides the packages Of Mabley's advcr-
tlsements and the Iron Mountain rail-
road circulars add couple OF sand bags
for ballast. All these things were put
into the basket, and also several bottles
of Anheuser's bottled beer and dozen
or two sandwiches. The park was pref
ty we'll filled with people, or at least
that portion Of it about the balloon was.
and the street outside the park was
crowded with people. The scene in the
vicinity Of the balloon was OF worry live
ly character. "Crazy Ward" a cracked
skull painter, with an ambition for the
stage, was making himself very
conspicuous in the crowd about the bal
loon, saving the air with his arms. recit-
ing Shakespeare and Byron and yelling
to Professor Wise every now and then,
asking him if he didn't remember the
time when they two sailed over Lake
Michigan once in a balloon. When the
gas was cut of and shut of, and the bas.
ket fastened to the netting, about forty
men in the crowd stepped forward and
took hold Of the netting. The sand.bags
were then all unlocked from the netting,
and the basket and ballon were dragged
over to the extreme southwest corner of
the open space between the trees, some
forty feet from the position the balloon
first occupied. This was done because a
strong wind was blowing from the south,
and the Professor warted all the room
he could get in which to clear tho trees.
Burr stepped into the basket and stood
upright: He was smoking a cigarette
at the time, and his hands were kept
busy saaking hands with his friends.
Professor Wise climbed into the basket


"Now, can you all let 20 when / say
the wordf' he asked.


"Yes," answered half a dozen of the
men holding the top rim Of the basket.


'All right, let her co.


The hands Of all left the basket at the
same time, and up shot the balloon, tak.
ing direction almost due north.


The baeket brushed through the tree
tops on the north side of the open space,
but it was only momentarily, and no
damage was done. Young Burr stood
upon the rim Of the basket and waved
bis hat at the crowd below with one
hand, while holding to the rigging witt,
tho other. The drag-rope, about the
s'ro of an ordinary clothes line, and
1900 feet long, lay in coil on the
ground when the balloon started up, and
there was shout. keep away from the
line. Let her run out" The crowd
obeyed, giving the rope plenty of room.
In few seconds, perhaps nearly a MIN.
utc the drag-rope was reached, and drawn
up through the trees and out of sight,
Al the balloon passed over the fair.
grounds, some of the visitors there caught
hold Of ii, and Professor Wise was com.
PEELED to cut the rope loose from the bal.
loon. This was the only anchor line the
aerouauts had, and balloon without y
;drag.rope IL in q much worse condition
than ship In a harbor is without an an.
,ehor. :" Had the idiots at the fair ground.
let the rope alone, Professor Wise and
George Burr would probably be alive TO-
day. =.
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