Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1881 — A Perilous Balloon Voyage. [ARTICLE]

A Perilous Balloon Voyage.

Telegrams from Vienna describe a perilous balloon adventure in the suburbs of that city on Sunday evening. M. Eueene Godard, the French aeronaut, who has made upward of two thousand ascents, went up, accompanied bp three journalists, in his great balloon, from a large pleasure garden in the neighborhood of Schonbrunn, a quarter past seven. About an hour latfi (the Vienna correspondent of the Dally Telegraph says) a thunder storm of terrible violence broke out. The balloon was caught in the midst of the thunder clouds, and thrice the lightning flashed within a tew yards of the terror-stricken crew. M. Goddard, however, kept his presence of mind, uftjsr vainly endsavoring,by emptying the sandbags, to steer clear of the sterm, he decided to come down as quickly as possible. The balloon was then some 3.000 feet high and moving at the rate of thirty-four feet per second. The gas pipe was opened and the balloon began to descend with fearfnl rapidity. Suddenly M. Goddard exclaimed : “We shall fall into the Danube!” A fruitless attempt was made to use the anchor, but the trees were too far below and tbe speed too great. At any moment it appeared that they might be enguiphed in the stream, whence, owing to the storm, all escape would be impossible. M. Goddard hereupon cried out: “Gentlemen, we *reoi||,p inn many!” But as none of his companions appeared disposed to withdraw he threw overboard twentyttve kilogrammes of rope, and, with the anchor attached to the remainder, endeavored to catch the brush wood on the river edge. This, fortunately succeeded, and the car was secured within a ifcV feet of thejwater. “Thank God, woare saved!” shouted M. Goddard, just as a tremenduous shock imparted the welcome fact to his fellow travelers. Assistance was at band, and an hour late? the Whole party were recovering tbei- composure in a neighboring village inn. Tbe descent was acomplislibd at 9 o’clock, near Klosterneuburg.”