Editorial comment on this plate:

Our frontispiece this week is a capital example of balloon photography by Mr. W.N. Jennings. A description of how the photograph was made will be found in an article entitled “Snap Shots from the Clouds,” on another page.

And an excerpt from “Snap Shots“:

The frontispiece to this number of The Times was taken while the “Eagle Eyrie” floated over Girard Avenue Bridge, Philadelphia, about one mile from the ground.
Immediately beneath is the rippling Schuylkill, bordered by the Fairmount Waterworks, and the Lemon Hill Observatory. The City Hall is the most prominent mark in the landscape. Beyond this flows the Delaware.
A number of photographs were taken while the balloon chased its shadow across the tops of Jersey pines. After a delightful trip of about twelve miles a safe landing was made near Mount Holly, N.J.    -W.N. Jennings.

William N. Jennings was a member of The Photographic Society of Philadelphia and was elected a member of their board of directors at the November 8th, 1893 meeting because of the death of George M. Taylor.