The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-29
pPADy,s ADVENTURES.
unwilling Experience Of a young
IL Aeronaut.

,-...f.1l letter in Springfield Republican.
n.Spablv no young man mas gone out
midst since the days OF the civil
H.. NO has attained wider fame and been
'.,,,,5 more perilous adventures in the
60 wears than Owen Brady-now
pa Bradyn-the well-known aeronaut,
~ is spending week or two at his ola
IVA and meeting with hearty greeting
El@n, his bovhood friends.
from . us sI,mmer of 'S3 Owen, then lad of
"a IL lied ont with a stock of toy switches
~, otoon stfaki whips to sell at the fairs
an T1iddle and western states, Being
ia t9 keep his eyes open, be quickly saw
lhn ar most of the fairs the balloon ascen-
l u uas a chief attraction, and soon he
s..,,ck M an acquaintance with man VINO
s'iaao5 a couple of gas bags, and hired
r'lii,i3onced aeronautS to make ascenslons
lo 'I Admit take long for Brady to discover
- lille the man who went up IN the bal
ionn got lots of glory, the manager
nocketed the major snare Oh tue sheAe,sI %
~ got in as sort Of corresponding clerk Tor
ne oe,na,aper. and while doing the latter's
i,ut.er-writing for very meager salary,
E 5.aJ ,ut by selling whips and canes and
en- switches. he familiarized himself with
bauoons the men who went pin them and
to,, the business was conducted.
He formed partnership during the FOL
nc winter with professor" Wander
n n.'ft who had made his first balloon trip
go Ar zen years before at the age of IL,
ond before his last fatal trip, scarcely
rnontb ago, had made over 450 ascenslons.
Together they raised enough money to SO
a1@s a couple of stanch hot-air balloons,
and early rext season began ousiIesS' HeeG-
INC with much success.
Vsndegrift at first was the member of
the firm to do the ascenslons. Dc was
daring acrobat and performed trapezs feats
while the balloon was going up. But the
t;rna came when Brady had to take bis turn
owing TO the breaking of his partners leg
and other injuries received by the collapse
Of his balloon when nearing the earth. He
did not at first attempt any acrobatic feats,
bnt SIMPLY sat or stood on the trapeze bar
while the balloon was in sight of the multi
tude.
Brady and with his fellow bailoonist for
four years made ascensionS at principal
places from Canada to Mexico
Last spring the parachute jump was in
troduced as a new and startling feature Of
their asceusions, and every ascension made
during the season included the daring
''iumn from the clouds" Brady and Van
dergrift before venturing it made scores of
experiments with weights and various
STYLES of parachutes from the top of high
buildings, and finally satisfied themselves
that the venture could be made with rea-
sonable safety.
VANDERBILT was the first to try it, and
Brady SAYS it was the most anxious mo-
ment OF his life, not even ex ,eeded by those
when be Was diving a few weeks since into
the river at Columbus, Ga, in hopes of dis
entangling the body of his partner and
friend from the network of rop which pre-
vented his rising to the suaface and escap-
ing death. When he saw Vandegrift pre-
D. ring to detatch the parachu from the
balloon 5000 feet in the air, and drop with
it to earth his heart came into his mouth
The descent was made in safety, and was
then adopted by both aeronauts as a special
feature Of their ascensiOHs.
Both had several narrow escapes from
serious accident, and Brady's life was once
saved by falling through the thick branches
Of a tree into swamp, when some of the
cords of his parachute loosened, allowing
the apparatus to tip to one side so that it
4 did not fully support his weight as he
ueared the earth.
The season of 1888 came suddenly to a
tragic end in Georgia last month, and
Brady has been 30 badly broken up over
the death Of his partner at that time that
be has not the heart to make any more as
tensions at present, aud has come back here
for the first time since his departure five
years ago to visit his relatives and brace up
his nerves.
Naudergrift was the one to make the trip
On that occasion and both men feared the
wind was too strong to allow the balloon to
90 up without danger, but rather than dis
appoint the great crowd of people the
attempt was made.
As the balloon rose Vandegrlft hung from
the trapeze which was suspended from the
parachute, and as he mounted higher into
tie clouds performed several daring aero
bauc teats. Deafenng cheers rewarded his
efforts, but, to the horror of the multitude
u when the balloon was about half mile
hgh 1t was seen to burst from the base TO
the top
Every one expected to see the aeronaut
oasned to atoms Women tainted and
thousands OF eyes we're turned awav But
'andegrtt, with rare presence of mind cut
loose ms parachute from the collapsed air.
snip and after swift fall of about 500 feet
u opened, and he began to descend steadily.
tue "ind carrying him toward the Chatta-
hoochea river
thousands ran to the river bank among
Slein MS partner. Two men who were in a
ooa' ro"ed a near as they dared to about
"uere he would strike. They heard the
81 sSeT9na4t call as he approached the water.
ri uods sake, come quick" He sank,
oul Immediately came TO the surfaca and
ue men tried to draw him into the boat,
uug Ne was e1tangled into the trapeze cords
anu MS BODY was inside the hoop Of the
PoiacnuUe Then the men attempted TO
pll. Ihe parachute into their boat. but it
VI PeI from their hand and its weight
rarred Vandegrift to the bottom of the
,.; me crowd stood aghast and paralyzed
ri T,.n horror at the fearful scene but Brady
|tIseu into the stream and quickly swan
Fl ~ 'ue spot Again and again he dived in
sno So 70 save his partners life, but without
. a. reward Of 500 was at once offered bv
81 NJ, 9lthorltles for the recovery of the BODY.
Fl J, a. at nearly midnight it was found some
# ,.s @ .H GOWN the river fas ened in the let
III catol .us arms, legs aud wrists being intri-
cbntJ eIahgled IN the cords of the para.
E sr I'e ana uapezs. His neck was broken
IA 49,, 'ery thlng indicated fearful struggle
E ro,as wafer to release himself from the
e. bsfr'sga ana hoop. Brady had the BODY en-
C I'ued aud took it TO Vandegrift,s home at
Tb Thou, MISS, for burial.
81 dsatp ugh broken up badly at his friends
tho oUr Young fellow townsman has no
N na eu' Of retiring from the perilous bust
In go - ue says there is "big money In il. -
. fsssioes our years he has followed the nro-.
sun, sum a. ue has managed to lay bv good
Ell Cls,.f 90 wei as to build him A home at
yo,raaI, ~ and take there his two
81 futnrsS oIothers one Of whom will in
ttric,Ia az as lls business manager He il
Fl that Ny temperate in all things and saws
Fl sTorI t one IN the business he is engaged can
# BrsJ nLuulge 10 alcoholic drinks