annals of historic aerial voyages in a splendid manner. Lighter than air John Wise, the greatest American balloonist of the 19th century, had made several vain attempts to obtain History of Ballooning government backing for a flight across the Atlantic Ocean. He was convinced that the constant in St. Louis and regular west to east currents of air that he had discovered in the atmosphere would carry a balloon About two hours after dawn on the 17th of May, 1836, confidently across to France at a velocity of 20 to 40 St. Louis officially entered the air age. The moment or even 60 miles per hour, according to its height was not particularly auspicious. Spring weather from the earth. Finally, in 1858, he managed to get contributed its usual chilly drizzle and pre-flight the financial help he needed and the Trans-Atlantic advertisements had failed to net more than a meager Balloon Co. was organized with a view to inaugurating paying crowd, but those who gathered at Fourth and trans-Atlantic service for passengers and mail. Wise Market streets were witness to one of the first recorded suggested that the inaugural flight be made from balloon flights to start from the city. Richard Clayton, St. Louis to New York and the company authorized a prominent American balloonist made the ninth the building of the aerostat Atlantic, under Wise’s ascension of his career from the launch enclosure, direction and John La Mountain’s supervision. flying south at an altitude of one and a half miles to The aeronauts were given free use of Washington land some 30 minutes later in a field six miles away. Square at Clark Avenue and 12th Street for a launch Presumably, Clayton packed up and “flew” on to site and preparations were made for the ascension on find fortune in other cities since, as the Missouri Friday afternoon, July 1. The St. Louis Gaslight Co. Republican editorialized later: “Our citizens cannot carefully inflated the balloon using from an expect to have such splendid scenes presented to eight inch pipe. The basket and the attached boat (for them unless those who undertake them are well a possible water landing) were then stocked with the compensated.” provisions and equipment for the trip. Probably, the most significant item was the express pouch, which was Several other pioneer aeronauts launched from the city specifically labeled: in the ensuing years, but in 1859 St. Louis entered the T.B. Marsh, Agent Express Company, No. 82 Broadway, New York. This bag is sent from St. Louis, by the aerial ship Atlantic, July 1st. Please forward to destination from landing of balloon by Express, as above directed C.W. Ford, Agent, St. Louis. Finally, all was ready, the aeronauts were aboard and at 6:40 p.m. July 1, 1859, the Atlantic rose and sailed off to the North-Northeast. Winds blew them too far to the north and they decided to land near Rochester to allow Gager and Hyde to take the mail to New York while Wise and La Mountain flew on to Boston Toll Free 1-877-818-8010 or Portland. They soon found themselves caught www.ActionATM.com in a violent storm over Lake Ontario. Every bit of [email protected] expendable equipment was jettisoned in an attempt to gain altitude. After sweeping over the lake at a speed in excess of 100 miles per hour, they were carried ashore by the wind and into a forest, crashing through the woods for more than a mile before coming to rest. The four aeronauts found themselves, miraculously unhurt, suspended in the wicker basket 20 feet above the ground with the envelope caught in a tree, punctured and deflated. The greatest balloon voyage ever made ended at 2:30 p.m. St. Louis time, in the township of Henderson, New York on July 2, 1859. The Voyage lasted 19 hours Continued on page 54 50 The Great Forest Park Balloon Race • 45th Annual