St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-17
MOST PERILOUS PLUNGE.
Prof. Baldwin's Leap From the Sky
Witnessed by Over Sixty Thou
sand People.
A Daring and Thrilling Act Accom-
plished With Safety Amid Intense
Excitement.
The Leap Is Made From an Altitude Of
Over Nine Thousand Feet From
Earth.

"If that round balloon were the world
and | could have it for making the trip.
| would refuse it,
The speaker was one of crowd of
10000 who stood about the Minneapolis
ball park yesterday as the huge silk air
ship bore Prof. Baldwin, the daring
aeronaut, rapidly skyward. 1t was an
immense crowd. Nothing but such a
foolhardy exhibition of intrepidity could
have drawn out half the number. The
commons incloSing the park looked for
all the world like an old-fashioned fair,
with the vast multitude dispersed
about, on foot and in every man
ner of vehicles, waiting for the
event of the day. Milwaukee trains
from both directions had been crowded
for two hours past. when the o'clock
Short line bore down as many more as
could possibly find foothold upon it,
while every street and avenue leading
IN that direction was thronged with
eager people. The buildings surround
| ing the park were black with humanity,
while the tall structures in the business
part of the city, two miles away, each
held its group. At the very lowest esti-
mate. 10000 people saw the as
cent and fearful plunge from
space. The great balloon, already
inflated, was visible over the fence, held
down. by fifty small boys, and it strug-
| gled at the ropes and chafed in its i'm
! patience to be Off, rolling and plunging
in the high wind. The hydrogen gen.
orators did not work properly, and the
balloon had been filled with illuminat-
| I1lIr 'nhn az lS
buoyant than the hydrogen, but still
with a lifting capacity of $50 pounds,
which answered every purpose. Sur
rounding it was large and curious
crowd, scanning the net and the
great mass of cordage, and ask
ing all manner of pertinent and
aimlesS questions. The aeronaut was
not to be seen. He was quietly await
ing lull of the breeze, which was so
fresh as to give TO aerial navigation an
additional spice of danger not set down
in the bills. Meanwhile, circus band
in the grand stand played quicksteps,
watched the Swaying balloon and spec
ulated on the delay. Larger and larger
grew the crowd, and keener grew the
interest as 5 o'clock approached.
Finally, just before that hour,
Prof. Baldwin appeared and pre-
pared for the perilous journey.
He is an athletic young man
and practice has accustomed him to the
dangers and terrorS of the great plunge.
He wore his tights beneath an over
coat while he superintended the prelim-
inaries. The great pear-shaped balloon
was hauled down and the parachute
hooked to ring on one side. with the
ropes and ring hanging down and at
tached to the ring which gathered in
and held the inclosing net of
the balloon. The wind had died
down somewhat, and casting a
glance skyward, the aeronaut gave
the word to get ready. The sand bags
were released from the guy ropes. and
a dozen men clung to the latter while
the balloon rose. until the large ring
was clear of the ground. Prof Bald
win grasped this ring with both hands,
holding the ring of the parachute on his
left arm and the valve rope in his right
hand. A loop hung from the main
ring. and passing this under one leg, he
sang out:
''All together, now. Let her go.''
With majestic effort the balloon
sailed swiftly toward the sky, accom-
panied by mighty storm of cheers
from the multitude. In an instant the