Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-07

Aleghahles'
Fr3a, the Heto York Saa.
A1pENA, w. VA, July Amos Evers,
If this village, returned home yesterday
ofter one of the most exciting adventures
+,a+bas ever fallen to any man IN the
United States, if not in the world. For
the last halt dozen years it has been the
oretom in the summer months for the
hovs and men in this vicinity to amuse
themselves by making huge kites Of stout
oiled paper, and flying them with timex
cnrd. A worthless cur or cat or two
wos usually attached to the tail or
.,b0bs. - and great was the delight OF the
irhabitants when the frightened animal
licked and squirmed as the kite mounted
into the clouds.
II was determined this year that all
nreyious efforts in kite making should be
nurd0ne, and three weeks ago work was
begun on a monster affair. The dlmen-
si0ns will give an idea: Extreme height.
q feet 4 inches; width across the top,
feet inches; width across the bottom, >
fnet: extreme width across the middle, D
faat 6 inches. The framework was built
of tough hickory, shaved thin, and stayed
with ghth-inch copper wire. A double
thickness OF heavy muslin was stretched
an each side of the frame, and the
place for fastening the living cord was
doubly braced with yellow pine scantllng
a quarter of an inch thick. into this was
screwed ring bolt, which was clamDed
on the other side with an iron pin. The
ring itself was five inches in diameter
and capable of bearing four or five hum
dred weight. The Kite complete weighed
q6 mounds. The tail was made OF SIX
teen.foot rope weighted with lead. In
stead of the usual flying cord 200 yards of
closely wound manila rope, very light,
but as strong as dOuble-llnk chain, We're
procured and on Thursday afternoon OF
last week the kite was pronounced com
plete and ready for voyage IN the air.
sam Weatherbee was tue man who
originated the idea, and when everything
was finished sam called UP the crowd to
liauor at Braggs bar. The party CON
sisted of Weatherbee, Amos EVars, BIZ
Oaks, or Blind Bill Oaks, as he is bet
ter known Ed. walton. and Spence
MAYNARD. They drank pretty freely for
more than an nOur, and it was then pro-
posed that a trial should be made OF The
kite, to test its powers before the great
fy came Oft next morning. The wind
was blowing pretty fresh from Smiths
Gorge, and after one or two unsuccessful
efforts, the huge frame caught the wind
as three men ran with a rope down a
steep incline toward Laurel Fork. One
OF them carried the coil OF rope over his
shoulder, while the other two paid out
the line. As the huge kite rose in the
air it required the utmost strength Of all
three to hold it, and finding this diff
cult task, they took a half turn around
tree Stnmp, and in that way gradually
gave the kite more rope, until it WAS
seyenty-fve yards in the air.
Just then Evers came out of Bragg S
barroOm. He was very drunk, but
wake d fairly straight line. There's a
drink waitin' fur yOuse feliers," said he,
with a hiccOugh. Better git in thar and
gitlt, am" Then, suddenly espying
the Kite and the cord wrapped around
the stumG-"Why you've got her up,
hllut yer? Jes' gimme tue end o. that
rope. III no d her while you Ticker"
Nothing inatb, the three men assented,
and after giving the rope another turn gave
up the slack end to EYers and went into the
bar. No sooner had they gone than Evers
took one turn of the stump, and the rope
began TO run through and burn MS hands.
He braced himself against big stone and
managed to get a loop over the stump
again in such manner as to form what
sailors would call couple of half bitches.
This stopped any more rope from running
out But Evers believed ne could do bet
ter than that. Taking up the slack, he
under the armpits, and made it last in
front OF his chest in three or four tight
fat knots.
"Kem out we're, SAM" he cried. "Kem
OFT we're, TIL larn we how to fly q kite"
This is what the party heard in the bar
room, and they lOunged toward the door
with laugh. AS they reached the thresh-
Old the laugh turned to a cry of amaze
ment and horror. They saw Amos Evers
tho, I
together. In another instant they saw
him whisked up INFO the air as though he
had been feather, instead o. man
Weighing $40 pounds. He was just about
heavy enough to make the kite maintain
It's equilibrium. As he was jeTEed up
ward he gave vent to an unearthly yell.
Then his companions family heard him
cry, "Help! Help! Fur the Lords sake,
boys" butthey heard no more, for the un-
fortunate man was tnen nearly a thousand
ieel above their beads. They saw him Kick
AMI struggle ana grasp the rope IN front
Oh him. Higher aud higher ne was borne,
and fainter and fainter became his shrieks.
Al ess than five minutes he was mere
struggling speck outlined against the
Due SKY The kite was still visible, and
was rising steadily. IL must have been
gong at terrific rate OF speed, for poor
LVers was strlngIug out behind like a
Pouhaht from snlp'S mast. In lew
minutes more the outlines of his form
could no longer be seen, and at the eXpi-
rauon OF fifteen minutes from the time the
Kite was let loose he had passed out Of
sisht, gong IN an easterly direction
toward Rich Mountain, a spur OF the
Aileghanies.
Va Inc following morning a party
started out in the direction the kite had
.ahen, They returned az nighttail with
Out any tldings Of the man who had been
80 strangely snatched away. Two days
passed and nothing was heard of EYers.
InIee days, four, five, six days, a week,
du0 sun nothing. IL was then generally
conceded that the man had been lost, and
consolation was offered TO the widow IN
.ue shape Of a small key OF whisky, anew
SEQ wagon and mule. But yester-
Gay morning Amos Evers turned up as
,Sfse as life. Two gentlemen accompa-
n'el nim INTO the place. H. sat down on
ecfacker barrel IN the grocery, aud told
n as story in a few words, and without any
sn@tl al Disqualification.
-, Alter | got jerked of my feet" be said,
udh't know where | was tor a minuit,
Sut When that rope begin TO tighten it
nhoched all the rum out % my head. |
autss hollered some. Seems to me /
"as mile nigh afore | tried TO do any
tIIuE' FIRST / thought I'd cut the rope,
oul lndlng | was liable to drop too fur
toncl uaed to hang on and see cf couldn't
\ SSgten tree top; but l waz heap TOO
I'su Iur that. After while 1 begin to
"9e my breath like am then | concluded