Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-18
FROM THE CLOUDS.
a Michigan Aeronaut Drops 10000
Feet With Parachute.

Jackson (Mich. special to The SO.
LoHiS Globe Democrat: lit is claimed
by the balloonist Baldwin that he has
dropped five thousand feet from bal
loon with "A parachute. shall drop
ut least ten thousand feet and shall at
tempt what no balloonist ever did.
shall drop with the chute closed. leav-
ing it entirely 10 the air TO open the
chute.
So said Edward ID. Hogan to a group
of newspaper men who had assem- bled
this morning on a large vacant lot
northwest of town TO see him make his
foolhardy ventura Hogan is local
aerOnaut, and lives with his family at
No. 42l Van Buren, street lie was for
fourteen years employed in a planning
mill here, and only during the last four
Years has devoted himself to balloon
ing MS Il profession. He has stud ed
the subject thoroughly. however for
many years. having from CHILDHOOD tax &.
the keenest interest and delight in the
science of sailing air ships lie rugged
up workshop at his home. and there
he spent every spare moment expert
ment ne in construction of balloons. and
on every possible occasion had made
an ascension. frequently going up TO
considerable he ght During the past
few months he has given his attention
to parachuteS. and on February 9th
last announced. as soon us the frost
was out of the ground. he should as
ccnd to an altitude of ten thousand
feet and drop from the car
"Thcre is no use he said. 'of my
attempting to do anything unless can
beat all previous records. and fall
further than any living man. A few
hundred feet less or few hundred feet
more will count nothing for me. | must
at least double the d stance"
PREPARING FOR THE PERILOUs TRIP.
He repeated this talk this morning
when getting his car ready. and at 9:35
the balloon assembled. As tho balloon
left the earth one of the guy ropes
hold NJ the chute broke.
TO describe this particular ''chute" it
is only necessary to imagine viii te
globe twenty feet in diameter cut
through the center; in th way YOU
have two parachutes. tho professor on
lv hav nc one. Ii contained one hun.
dred yards of stout cloth. 1t is not un.
like 4 mammoth umbrella without a
stick, the braces being flexible cords
rum NJ down twenty-five feet, and
fastening 10 an iron ring two feet in
diameter The other cords all run
clear up to the seams of the CHUTE"
SO they can not give way. This para
chute was fastened TO the outside of the
hOt-air balloon in a perpendicular form
by The cord When the balloon was at
the proper height the Professor intend
ed 10 take hold Of the iron ring swing
clear from the balloon. depend on the
air TO initiate the chute" and take his
chances OF reaching terra firma IN safe
tv. The balloon was inflated by sixty
thousand feet Of hot air. balloon. para.
chute and apparatus for Initiating the
balloon all being of Mr.. Hogan's own
manufacture. AS he stepped n the
car and gave orders for the ropes hold
ing the balloon to the ground TO b; cast
of, the Professor said to the CORE
sponden " o took what the latter b
eyed to be tinal leave OF dar NJ and
reckless man:
My balloon ought TO take me up two
m lies at least. The parachute won't
initiate inside of three hundred feet
from the time | leave the balloon.
This distance will occupy three seconds
Of time. after that | expect to come
down all right inside OF one minute and
thirty seconds. Let her 60.
THE ASCENT.
At the word the ropes were cut and
the monster went sailing upward.
The chutes guy has broken" cried
Hogan almost instantly. "Ill have TO
come down and start over" As soon
as possible Hogan descended. I'm
60 up again in an hour" he said
The second trial was success.
The balloon shot up almost straight 10
distance of fully ten thousand feet.
1t then settled about four hundred
feet, and hung ike ball in the heav-
ems. The anxious and excited crowd
of people on the ground watched the
balloon with bated breath. The re-
porters were provided with powerful
glasses, aud saw Hogan make ready to
jump
Hell weaken" said some one.
NO." cried another watcher; The is
gett ne out. "
The chute was closed Hogan drew
1t up I ii he reached the ropes TO which
he dashed himself. He did not expect
the chute TO open for the first two or
three hundred fee., aud he was afraid
lie might be shaken of the bar by the
rapidity of the fall unless he took the
precaution TO fasten himself When
he stepped on the edge of the car to
spring off into space some Of the spec
tators grew pale and sick. Surely
this daring man was going TO certain
death.
THE TERRIBLE LEAP.
A shout of terror goes up. Hogan
has jumped. Down like cannon ball
he fell for five hundred feet. The chute
had not yet opened. He was falling
ike meteor. and the spectators shut
their eyes while still keeping their
glasses elevated. Suddenly a shout
goes up. The chute has caught the air.
1t opens like the wings of II monster
eagle Hogan's flight downward was