. W. Wilbur, W. H. Wise, John Wiseman, Frederick J. Wolcott, Charles Wolf, Constance Woodruff, J. C. Wright, Wilbur Young, Pearl Wise, John Subject headings: Balloonists (LHo-LOC sh 85011323) Ballooning (LHo-LOC sh 90002491) Hot air balloons (LHo-LOC sh 85062431) Aeronautics (LHo-LOC sh 85001319

prefer watching balloon ascensions from a distance rather than to pay to visit the launching site. Soon after 1830, a number of aeronauts, often calling themselves "pro- fessors", began building balloons and entertaining the public at ex- travagantly advertized exhibitions. Lancastrians witnessed

exploration of the upper air in the last century. Mr. Wise has left us a book in which he presented detailed descriptions of �his many ascensions up to the year 1850. He also included in the book a creditable history of ballooning, his own notes on the construction of balloons, the art of aeronautics, and its

indicate the flight would not be made. However, Mr. Wise determined to go through with the scheduled demonstration and when the people learned of his decision ("the news spread like wildfire," he said), the crowd began to assemble. Occasional small balloons were released to excite the gathered throngs and