American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-18
Hanging i'm Mid-Air.

tnc lOilOWlnS account OF the pcrllOuS pO-
sition in which Squircs, the aeronaut, was
placed on Dominion day. At five o'clock
p. IN. the aeronaut attempted to ascend
with his balloon, the Atlantic. The
starting point was Court House Square.
The cargo in the basket consisted of three
bags of sand weighing each about fifty
pounds, Il grappling-iron, to which was
attached Il strong rope, and Squircs.
All being in readiness orders were
given to cast off. There was a
hush, and the multitude grew 81
lent the unwieldy Atlantic, be-
ing freed, swayed backward and forward,
and slowly rose from its resting-place to
make another voyage in the ethereal blue.
A steady gale had been blowing all day,
but its strength was not apparent until
the balloon struck the current of air
above the housc-tOpS; this reached, it
swayed with the breeze and swept on at
Il rate of at least fifteen miles an hour. Its
course was directly for the steeple of the
W. NJ. Church The professor at once
perceived the danger, and could have
avoided it by throwing out bag of bal
last, which would have given him suffi-
cient buOyancy to have passed over the
stecple, but unfortunately the square
below was crowded with thousands of
spectators, and Il bag of sand thrown out
would have crushed some person below.
1
titles and the balloon swept upward and
onward but unfortunately not swerving
from its dangerous direction. 1t became
apparent that the balloon would strike
the spire, the watching, anxious, breath
less multitude awaiting the shock with
compressed lips and blanched cheeks.
With tremendous rush the Atlantic
struck the apex of the spire and in an
other instant parted in twain. At the
aeronaut crashed against the spire some
twenty feet below. Seeing, as it were,
instant death before him, Prof. Squires
threw one hand forward to avert as far
as possible the shock, at the same time
allowing his body to sway in the oppo-
site direction. The crash of the collision
sounded over the square, now silent as
the grave. As the balloon collapsed and
the gas escaped it was seen that the net
ting had caught on the point of the spire.
A moment of brcathless suspense.
Squires was not seen to move a muscle.
A whisper ran round-the collision has
killed him, Then a slight movement
and the basket began to slip. 1t was
evident that the netting was giving way.
Women grew white with terror; brave
men trembled. There, at IA height of
eighty feet above the earth, was Il fellow
being hanging by few slender threads,
steeple sheeted with tin, below the cold
stone battlements of the tower, on which
to fall was instant death. A pause, and
the basket had evidently been arrested in
its downward course. SquireS was seen
to grasp the netting; hope rose-hc might
be saved. The moment he struck the
Spire there was il rush for ladders and
ropes. Without number were the plans
suggested to save him from death. But
ala.
ing up the inside of the grim church
tower, determined to save IA human life.
a small window directly below the caves
of the tower opens directly beneath where
the basket was suspended, but unfor
tunately it was very contracted, and it
did not seem possible for Il man by any
means to squeeze through the aperture.
But in Il few seconds IL man thrust his
head through the window and board
was pushed out of the lower portion of
the opening, the end on the inside being
held by men within. Then began strug-
gle; it was apparent that man was en-
dcavoring to crawl through the narrow
hole out upon the board. The clothes
were torn from his person in the attempt,
but inch by inch he gained, and at last
was seated on the board directly below
the bucket The situation was one of
great danger.
Should the netting give way the basket
in its descent would catch the daring man
and hurl him, together with Squires, into
eternity. AT his appearance there was
a cheer that made the welkin ring again.
The main body of the network had
caught on the northern side of the spire,
only two or three small cords having
passed around the other side, and these
when the basket slipped, became slack.
The least motion on the part of Squircs
would have prccipitated him upon the
stone steps below. He spoke to Squires
who requested him to place his shoulder
under the basket; this done Squircs
caught hold of II slight oval projection
of the spire which offered ii slight hold,
and thus helped to support the basket
At this instant Mr.. Stevenson appeared
AT an opening in the spire above SquircS
The opening consists of small trap
door, and was not discovered for some
time. Stevenson came out upon the
spirc, reached down hand, and firmly
grasped the aeronaut and slowly drew
him to place of safety. The suspense
was over and Squires was saved