A Lady in the Clouds - Minda Williams - 1873

A Lady in the Clouds

Minda Williams Takes a Balloon Ride

Chenango Union, July 24, 1873

Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY] has a lady balloonist who made an ascension at Hamilton [Madison Co., NY] on the Fourth concerning which the Hamilton Republican speaks as follows:

 

"During the day Dr. Mann of Sherburne had been inflating his mammoth balloon "Chenango," at the foot of the Park.  At four o'clock its graceful proportions had become sufficiently rotund, and it was then announced that the Dr. would not make the ascension himself, but would send off a pupil of his, Miss Minda Williams.  Miss Williams had never made an ascension before, but we must say that we never saw a lady take such a trying position with such perfect composure and determined bravery. She took her position in the car, holding in her hand the stars and stripes, which she waved to the vast audience as she quietly and slowly receded form them, her face beaming with smiles and she as undaunted as if setting out on the most common undertaking.  The balloon started at about 20 minutes past four o'clock taking a southeasterly direction, and rising very gradually until evidently about a mile high and some two miles drifted farther eastward.  Then quite suddenly rising, as a quantity of ballast had been thrown out, the air vessel shot up through a light cloud the brave little lady still waving her flag and soon put a curtain impenetrable to the human eye, between herself and us.  Then apparently determined to return to terra firma, the daring aeronaut again appeared through a rift in the cloud, slowly descending, her flag still waving, the whole forming a spectacle of sublime grandeur.

 

Miss Williams landed safely after a voyage of from 20 to 25 minutes near what is known as Dowell's Corners, some three miles or more from this place, and was conveyed to Poolville, whence she took passage on the D.L.&W. Railroad for her home in Sherburne.  For a fine accession, the feat of Miss Williams, although she did not remain up a great length of time, or go a great distance was a most successful one.  Everyone who witnessed the ascension pronounced it the finest one they ever saw.":