The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-01-24
1000 Feet Do,CmtCard.
THE TERRIBLE FALL OF a BALLoONIsT N
AN ARKANSAS TOWN.

The JonesborO ARK Tiaes Of the 10th
lust. tells the following blood curdliug
stoiy:
About two weeks ago two men-Henry Dirk
and W tliis Cowct-cume TO our town u0d pro-
posed the bulidinE OF IA balloon anG making an
ASCENSION, provided our community would raise
thirty five dollars Tor that purpUsr, and Mr..
Ben wood went in work 10 raise the necessary
funds and the men began the constr uctiou 81
the auliuou, and Saturday. the 2Sth u IT,. was the
time hNed Tor the ascension. The two men
worked day and night on The balloon and sat
urday morning u was painted and the process
of Initiating u commenced. Although the weat III
cr was very cold and snow on the ground, tie
people from the country began 10 come in ear
ly. ON hOrspb back. on foot ana in wagons. and
10y noon perhaps the largest crowd ever assem-
blod in JOn- sHurO was found lowering around
the fires ir the public houses and standing
around the spot where the men were preparing
the balloon. The prt.paratf1us seemed To- Ir,7
grcss slowly, and the crUwc. cold, hungry aud
impatient, clamured aud waited until nearly ,
balloon, swHyiHg and Juggling at the ropes.
be frce ana the words lei her 90 - \, r, 5r
surge, with Mr. Dirk CIinViug by his hands TO
the traocze, but some twenty .eet below rhe
balloon. Sweeping slightly north and west the
huge monster sped rapidly upward through the
chilli air unJil u attained height of perhaps
miugie with the murky clouds that hung low
and heavy around IT,. when some one hundred
tar, but failed, and when about three hundred
feet up, again essaYed to place himself 90 the
u
climbed higher and higher he was still hanging
10y his hands TO the bar. To those who took
Gus, as % was evident he was for some reason
unable to get upon tie tar, ard 10 was exceed
iugly doubtful It he could hold by his hands TO
the c"id iron AT Such an aitItudc In such an air,
and many All anxious eye looked luuUingty for
the balloon 10 commence its descent, but itstiII
GluhK "lih hehdIsu thhaciiN TO ltS Eiddy height.
The suspense now became intOleruble, bur il
was brief. The doomed man, realizing his peril,
now made a las frantic effort 10 gain "a hold
upon the rope above. It iu vain. His fate
td upon me aIstahi diminishing form. hanging
10y 3 frail hold between heaven and Garth
He knew and felt &C., and who can realize the
hofrir OF tbat moment A thousand eyes were
looking long gtngiy, a thousand hear Is were pray
ing silently, hut a million arms could not res
cue MIN lie had passed TIE reach ut human ard
and the limit oi human endurance What
scenes of his past life throuxud through his
brain w nat thoughts OF nome or mother. we
VIII never know. Tine last hopeless cry OF des-
pair was not heard. the i1st startled look Of the
eye gazing into eternity was not SEEN. Alone
aud unaided he must meet his doom. one arm
drops nevertheless, from its grasp, an instant
the ether Iousrns its hold and he fails down.
down. Some gaze at the fearful sight win th,.
helpless iusciuHuun OF horror. strong men who
have braVed death the battle Il III turuagyuv
with hunched faces and sickeued hearts. 4
wall OF woe goes up from tHlnting women, all
else IS stiIi For more than half the distance h p
then he swung over ana dropped rapidly head
foremost toward the earth. his hand sfrsfnb@5
instiuctively forward. and then with "a heavy
mud ne struck the frozen ground and the sick
euiun scpn,. was over. The crowd men ru.tad
the yard OF the west side Of the fence at the
residence OF Mr.. G. ". CuJrrhousp, about two
hundred yards northwest of the point be rose
from. lE falling he passed through the branches
of H small hickory tree and The limbs seemed as
u heWu OF with an axe. and where he struck
the hard frozen earth Ills tOdy made a cavity
some inches -"ep and two feet long. though he
rchOuudcd aud iHy stretched upon his breast.
He had evidently been turned by striking the
tree and fell upon his back and right side, as
The skull was crushed at the back 90 his hestd
His neck, back, both legs and right arm were
terribly broken up, while his left arm and face
seemed uuInIurcd, and when prepared Tor the
grave hls COuUtcnHncc wore n rcmur kabiy calm.
natural. lite like -esSiuu. 10 seppiug WIKI
no app aTauCe OF agony or diScOlDratIpg.
His body was taken in charge 10y Coroner
Wren. who supcrintenCed his burial, and he
WIS conveyed gently ON Monday to his grave.
attended s5y few humane and sympdthiziug
citizens.