Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 21

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 856

USA > Missouri > Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I > Part 21

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Ball, Howard HI., dentist, was born in Pana, Illinois, December 10, 1865, son of Howard J. and Helen (Besier) Ball. Howard J. Ball was a physician of repute, who prac- ticed his profession in Pana until his decease, in 1892. Mrs. Ball still resides in Pana. From the age of six to twelve years Dr. Ball attended the public schools of his native town, and then completed a college course. He engaged in the practice of dentistry in his native town when but sixteen years of age. After some years of successful practice there he deter- mined to travel extensively abroad. This he did, "circling" the entire globe. Returning to his native land, Dr. Ball located in Joplin, Mis- souri, in 1895. where he has since been located, and where he has built up an extensive and lucrative practice. In politics he was formerly a Democrat, but lately has cast his vote and

influence with the Republican party, its prin- ciples being more in accordance with his views on the questions of the day. Ile is a member of the order of Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1891 he was married to Miss Carrie Jefferson, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, daughter of D. C. and Rhoda (Martin) Jefferson. They have one son, How- ard Jefferson Ball, born November 18, 1896.

Ballingal, George Fielder, lawyer and legislator, was born at Blue Lick Springs, Nicholas County, Kentucky. His father was Neal Ballingal, of Scotch-Irish origin. His mother was Louisa Fielder. Both his father and mother were natives of Kentucky. George F. Ballingal attended private schools and en- tered the Ohio University in 1859. After spending two years in that institution he went to Indiana University, where he spent the years 1861 and 1862. From there he returned to Louisville, and was graduated from the Louisville Law School in 1866. In 1869 he went to Kansas City and entered upon the practice of law, and has closely applied himself to his chosen profession ever since. He has had a wide and profitable practice in the va- rious courts, State and Federal, his practice in land cases being especially large. In 1876 he was elected a State Senator, and was a promi- nent factor in promoting peace among the dis- cordant political elements. He was one of the committee who revised the laws of the State to make them conform to the new State Con- stitution, and he served as chairman of the Democratic congressional committee of the Fifth District of Missouri from 1880 to 1894, during which time he labored to harmonize the discord that then existed in the Democratic party in that district. A Democrat in political faith, progressive in his ideas and in the in- terest of his party, he participated earnestly in the movement by which George G. Vest was first elected to the United States Senate, and in making the nominating speech in support of his candidacy he entreated his party to elini- inate from its contentions the rancor engen- dered by the late Civil War, and face the living issues instrumental in the betterment of State and party. He was largely instrumental in having Democratic control established in the Fifth Congressional District, and through his management made Democracy more efficient and controlling. January 6, 1879, he was mar-

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ried to Miss Bettie Allen Buckner, of St. Louis. A son and two daughters have blessed their marriage.

Balltown .- See "Little Osage."

Ballwin .- A place of about 200 inhabi- tants on the Manchester Road, twenty-two miles west of St. Louis. It takes its name from John Ball, who, in 1804, settled the farm upon which the town was subsequently laid out. It is in the midst of a beautiful agricul- tural region, with thriving, well tilled farms all around it.

Balloons .- Inventive genius has been exercised in recent years to a greater extent than ever before toward developing contriv- ances to navigate the air. Results so far, how- ever, can not be said to have repaid the efforts thus expended. In the field of science more has been learned, perhaps, by the use of cap- tive balloons and self-registering instruments, and more in the line of observation of military movements, than with balloons afloat. With favoring breezes, balloons have been employed to carry the life line from shore to a wrecked vessel. But there has been no material ad- vancement with regard to the ascensive or propelling power, control and guidance of vessels in the air. There is, indeed. no au- thentic information leading to the belief that any successful, maintained attempt has been made to steer this kind of craft, much less to take a course contrary to the wind. An air ship of our day, therefore, like a balloon in the days of Montgolfier, is the toy of the winds, which, as Wordsworth says, "keep no certain intervals of rest," but blow when as well as where they list. The use of coal gas instead of hot air is available to lift balloons and keep them afloat, but, as the quality of levity is essential, no substitute is found in their con- struction for silk or other textile fabrics, which must be made as impervious as pos- sible to prevent leakage. The necessary frailness of aerial machines, together with their unwieldiness when preparing for the flight, and the uncertainties of descent, give to aeronautics nearly all their dread and danger. Few accidents have happened to balloons afloat, such as ripping of scams, upsetting, etc. Of course, there must be an entire absence of fire, lest escaping gas ignite and set the bal- loon ablaze. A sudden escape of all the gas would not necessarily involve to the aeronaut

a fatal fall, for in most cases the fabric would fill out and form an umbrella-like resistance to the law of gravitation. Hence the para- chute, with which premeditated descents have been made from great heights. Unfortu- nately, the use of this contrivance by daring but inexperienced persons for exhibition pur- poses have filled the annals of aerial trespass, so to speak, with sickening casualties.

From Carr Place in St. Louis, 1857-8, Mons. Godard, a French aeronaut, gave a number of ascensions with his wife and son, the boy using a parachute to come down with, while his father or mother pursued the journey without him. On one occasion a pony was taken up, attached to the balloon. Mons. Godard never had an accident, and no great distances were ever traveled by him. At a later date S. M. Brooks, connected with the St. Louis Museum, and a Mr. Stout, made several successful ascensions with small but well made balloons, and invariably effected safe landings, though not at remarkable dis- tances from the place of departure. A notable balloon voyage was made from St. Louis, July 1, 1859, indeed by far the longest of which there is a record anywhere in the world. Mr. A. O. Gager, then of Bennington, Ver- mont, but afterward a member of the firm of Haviland & Co., in the queensware busi- ness, was the promoter of the enterprise. His design was to test the correctness of a theory that at some definite distance above ground there is a constant air current blowing from the West to the East, produced by the earth in its daily revolutions. He associated with him John Lamountain, with whom he had made one ascension at Troy, New York, and who at that time had acquired a name for building balloons of extraordinary staying qualities. Later Professor John Wise, who had made over one hundred ascents, was in- vited to aid the project with his advice and to accompany Gager and Lamountain on their experimental trip. St. Louis was selected as the departing point. The balloon, made of stout Chinese silk, varnished thoroughly and enveloped in a network of fine cordage, was brought to the city and preparations were at once begun for the voyage. William Hyde, a newspaper reporter, secured the privilege of going as historian. The ascent was made from near the southeast corner of Washington Square-on the spot where President Mc- Kinley was, in 1896, nominated for President

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-at 7:20 o'clock in the evening, in the pres- ence of a great crowd. The surrounding streets were filled with people and every available point of observation in the city was occupied. The monster airship, named the "Atlantic," rose majestically, the earth seem- ing to the occupants to sink beneath them, they experiencing no sense of motion. Dur- ing the night. an altitude was attained of nearly two miles, as indicated by the instru- ments, and in the morning a film of ice was on the water in the buckets. Lamountain, having overworked himself during the day, was un- able to withstand the cold and the difficulty of breathing in the rarity of the atmosphere. He was bleeding from the nose and ears, when a quantity of gas was allowed to escape and a lower stratum reached, which was more comfortable. The sun in the evening had set in full-orbed grandeur, and at night the stars shone brilliantly through the thin lace of white vapors that could scarcely be called clouds. At sunrise on the morning of the 2d, an immense sheet of water presented itself to the wondering voyagers. It proved to be Lake Erie. Over almost the entire length of this lake the balloon rode the wind at varying heights. But it was found that there had been a considerable expenditure of carrying power and corresponding loss of ballast, or sand. At noon banks of angry-looking clouds were in the sky, and the balloonists realized that they were traveling very fast, for from out of the universe of silence came the roar of Niagara. The great cataract, almost directly over which the "Atlantic" sailed, seemed to her crew far too insignificant at their view point to produce so great a noise. In fact, to this incessant thundering was added the wrackage of a windstorm which was raging below. In a flash came the thought simul- taneously to the now much interested quartet that there was mischief ahead. More bal- last was thrown overboard, and away above the waters of Lake Ontario soared the queen of the upper deep. At length, her tendency was decidedly to come down. Bags of sand were quickly emptied in the vain attempt to keep the vessel above the waves, which were flinging up their white caps madly and mak- ing troughs ten or fifteen feet deep. La- mountain stayed in the boat, while Gager and Hyde clambered, hand over hand, into the wicker basket with Wise. The boat, a frail sassafras concern, enveloped in stout canvas,

was swung several feet below the basket, but was useless in such an emergency. La- mountain wanted to cut it loose, and a hurried. friendly discussion arose as to whether this was best. Then the boat struck the crest of a high wave and the balloon instantly bounded into the air. Meanwhile everything that could be spared that had even an ounce of weight was pitched out, including extra cloth- ing and all the paraphernalia of the trip. Three times the little boat struck, crushing in its timbers, and each time the silken globe righted and skimmed like a gull the tops of the frantic waves. At last the shore of Sackett's Harbor was descried. But a new peril was ahead.

"Chance sends the breeze. But if the pilot slumber at the helm. The very wind that wafts us toward the port May dash us on the shelves."

The grapnel, with a considerable length of rope, which Lamountain had refused to put overboard as ballast, was thrown out. It snapped like a pipe stem and the rope stood out almost horizontally, such was the rate of speed. All hands now tugged at the valve rope to let out the gas, but the valve, which had been frozen in tight, failed to work at first. On went the balloon, dragging its de- pendencies over the treetops, the boat and basket, hitched to a steel concentric ring, crashing through the limbs and swaying to and fro with fearful force. By hanging on to the concentric ring, the voyagers kept themselves from being spilled to the ground. At length, when about three miles from the lake shore, after plunging about in the forest in this dash- ing and crashing manner, the boat became fastened in the fork of a tree, pulling the great gas bag down sufficiently to be punctured and torn, and all was over. The agitated but thankful explorers, all unhurt but Lamoun- tain, whose body was slightly contused, clambered down by the aid of the collapsed meshes and found themselves at the edge of the village of Henderson, Jefferson County, New York; time, 2:30 p. m., 19 hours 10 minutes from St. Louis. By the closest con- nections, the distance by rail is 992 miles ; time schedule, 39 hours 50 minutes. The distance traveled by the "Atlantic," allowing for changes of current, is estimated at 900 miles, making the average nearly 47 miles per hour from start to finish. Lamountain, in Septem- ber following, made an ascension from Water- town, New York, landing in the Bosketong

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wilderness of Canada. He was accompanied by John A. Haddock. a newspaper man of Watertown. They were lost for thirteen days in the forest. Lamountain died in Lansing- burg, New York, a few days later. Gager also is deceased. Professor Wise moved to Missouri some time in the seventies and settled with his son and daughter, both aeronauts, in Pike County, where he made numerous short excursions, at one time landing near St. Louis. In the autumn of 1879 he advertised a "grand nocturnal excursion" from that city, propos- ing to remain up all night for the purpose of taking observations of the upper air currents. The ascension was made from Lindell Park at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of September 28th, with a balloon named "Pathfinder," Professor Wise being accompanied by George Burr. Burr was a spirited young man, of bright promise, a favorite in St. Louis society, teller of the St. Louis National Bank, and a younger brother of William E. Burr, president of that institution. The balloon had a lifting capacity of about twenty-five thousand cubic feet of gas, but was a patched-up concern, and was not provided with sufficient ballast or tackle, the arrangements being scanty and in- complete for an extended trip. At the start it barely escaped striking the branches of a large tree, but rose handsomely to a height of one thousand feet, passing over the Fair Grounds, and then, ascending to an upper current, steered eastward. At 6:30 o'clock it was seen over Bunker Hill, Illinois, and at II o'clock at Miller's Station, Indiana, three hundred miles from St. Louis, at the edge of Lake Michigan. No tidings ever came afterward from the voyagers. Burr's body, divested of coat and boots, which were doubtless cast from the balloon as bal- last, was washed ashore and discovered by a fisherman, October 23d, half covered with sand. He was identified by the initials on his enff buttons and marks on his undercloth- ing, the features being almost unrecognizable. Wise was never found, and his fate has re- mained a mystery from that day to this. The case was almost exactly similar to that of Professor Donaldson and a newspaper re- porter named Grimwood, who in 1875 as- cended from Chicago. Grimwood's corpse was washed ashore on the same lake, but the aeronaut was never heard of. Young Burr's remains were brought to St. Louis and buried October 28, 1879.

What promised to be a record-breaking balloon voyage was attempted from Sports- man's Park, St. Louis, Friday, June 17, 1887, by the "World and Post-Dispatch" balloon. This balloon was constructed by a ready- witted young New England aeronaut named Alfred E. Moore. It was 180 feet in circum- ference, stood, with basket attachment, 125 feet from the ground, and had a capacity of 160,000 cubic feet of coal gas, with a lifting capacity of 4,300 pounds. The party con- sisted, besides the aeronaut and his assistant, J. B. Tallmadge, of Professor H. A. Hazen, detailed by the chief signal officer at Washing- ton ; a photographer named Doughty, and Mr. Edward Durfee, historian. The preparations were in charge of Professor S. M. Brooks. The "Post-Dispatch," in its issue of June 10th, said: "The enterprise is undertaken to break the record of balloon voyages and to demon- strate the existence of an eastern current in the upper atmosphere. A trip of five hundred miles to the south would not accomplish the results sought for ; a journey into the north- west of several hundred miles would be use- less." A wait of a week was made for favor- able weather, and on the 17th the "Post-Dis- patch" announced everything in readiness for departure at 4 o'clock that afternoon. The filling and other preparations were wit- nessed by thousands of people, and the ascent was made nearly on time, amidst thunderous applause. The next day the "Post-Dispatch" contained a telegram from Mr. Durfee, dated at Centralia, Illinois, announcing that the balloon had landed on the farm of August Palm, at the edge of the town of Hoffman, Clinton County, distant about fifty-five miles from St. Louis, at about dusk. It was claimed that an altitude of sixteen thousand feet was reached and maintained for fifteen minutes, when suddenly the airship began falling rapidly, and was prevented from a precipitate descent to the ground only by the quick dis- charge of all the sand ballast. The cause given of the extraordinary loss of ascensive power was some injury to the balloon while it was being inflated.

WILLIAM HYDE.

Balmer, Charles, professor of music, composer and artist, was born in Muehlhausen, Province of Thueringen, Germany, September 21, 1817, and died in St. Louis, December 15, 1892. He was the eldest son of Gottfried and

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Eva (Heyse) Balmer, and his father was a gentleman of means and culture, whose home- stead was in the suburbs of Muehlhausen. When the son was six years of age he showed such remarkable talent for music that his father concluded to begin his systematic edu- cation by sending him to the conservatory at Goettingen. The director of the conservatory at first refused to take so young a pupil, but after witnessing his accomplishments con- sented to take him into his own family and give him the benefit of special instruction. Under this tutorage he learned to play on the piano, organ, clarionet and violin-the last- named being his favorite instrument-making such rapid progress that at nine years of age he received a prize medal from Louis Spohr for playing one of that great maestro's com- positions in concert. At ten years of age he began playing first violin in the orchestra at the conservatory, and two years later an epi- sode occurred in this connection, which he re- membered to the end of his life. He was playing in the orchestra when Kullack, the noted composer and pianist, came to Goet- tingen to give a concert. The orchestra was engaged to accompany him in the production of one of his own compositions, and the pre- liminary rehearsal passed off satisfactorily. At the public performance, however, the pian- ist had the misfortune to lose his place, and a clash between the piano and the orchestra was imminent, when the young Balmer, who was at the head of the violins, but who was a good pianist as well, shot a quick glance at the piano music, and, pointing with his bow to the place, prevented the threatened fiasco, no one but the leader of the orchestra noticing the act. While he had saved the pianist from humiliation, he had committed a breach of discipline, for which he was called to account and punished by the leader after the perform- ance ; but the punishment was deprived of its sting by Kullack, who embraced the little fellow and presented him with a fine gold- piece as a token of his appreciation of the service rendered him. Years of close study and hard work followed this event, and when he was sixteen years old he was made assist- ant conductor of the orchestra. In 1836 his father immigrated to the United States with his family, and upon their arrival in this country they came at once to St. Louis. There they purchased a large lot on the old Bellefontaine Road and established a beauti-

ful homestead, which continued to be the fam- ily residence until the death of Mrs. Balmer, in 1875-her husband having passed away in 1846. When they moved into their new home it was isolated in its situation on the prairie ; now the grounds then connected with it are a part of the city, and the gardens, rustic bridges, artificial lakes and other attractions of the place have been blotted out of ex- istence by the growth of the metropolis. Charles Bahiner did not come at once to St. Louis, but stopped first for a time with friends at New Orleans, who wished him to utilize his musical knowledge in that city. Later he visited Mobile, Alabama, and Au- gusta, Georgia, and spent two years in those cities. In 1838 he was called to New Orleans to assist Madame Caradori-Allen, a celebrated vocalist, as violin and piano artist, and traveled with her through the States, visiting all of the principal cities of the country. On this con- cert tour he came to St. Louis, and there vis- ited his family, for the first time since he had parted with them inmediately after their ar- rival in this country. He came to St. Louis at a time when various charitable institutions and other public buildings were being erected, and, to add to the funds needed to forward some of these enterprises, he was solicited to remain there and arrange a series of benefit concerts. He consented to do this, and thus became identified with the musical history of St. Louis, of which he was thereafter so large a part. He engaged in teaching, gave con- certs, organized choruses and quartettes, and soon created an orchestra, to which the first citizens of St. Louis were proud to be ad- mitted as members and patrons. The ro- mance of his life may be said to have begun in this connection. In order to produce great works like Haydn's "Creation," Newton's "Saul and David," Handel's "Messiah," and

other oratorios, he summoned to his assist- ance Miss Therese Weber, to sing the so- prano parts at these concerts. Miss Weber was also an accomplished pianist, and there was a little rivalry between them from time to time, Mr. Balmer playing the accompani- ments to Miss Weber's vocal solos, and she the accompaniments to his violin solos. Each of them had their ardent admirers and cham- pions, and it was finally proposed that their respective merits should be put to the test of a piano duet on two pianos. This is said to have been the first piano duo ever played in

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BALTIMORE & OHIO SOUTHWESTERN RAILROAD.

St. Louis, and to have been played on the only two grand pianos then in existence in the city. The concerts given under Professor Balmer's direction contributed to the advance- ment of various church, charitable and other enterprises, and Christ Church, the Second Presbyterian Church, the Orphan Asylum and the Mercantile Library were each his debtors in that connection. In 1840-May Ist-Christ Church was dedicated, and a fine musical programme was rendered on that oc- casion. Miss Weber sang two of the solos on the programme, and sang for the last time, that night, as Miss Weber. It was after the concert that Professor Balmer proposed to her, and in July following they were married. In 1846 he purchased the business of Shco- pard & Phillipps, and, associating with him his brother-in-law, Henry Weber, founded the music emporium which, at the end of more than half a century, is still in existence, and is still conducted by the Balmer & Weber Music Company. Thereafter, as before, he con- tinued to be a conspicuous figure in the con- duct of charity concerts, and in all the musical functions of the city. Foreign artists who came to the city called on him for advice and assistance, and many of the most famous were, from time to time, his guests. Henry Vieux- temps enjoyed his hospitality in 1843, and Ole Bull was a visitor at this home in 1844. On the occasion of Ole Bull's visit to the city Professor Balmer played his accompaniments on the piano, and, being obliged to transpose one of his compositions, did it so well that the great violinist presented him with a handsome ruby ring, and embraced him affectionately in token of his appreciation of the service. This ring, a cherished memento of the greatest vio- linist of his day, is now in possession of Pro- fessor Balmer's daughter, Mrs. Therese Bal- mer Smith. In 1845 Professor Balmer organ- ized the first male chorus in St. Louis, and in 1846 the Oratorio Society, of which he be- came conductor. The same year, in company with Leopold de Meier, and later with other notable musical artists, he gave memorable performances in St. Louis. When President Lincoln was buried at Springfield, Illinois, in 1805, he was called upon to conduct the music at his funeral, and the baton used on that oc- casion is still cherished by the family as an interesting relie of a memorable occasion. For forty-six years he held the position of organist at Christ Church, and during all that

time he was one of the most devoted and helpful friends of the church. His business partner retired from the firm in 1851, but Pro- fessor Balmer retained the old firm name in honor of his former partner, his wife and

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Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 21

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n Publication date: 1901 Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors Number of Pages: 856

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 856