The Red Cloud chief., 1889-05-10
a REMARKABLE LEAP.

Re~~.,oe epscixious Feat q jumping
Duvn = Mountain is0 Ese1
The snort Of ski" or snow.snoe
running, % long popuisr IN the oierrs
1evads Mountains, b beginning 70 %
pr,csicsd in some Of the northern OF
- Atlantic States. Ski running. a
6eandinavian sport, is becoming popu-
~ in Minnesota. Tho performer
sliAes down hill on long wooden
ekaAss. E foot toboggans. and a pre-
esred tolt makes a leap into space
Ninety-five feet is the longest ski!uinp
On record in Norway.
Ninety-fve feet seems an immense
Lean. but il has been 30 far surpassed
An he Sierras that no fastener need
over try for the championship. The
ehsmpion ski runner and lcaper OF the
world ~ John A. Thompson-better
known - "6now-shoe Thompson
VIE died in Alpine County. Cal,
sbout thirteen years ago.
Thompson was horn ut Upper Tins.
Prestijeld, Norway. April ~. luz.
and died at his home In the Sierras
Nav Is. 1876. He was the father OF
che whole race OF snow-shoe runners
Of the mountain counties OF California
He made the first pair OF Norwegian
suow.shoes ever seen on the Pacific
coast
Thompson's greatest leap was made
On tho 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
o hundred and eighty foot. This
leap is vouched for by ". l. Merrill.
postmaster NJ Woodfords. in the high
Sierras. and by several citizens Of
Genoa Tho leap was made from .
terrace half why down the side OF tho
mountain. and the leaper landed in q
drift OF snow over fifty feet in depth,
where for a time he was buried out OF
sight.
C. r. Gregory (now deceasct). who
was for some years neighbOr to Snow.
shoe Thompson in the mountains.
oaid. in speaking Of the fcats OF tho
great s~ki-Teaper: Il did not SEQ him
make his great jump of the side OF
the mountain back OF Genoa, but !
have often Q him make leaps OF
afty and sixty feet ut Silver Mountain.
Alpine County,"
The people Of Silver Mountain min-
fnG camp are wont to amuse them.
solves in winter by descending q big
mountain near tho town and then
Aarting down TO a valley below on
their snow-shoes. They had q starting
point only about half way up the side
q tho mountain. Sn0w-shoe Th0mp-
con sometimes joined these parties Of
ski runncrA He was not satisfied with
Q run down half a mountain he
wanted Il all
He would circle around till he had
reached tho highest peak Of tho big
mountain. He would thon utter the
Wild war cry Of the old Mortimer. and
then with his balance pole poised
horizontally before him in both hands.
would como hyingdown the side OF the
mountain like q iiend of the wind.
When he came ear to the crowd Of
townspeople standing midway down
che mountain. Thompson would stoop
almost to the ground. then suddenly
springing up. would go sailing through
tho air high above the men and
women watching the descent. At
times no would make several leaps,
each Of from fifty to eighty feet in q
single descent. His sky lcaping was
moi a little like 'sky flying"
Snow-shoo Thompson VAS a very
sinewy and powerful man. He stood
elk feet In his stockings. and weighed
one hundred and eighty pounds. He
had the blonde hair and beard and tho
blue eyes Of his Scandinavian ancestors,
tho old s~ca-roving Northmen.-Vir.
GINA City Enterprise.
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