Year: 1871

From the Nashville Banner, 25th.


Early Sunday afternoon large
crowd Of people began to gather at the
Horticultural Garden to witness the
balloon ascension announced to be
made by T. H. Williams.


The balloon used is but mere piece
CT patchwork, weighing six hundred
and sixty.six pounds. and measuring
one hundred and fifteen feet in hight,
and one hundred and twenty-five feet in
circumference.


By five o'clock in the afternoon the
Horticultural Gardens were filled. AS
preparations to FIJI the balloon with
heated air commenced, the crowd be-
came excited and awaited the ascension
with no little impatience. Meanwhile
the mouth OF the balloon was put over
a kind OF chimney to furnace, and a
fire kindled. As tie heated air began
to initiate the balloon, little streams Of
smoke issued out Of the unvarnished
piece OF canvas, and jets spirited from
divers little holes in the middle portion.
Mr.. Williams, before entering the
basket, a rather weak and dangerous
looking concern, attached to the hoop
of the balloon by means Of small cords
about the size OF ones tile finger,
trimmed down the upper portion, the
top rim seeming 10 be somewhat lnse-
cure.


A false start was made at half past
five o'clock, amid the enthusiastic ap-
plause Of the spectators. The balloon
was pulled down and again subjected to
the heated air process OF initiation.
Shortly after six o'clock the huge air
ship was released from its moorlngs, and
shot UP into the air about the distance
OF one hundred feet. 1t was driven
westward, rising, probably, to the altl-
tude OF hundred and fifty to one hun
dred and seventy-fve feet Just before
reaching the cotton factory, about one
hundred yards from the starting point,
it began rapidly to descend toward the
smoke stack OF the manufsctory, which
is one hundred and twenty-five feet in
height AS the spectators, rushing
pell-mell across the common, and shout
ing from their seemingly exhaustless
lungs. saw the impending catastrophe,
they started back horror-stricken at the
sight. The balloon had struck the
stack and turned over on the other side.


But we give the story OF Mr.. Will
liams' narrow escape from death In his
own words:


"On approaching the stack | knew
that the balloon was bound TO strike 1t,
and a, once made preparations TO re-
eeive the shock by pushing the basket
toward the stack, and leaning outward
on the opposite side. When the basket,
which was about seventeen feet below
the balloon, did strike, it bounded out
xardly and then careened 10 one side.
| at once saw if did not ascend TO the
top Of the stack before all the heated
air left the balloon | would be pulled
over the stack and dashed TO pieces on
the ground q distance OF one hundred
and twenty-five feet. You can under,
stand what chance l would have had
for life. The weight Of the balloon Wal
then pulling me up the stack. l seized
one OF the cords leading from the basket
to the hoop OF the balloon, and detelmin
ing to risk my life upon it pulled my
self up to the top of the stack, using
INV fee. at the same time on the
iron cap, which is about seven
feet in height As | reached the
summit, the weight OF the balloon com
menced pulling down heavily agsinst
nv own, which is about l40 pounds
Catching hold Of the rim of the stack
with q firm grasp with one hand,
wrapped one OF the small cords around
one Of the nuts, OF which there were q
good many. When the swinging OF tn