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The Balloon Ascension.Etrly (his mowing, the roads from every direction, leading into town, was pretty well oocapied with people, of all sixes and colon, coming to town to sec the balloon ascension. By 10 o’clock the streets were lined with them, and the court house tqutre was occupied by patient crowd, waiting to see the big balloon inflated. At 11:30 Prof. Fisk commenced the preparation for raising thu canvas, the fnrnace had been prepared yesterday evening, and the long timbers wcro speedily raised to attach the balloon for infl ttion; the guy ropes were fastened and by 12:30 everything was ready to commence the work of putting in the gas. This was the work of only abont twenty minutes, and was accomplished by means of tbs furnace heretofore mentioned. This was an excavation of about 20 feet, made in the ground so as to form a boiler-shaped tunnel, with an outlet like a locomotive smoke-stack, over whioh the balloon was suspended. A Bra was made of combustible materia], lightwood and garo-lino and coal oil, and soon the monster balloon, 60 feet high by 150 incircum-feronce was ready to go on its voyage in space. Attached to the balloon was the parachute, an invention of Prof. Fisk, which was oomposed cf strong cords and canvas, no ribs, and waJabout 20 feet in circumference; to tho parachute was a stout bar, about two and a half ftet longvon whioh Prof. Perry, the roronaut, was to make his asoension and trapexo performance. This para-ohute was attaohed to the balloon by stout oords, so arranged that when desired the aeronaut could detach tho parachute—this was done by pulling on a stout oird attached to a hickory pin of abont 18 inches, whioh, when pulled out, let the parachute fall. At. 3:30 'clock the fires were lit and at 4 the balloon started on its voyage, Prof. Ferry performing some interesting feats on the trapese, while in sight.Tho monster balloon, filled with gas, obedient to loosened ropea, rose majestically for some distance and thon floated gratefully off in an easterly direction. Professot P«rry looked like a speck.Tho vast crowd watched the rcoeding aeronaxt with breathleas interest,watching every moment to see him make the drop.Wh^n at the height of a thousand feet perhaps, the parachute was seen to gradudly expand, and in a moment afterwards Perry sepat^ted it from the balloon and shot downward, swiftly at first, but gradually tho parachute slowed in its downward flight, finally grado illy descending to the earth, when the Pro feasor was again on terra firms. It was a bold, daring flight in mid air. As wo went to press, immediately after ths ascent, we are not informed exactly as to where the professor alighted.The ascension was a brilliant sucoess. The large crowd was thrilled by the sight and in every way pleased with the performance.Latxr : Prof. Perry has just returned to to town. He reports a safe desocnt The parachute landed him in the Pike pear orchard near Jackson street The balloon landed some two miles Jrom town.
Newspaper Details
Thomasville Times
Thomasville, Georgia, US
Sat, Apr 13, 1889
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
DE 28 Jan 2024
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