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By W. EDMUNDS CLAUSSEN Area Historian The perpetually active Jonas Smith and his wife of Pottstown were making a grand swing “down east” the year Bunker Hill was about to re-enact the centennial of the great battle. Editor Lewis Davis devoted nearly an entire column to verse dedicating the occasion. The Smiths were expected to take in the centennial celebration while in New England, and thus Pottstown would be represented on the great national occasion. So far as Pottstown itself was concerned, editor Davis expressed some concern over our total lack of bunting and display of the colors, “We saw but one piece of bunting flung to the breeze, and that was from the residence of J. Dutton Steele, Esq. The only other person who displayed any patriotism was M. B. Missimer.” Obviously Missimer was having himself a ball. He arose while it was still dark, and as the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon, he let loose in a grand patriotic song while standing on the pavement in front of his house on Charlotte Street. In great voice that morning, Missimer pulled out all stops on ‘The Sword of Bunker Hill,’ — we are certain awaking all the neighbor hood. Wrote the Ledger: ‘‘He sang it, too, with more vim and feeling than he ever did before.” Not to be let down by this apparent indiffer ence on the part of our citizenry, our superintend ent of the Gas Works determined Pottstown would not be let out in the cold. You may remember our enthused superintendent was one who could not keep his hands off balloons — at the time of Professor Shear’s ascension, he had one pull right out from between his fingers leaving him only its intake valve while the inflated globe itself soared prematurely into the wild blue yonder (Mercury, Aug. 20, 1970). This time things went well. “As per announcement, the balloon made by Mr. J. J. H. Bassett, Superintendent of the Potts town Gas Works, at Pottstown, was sent skyward on Thursday evening. “This little air ship was about fifteen feet in height, was made of tissue paper, covered with a coating of oil and litharge, and was supported by a network of twine, which held up a ring, Copies of the Daily Pottstown Ledger and the Reading Eagle, as well as cards and circulars of our businessmen supplied the necessary ballast. It was intended to have the balloon sent upon its aerial voyage at 6:30 p.m., but owing to some little delay, it did not start until a quarter before 7 o’clock. Before leaving, a large placard was pasted on its side containing these words:— ‘This balloon was sent from Pottstown, Pa., June 17, 1875. In commemoration of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Any person finding this balloon will do a favor by letting me know where and when it stopped to rest. J. J. H. Bassett, Pottstown, Pa.’ “The balloon wended gracefully upward and was carried at a rapid rate in a northeasterly direction, and was seen for about ten minutes, when it pierced the clouds and was lost to view. ‘Nothing has been ascertained up to this writ ing where it landed. Unless a break occurred in the paper, we should not be surprised to learn that it has traveled a great distance. Mr. Bas sett, we understand is getting up a still larger one to be sent off on the Sth of July.”’ We get the impression they had hoped trans- Atlantic breezes would carry the globe, perhaps all the way to Norway. But this was not to be. A letter was received three days later. “Mr. J. J. H. Bassett received a letter this morning from Mr. N. T. Walbert, proprietor of the Claytonville Hotel, Washington Township, Berks county, informing him that the balloon he sent off from Pottstown, on Thursday, June 17th, had come down at that place on the same evening at 742 o'clock, making the distance 16 miles in one hour and five minutes.” Undaunted, we plan greater things. “A Mas querade, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to the Centennial Exposition of 1876 will take place at the residence of J. Dutton Steele, Esq., in this borough, on Friday evening, July 2nd. Invitations to this party are now being issued, under the auspices of a committee consisting of Messrs. George H. Potts, C. H. Bowen, W. C. Moore, J. O. Rutter, Wm. M. Hobart and T. C. Steele. The affair will no doubt be a very pleasant one, and all the more enjoyable because of its novelty, as a part of the company will be masked on the occasion. We wish it success, and trust that a large sum may be realized towards making up the amount which Pottstown is expected to con tribute to the Centennial, which we believe is $500.”’ Meantime, in view of the grand tub race across the Schuylkill scheduled for the 5th, the boys were practicing nightly. ‘One chap yesterday sailed over the river in one of these flat bottomed ves sels, accompanied on either side by companions in row boats. He made the opposite side of the river with only three tumbles. He believes that with a few more trials he will be able to take the purse, “ And all in the spirit of the occasion: ‘‘Men have been engaged for a day or two in taking out rocks at Ringing Hill to be taken to Philadelphia for the Centennial Exposition. These boulders are hauled to Pottstown by Samuel Willauer, and hence taken to the city by railroad. We do hope nothing will be done in the removal of stones from the far-famed Ringing Rocks that will insure the sounding qualities of these curious rocks, changed the rugged beauty of the pile of boulders, or“ render the place less attractive to visitors.”
Newspaper Details
Pottstown Mercury
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Jul 21, 1971
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Carin G.
USA 14 Jul 2026
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Pottstown Mercury And The Pottstown News
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