The Fate Of Donaldson

[From tile Nrw Vori; Daily Grapido:] Having stood besiilc Prof. Donaldsou'h car at the time of his last ascensión, I have been greatly interoeted Bínese to i learn the fato of liim and his companion,' carcl'ully studying every item that has appeared in print regarding them, both1 is to supposed tidinga and theories of their mysterious voyage. lïumors so conflicting and absurd, in many instances, together with the improbable theories advanced, prompt me to 'teil what I witnossed with thousands of others in Chicago, Wednesday and Thursday, Jiily 14 and 15. The iirst ascensión on Wednesday was a short and succeseful trip, four people accompanying the Professor. After about two honrs suspension over fcLe city and lako, they landed within the grounds from whence they startcd, and at no time were thcy out of sight or apparently more than five miles away. The air-ship was then moored for another trip to be made the day following. The preparations for the start on Tliui'sday included tho replenishing of gas which had oscaped diu-ing twenty-four hours. As to the number of feet required there wore mniiy storics, 4,500 ioet being tho low est amount mentioued. If the truth was known it would be found that a greater quantity wan uscd. Two { portera wero to occupy the car with ■ Donaldson, and accordingly took their places, the Professor standing on a wive footing lashed above them. It was found that tho balloon would not rioe, and Lhe representativos of the presa drow lots to determine which should remain. Grirnwood, by tho chances, kept his seat. Tho balloon then roso about fif teen f(!et and returned to the ground, wlien i wood emptied a bag of sand; and this, aided by the rapid distribution by Donaldson of a largo quantity of hand bilis from a Chicago clothing house, sent j them up gradually after the start to an altito.de of about 2,000 feet, from which i there was no visible chango until darüness obsenrod them from view. Tho afternoon had been very warm, and scarcely a breath of air was stirrihg; thia ! made their progresa slow, for as late as ! half-past 7 p. m., two and a half i hours after their departure they wero siill '■ to be sten, and wcre eetjmatea to nivo been fifteen miles away, standing out over tho lake north-northeast, which i rection would requiro a jonrney of more j than one hondrea miles beforo Michigan shores could have been reachcd. Now, then! are no reporta of a chango in tho foree or direction of the wiud until halfpast 11 p. m., when a terrible tempest camè down from tlie northeast. 1 dor and lighlning with vind and rain prevailèa fleroery foï moro man an hour. The balloon was reported to have been sooi) by thé oaptüin of a vessel touching the water and rising again rapidly out of sight. This was about tliirty-iive mués out on tho lako, long before the storm. I ask where eould tlioy havo been v.lion tra veling at tlio rato of siX miles per hour when the storm mot them, and wiiot, if they descended to the water so ; early, would renew the Kfcrength of tlo bulloon ( io foeble it thü start) to riso again and weather the ebpun, which I thoy riTüst have enöouiiteiëd dne or two hours later, r to olevate iteelf above it and be comed bundreds of miles away to the prajrjes or uniuhabited regp reqjolring maiiy hours more? Twojityono days have elapsed oud no tunú kuows their fate; no vestige of the bal' loon bas been diseoyerèd. TOifere ïa to me but uno plausible tBeory of the oase wlien the fací i i aoym are oonsiderod. Had ilu balloori boen stnick by the olectrio iluitl which illlcd the skiea that wilci . she must have surüs n a short time aftel reaohing the water, as v.itliont tho gaa I coimut uuderstaud Jiow iJk or cotton oiled conld float; neither wöuld the netting or basket. The latter might possibly have Boated if detached, as it w;is ooviered with two rubber-piano cover; but tiii:; could not have been done without knivcs and ampie üine, which the occasion wouM hardly have aUowed. Even then suoh a frail oraft oould not long Burvive a storm. I believe al] wen! down together, :nd that Lake Michigan wiÖ vet yield up the bodies of pöor Donaldson and Qrfmwood. Liman H. Low. , ,_ BRiökAii Yotrsa reeeiv Ba blowingup from the Salt Lake Tribune Eor si i through Uu; whole performanoa at tho opera-house with his liat on,