Landing of a Balloon in Haycock.

4/1/1873                     Intelligencer

  Landing of a Balloon in Haycock.—Quite a sensation was created in Haycock on Monday afternoon of last week by the landing of a balloon in that neighborhood.  Its first appearance was witnessed by a number of people when at a great height, and so small as scarcely to attract notice.  Some supposed it to be a kite, and others thought it merely a paper balloon that some boys had sent up into the air.  No one, at the dizzy height at which it was first seen, had any thought that it contained a human being.  The apparently small object gradually grew larger as it descended, and finally landed on the farm of Gideon Wells, a short distance from Applebachsville.  It was then found to be a large balloon, about twenty-five feet in diameter, and occupied by Prof. Donaldson, the aeronaut, who that afternoon had made an ascent from Reading in the presence of a large crowd of spectators.  He started from that place at a quarter before three o’clock and landed at twenty minutes past four, making the trip in an hour and thirty-five minutes.  The distance traveled was between fifty and sixty miles.  His height above the earth during his voyage varied from 3,000 to 11,000 feet.  After leaving Reading he lost sight of the earth, on account of the clouds in the midst of which he was sailing obscuring his view.  He occasionally caught a glimpse of the sun shining through the clouds, and could hear the water running in the creeks and the sound of the steam whistles and the cars running on the railroad.  Just before 4 o’clock it commenced raining and finally turned to hail, and the thermometer sunk to 20.  He then caught sight of the earth, and seeing the country was clear and a village near by, he began to descend.  In approaching the ground he dropped his anchor, which caused the balloon to remain about seventy-five feet above the earth.  In passing over a school house the anchor caught in the roof, pulling some of the shingles loose and  causing a grand stampede among the children.  A number of people in the neighborhood, attracted by the novel spectacle soon gathered at the place, the anchor was caught and secured and the balloon emptied and packed up.  Prof. Donaldson was then taken to Quakertown, and returned by railroad to Reading.  On the following evening he entertained the citizens of that place with an account of his trip in the Academy of Music.