September 1999
DaredevilBalloonist-W.H.
Donaldson, 1840-1875
By the nineteenth century showmen had quickly adapted the
new invention for flying, the balloon, to their own use. Roll into
town, place advertisements, draw acrowd, chargemoney, and
make a flight. Some people are born to be showmen, Washington
Harrison Donaldson was certainly one of these master showmen.
He spenthislife willingtoperformamazingfeats, if someone
would pay him.
Throughout the country in 1872, Professor Donaldson—the
“crazy balloonatic”… had frightened hundreds of thousands of
citizens half out of
their wits with his
dar ing a nti cs …
His disregard for
danger made him
the most noted and
sought after aero-
naut of the period.
Jam esW.
Raab, in a second
careerascircu s
bo ok in ga gen t
learn edof
Donaldson’slife,
hasres earch ed
andb rou gh tt o
printoneofthe
mostinterestin g
stories ofthe great
balloonistshow-
men.
Do n a ld s o n
made hisfirstas-
censionin1871.
Hefoundtheexperienceso“glorious”thathesaidhewould
abandonthetightropeforever.Forhissecondascenthean-
nouncedthat he would goaloftwithouta basket, only a trapeze
bar. So begananillustrious, but short aeronautical career.
Donaldsonlike othersofthedayalsocaughtthe Atlantic
fever.Hisflightattemptlastedonlythreehourslandingin
Connecticut. Another of his exploitsof showmanshipincluded
performing an aerial wedding before 50,000 spectators. He made
atleast139ascensions,some ofwhichincludedcarryingper-
sonal mail and dropping newspapers and public advertisements.
- Calendar
Balloonistsgenerallylovetosurroundthemselveswith
pictures,kickknacksandothercolorfuliconsofthesport. The
balloon calendar is certainly one such icon that hangs proudly in
homes and offices across the land,andRonBehrmann’s calen-
darsare some of the best around.
Ron Behrmann, balloon pilot and photographer, is present-
ingaspecial14monthcalendarfor2000/2001.Thecalendar
measures eight and half inches by eleven inchesand opens with
the photographs at the top and a calendar with generous boxes to
write in important reminders.
Thecalendarisavailablefor$8.95postpaidfromRon
BehrmannPhotography,8405MonitorDrNE,Albuquerque,
NM 87109,phone 505-821-8537, oremail: rbblnphoto@aol.com.
His final flight, with Newton Grimwood, on July15, 1875
was an attempt to cross Lake Michigan. His balloon,P T Barnum,
wasof questionable airworthiness. Bothaeronautsdisappeared
over the lake.
Raab’sbooktellsafascinatingtalefromanerawhen
showmen balloonists were at their zenith. The 175page book is
illustratedwithbroadsideandnewspaperclippingsfromthe
period. Anexcellent bookthat youwill enjoyreading.
Available from Sunflower University Press, PO Box 1009,
Manhattan,KS66505-1009.$17.95softcover,$27.95hard
cov er.Orderscallt ol lfree1-8 00 -2 5 8-1 23 2,Int ern et
www.sunflower-univ-press.org.
