The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-24
FIVE MILES nIoH ON A rRAPEzE.

TIVE MtEG0 0so0 Wv sNSS%~
Adventures Of Panehuts Man Whsss
Parschuts Got = way From uim.
Great excitement wa caused at Croy-
don Saturday afternoon. says the London
Standard, In connection with the ascent
from the old fair field OF Prof. H Ggins,
the ~parachutist, and for several hours
doubts were entertained a. to his safety.
The balloon, which had that day been
named 1.-THE Dukes Motto" and was OF
the capacity Of $4,000 cubic feet, was fully
charged by 5 O'Clock. Higgins said the
direction Of the wind, which was north
considerable height, but he hoped 70 re-
turn 70 the field in about half an hour.
When he gave the signal to the attend
ents TO ''Let go' The machine gradually
rose and appeared to 20 In The direction
of Norwood. Upon reaching an altitude
of something like 1000 feet the para
chute became detached from the net of
the balloon, which was evidently pro-
ceeding upward at great rate, as the
parachute was fully expanded, although
inverted. It was now evident that some
thing was wrong with the apparatus, and
amid breathless excitement the para
chute dropped from the balloon md fell
into a garden in East Croydon. The bal
loon rapidly disappeared In the clouds.
When dark ness set in and no news had
been received Of the parachutist, much
anxiety was evinced ms TO his fate.
Shortly after 8 o'clock, however, all fear
was dispelled by the receipt of q telegram
stating that Higgins had landed safely
near Tunbridge. Higgins and his balloon
arrived at East Croydon by the $50 train.
In an interview with n correspondent
Higgins stated that he had experienced
the most wonderful of all his aerial voy.
ages. When he had cached q height of
1000 feet he began to get into a strong
current, ~ the balloon twisted right
around. The current then caught his
parachute, causing the wooden ring Of Il
70 catch him very tightly under b arms.
The test cord which held the parachute
then broke. Directly that happened he
low him fully inflated, and the pressure
on him was SO great that IL was impossi-
BILE for him to descend into the middle Of
the town with anything like safety. He
therefore opened his penknife with his
teeth and cut the parachute away. This
caused the balloon TO shoot up 5000 feet
higher, and on reaching. that altitude he
met another current, which brought him
back. and he saw nothing until he passed
through some sleet and snow. He could
hear, however, the sound OF trains.
All Of a sudden he found himself i'm
darkness, caused, he presumed, by the
snow n the thick atmosphere. He was
in this snow storm for at least 10 minutes,
and when he had passed through il the
u was shining beautifully, Below him
he could see what appeared to be snowy
mountains rising up N down for miles.
clear miles, n was able TO discern the
sun glistening IN the water at Brighton.
Ii was evident to him that he was going
towards Tunbridge Wells. He found
the air getting very keen and sharp;
icicles were hanging from his nous.
tache, and he had no sooner rubbed
them oil than others formed. For q
few minutes he was quite deaf. He
now seemed to be descending on the
mountains of snow, and he thought he
was getting near Hastings or Brighton.
coming down, he took hold Of four of his
guy ropes, and pulled the balloon partly
over on one side to allow b gas to
escape at the mouth.
The balloon then turned aroun three
times, and he felt he was descending. He
did nothing more to the balloon. merely
flrma, which he did not see for some time
At length he saw plowed fields, and close
by there was what he took to be a large
park, with white roads across Il.
He then travelled about five or six miles
piowed fields. which he though would
he a suitable place to land on. When
he was about 1900 feet from the
earth he prepared to descend by hanging
one arm to his trapeze rope as IL he were
using his parachute. When his feet
touched the ground the balloon, which
was in front Of him, dragged him for ten
yards and then rebounded some 10 feet in
the air, between two trees. Two laborers
ran from opposite directions, and, in re-
Spouse to his signals. they arrived just as
he came down a second time, and held
down the balloon until he let out the gas.
He found out that he had landed on q
farm in the occupation Of Mr.. Nash of
Penhurst, about &c miles from Croydon.
In reply to questions he said that at one
time he must ave been five miles above
the earth, the highest he had ever been.
He added that the balloon had no escape