Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-05-29
A REMARKABLE LEAP.
Th0mpson's Prodigfous Feat Of Jump ping
Down Mountain 100 Feet.

Th0mpsons Prod1gfous Feat Of Jumping
Down u Mountain 1870 Feet.
The sport of ski or snow-shoe
running, SO long popular in the Sierra
Nevada Mountains, is beginning to be
practiced in some of the northern of
the Atlantic States. Ski running. a
scandinavian sport, is becoming popu-
lar in Minnesota. The performer
slides down hill on long wooden
skates, or foot toboggans. and at a pre-
pared jolt makes a leap into space.
Ninety-five feet is the longest ski jump
on record in Norway.
Ninety-five feet seems an immense
leap, but it has been so far surpassed
in the Sierras that no Fastener need
ever try for the championship. The
champion ski runner and leaper of the
world was John A. Thompson better
known as "Snow-shoe Thompson
who died in Alpine County, Cal,
about thirteen years ago.
Thompson was born at Upper Tins,
Prestijeld, Norway, April 80. 1927,
and died at his home in the Sierras
May Is. 1876 He was the father of
the whole race of snow-shoe runners
of the mountain counties of California
He made the first pair of Norwegian
snOw-shOes ever seen on the Pacific
coast
Thompson's greatest leap was made
on the side of steep mountain just
west of the town of Genoa, Douglas
County Darling down the side Of the
steep mountain he made a leap of
one hundred and eighty feet. This
leap is vouched for by w. p Merrill,
postmaster at Woodfords, in the high
Sierras, and by several citizens OF
Genoa. The leap was made from a
terrace half way down the side of the
mountain, and the leaper landed in
drift of snow over fifty feet in depth,
where for time he was buried out of
sight.
c. P Gregory (now decease6). who
was for some years neighbour to Snow
shoe Thompson in the mountains,
said, in speaking of the feats of the
great slSi-leaper: 81 did not see him
make his great jump off the side of
the mountain back of Genoa, but |
have often seen him make leaps of
fifty and sixty feet at Silver Nj ,untain,
Alpine County"
The people Of Silver Mountain min
ing camp are wont to amuse them
selves in winter by descending a big
mountain near tho town and then
darting down to valley below on
their snow--hoes. They had a sta ting
point only about half way up the side
of the mountain. Snow-shoe Thomp-
son sometimes joined these rites Of
ski runners He was not satisfied with
a run down half mountain he
wanted it all.
He would circle around till he had
reached the highest peak of the big
mountain. He would then utter the
wild war cry of the old North men, and
then with his balance poe poised
horizontally before him in both hands,
would come flying down the side of the
mountain like a fiend Of the wind.
When he came near to the crowd of
townspeople standing midway down
the mountain, Thompson would stoop
almost to the ground, then suddenly
springing up, would go sailing through
the air high above the men and
women watching the descent At
times he would make several leaps,
each of from fifty to eighty feet in
single descent. His sky leaping was
not a little like sky flying.
Snow-shoe Thompson was very
sinewy and powerful man. He stood
six feet in his stockings, and weighed
one hundred and eighty pounds. He
had the blonde hair and beard and the
blue eyes Of his Scandnavian ancestors,
the old carving Mortimer. Viz
ginia City Enterprise.