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There was scarcely one, whether brilliant or otherwise, that did not add something to further the science he had so much at heart. A failure, that would have dampened the ardor, or ended the aeronautic career of a less determined man, only urged him on to renewed effort to ascertain the cause of the failure and to overcome it. It is not our purpose in this brief sketch to follow Prof. Wise through the hundreds of aerial voyages he has made, but merely to cursorily notice the ascensions made from this city and from a few neighboring places where the ascension was of interest to our citizens.

The first ascension ever attempted by Prof. Wise was from Philadelphia, May 2d, 1835. Having started with an insufficiency of gas, his balloon went up slowly, grazed the roof of a house and descended in a vacant lot about four hundred yards from the starting point. Here more gas was forced into the bag and a fine ascension was made, the aeronaut attaining a height of a mile and a half, and landing safely at Haddonfield, N.J., nine miles from Philadelphia. 

Prof. Wise's second attempt, from the same point in Philadelphia, was a failure, owing to the burning of the balloon by some sulphuric acid being spilled upon it.

His third ascension was from Lebanon, Pa., and was a most interesting one, the balloon having partly exploded when over Womelsdorf, but notwithstanding the accident, the aeronaut threw overboard his ballast and continued his flight to within four miles of Reading.

The first ascension made in this city by Prof. Wise took place from the corner of East King and Ann streets, on the 1st of October, 1835. The day was clear with a wind blowing from the northwest. The balloon, a heavy muslin one, was inflated, the aeronaut took a seat in the basket, and the word was given to "let her go." The gale that was blowing dashed the balloon against the side of the enclosure; the basket caught the eaves of an adjoining house, the cords connecting it with the balloon were broken and Mr. Wise was spilled out on top of the roof. The balloon continued its flight to a great height, and was finally picked up near Bordentown, N.J.

Prof. Wise's next ascension from Lancaster was made May 7th, 1836, in the fine new silk balloon "Meteor." The ascension was a very fine one, the aeronaut landing near Port Deposit, Md. After landing safely, after dark, the balloon was exploded and destroyed by some one who came too close to it with a lighted candle. Prof. Wise and several others were terribly burned by the ignited gas.

On the 5th of August, 1840, the Professor made an ascent from the yard of the old Lancaster County Prison, corner of West King and Prince streets, and landed near Millerville [[Millersville]], only a mile and a half from the starting point, being prevented from going further by the accidental breaking of the valve-spring.

On the last Saturday of August, 1842, Mr. Wise made a fine ascension from York, and [[striking]] an easterly current, sailed over Marietta and Lancaster, and landed on [[a barn]]. Hiester's farm, near New Holland. [[Then]]the 20th of August, 1853, he made another ascension from York, and passed [[over]] almost the same course.

[[On]] the third Saturday, of May, 1843, Prof. Wise made an ascent from Carlisle, which [[?]] remarkable for the circumstance [[?]] he ascended, he promised [[to avoid]] [[disaster]], and did land with one hundred yards of our city limits. His balloon was towed into town, and after the aeronaut had divested himself of surplus clothing and basket, he made another ascension from the north side of the old Court House in Centre Square; and after remaining up an hour landed in the vacant space in rear of Moderwell's warehouse, after which the balloon was towed to the residence of Mr. Wise, East King and Ann streets, and there emptied of its remaining gas.

In June, 1843, Prof. Wise published in the Lancaster Intelligencer a proclamation announcing his intention to make a balloon voyage across the Atlantic ocean but want of pecuniary means prevented the accomplishment of the grand undertaking. In December of the same year he petitioned Congress for aid to build a great aerostat for the same purpose, but a deaf ear was turned to all his appeals.

On the 22nd of October, 1846, during the Mexican was, Prof. Wise writing from Lancaster, proposed to take the castle of Vera Cruz, by balloon batteries, moored above the city, and on the 10th of December, following, addressed a letter on the same subject to Secretary Marcy, but nothing was done by the War Department to test the feasibility of the project.

On June 7, 1847, Prof. Wise made another ascension from Centre Square, Lancaster, and a great number of ascensions from other places at later dates.

During the summer of 1849 a balloon joint stock company was formed by Prof. Wise and other gentlemen of the city. A large and elegant silk balloon was constructed, and a number of topical ascensions made from a then vacant lot at the corner of Orange and Lime streets. The balloon had immense lifting capacity, and the car in which the passengers were taken up comfortably seated six or eight persons. Several hundred of our citizens availed themselves of the opportunity of making ascensions to a height of 1,000 feet. The competition for seats became so great that the premium of them increased rapidly from $2 to $10, and for a few days the enterprise proved a great success; but finally just before the grand clear ascension was to have been made by Prof. Wise and family, a great storm arose and the balloon was dashed to the earth and exploded. It was afterwards repaired, more topical ascensions were made and finally Prof. Wise, his wife, son Charles and a niece, made a grand clear ascension attaining a great height and landing safely not far below Witmer's Bridge, in what was generally called Hell-street-lane.

Charles E. Wise's first ascension, alone, was made from Shannondale Springs, Va., on the 3d of September, 1853, when he was about 17 years old. He landed safely near Williamsport, Md., about twenty-five miles from the place of starting. He had before that made several ascensions in company with his father.

On the 18th of September, 1869, Charles E. Wise and wife made a very beautiful ascension from Centre Square, this city, in the balloon "Jupiter," and landed on the farm of Hoffman Hershey, nine miles northwest of this city.

On the 6th of September, 1873, Mr. J.M. Shearer, an aeronaut of considerable experience made an ascension from Centre Square, and landed near Lincoln University, Chester county.

On last Whit-Monday, Mr. Shearer made a second ascension from this city, filling his balloon at the corner of Duke and Frederick streets, and towing it to the Lancaster Park, from where the ascension was made. He descended near Kinzer's station.

The Wises, father and son, have made hundreds of other ascensions from various places in the United States and the Canadas, and have always navigated their air ships with consummate skill, avoiding accidents in perilous places, that would almost certainly have ensued had they been less proficient in the science of ballooning.

From the voyage which is to be made tomorrow, from Centre Square, by Prof. Charles E. Wise, Master John Wise and J. M. Johnston, of the Intelligencer, good results may be anticipated, as the aeronauts will carryto the upper regions all the instruments necessary for making correct observations. These instruments will consist of a thermometer, barometer, chronometer, compass, and opera, field and marine glasses, together with some of the most valuable and reliable carrier pigeons in the country. The course of the balloon will necessarily somewhat depend on the state of the weather and the direction of the local wind currents, but should the weather prove propitious, it is intended that the balloon shall reach the great "eastern current," in which case the voyage may be lengthened to a very considerable distance. Full particulars of the trip, written especially for the Intelligencer, will be published as soon as received.

At an early hour in the day the streets were thronged with crowds of country people, attracted to the city to witness the somewhat unusual spectacle. Miniature balloons were being sent skyward almost constantly, and numerous and conflicting were the predictions as to how soon, how high, and how far the balloon will go, and what will become of its occupants. Hundreds expressed a desire to go along, and other hundreds said they wouldn't go for the whole town. Some looked upon the voyage as a most tempting one, and others shook their heads and said "its tempting Providence." No matter what may be the result of the trip we will be sure to see.

"The would-be-wise ones shake themselves, And say - I told you so!"

In the train of cars which arrived from Philadelphia on Tuesday at 11:30, came Mr. C. Eitner, formerly of this city, who brought with him for the use of the aeronauts several scientific instruments belonging to the Franklin Institution, of Philadelphia, and made by Mr. J.W. Queen, the celebrated instrument maker of that city.

Mr. Eitner brought with him also four fine carrier-pigeons, two of them belonging to Mr. F. Woods, 1102 Taney street, and two to Mr. Grist, the noted bird fancier. All these birds have, like Othello, "seen some service," and one of them, a beautiful black Eelgian named "Telegraph," belonging to Mr. Woods, has perhaps made more balloon voyages than any other bird in America.

Mr. Harry Howell also tendered the aeronauts the use of two fine carriers.

THE PROCESS OF INFLATION.

At 11 o'clock in the morning, the balloon was brought down to the Square from the place where it had been stored, and under the efficient direction of Mr. Hugh Corcoran, an attachment was made with the gas main, on West King street, in front of Kremer's restaurant and the work of inflation commenced. A circle of spectators was soon formed, and as the visiting firemen paraded through the Square at this hour, headed by their fine band, there was considerable enthusiasm over these preliminaries to the great event of the day. As the gas was let [[?]] to the balloon its sides began to swell and crawl along the ground until, in the course of a half hour, it had risen to the height of ten feet, and everything seemed to be progressing finely. By twelve o'clock it had risen to the height of about thirty feet, and was so well filled with gas as to be quite steady, and resist the effect of the very slight breeze which gently swayed the

Transcription Notes:
Millersville, PA is the correct spelling. The Lanc. Co. Prison = corner of King and Prince Sts. Marietta is between York and Lancaster, PA.