Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-11-08
A Battle For Life.

Ems A1NItlltNA Q
10 had n most terrible experience
during a trip in a balloon from the
u,ornJs Of the Cologne exhibition OF
he art of war. says the New lorA
Smn Incompnny with Peter Schmitz
ond n manufactures named Deepen
hener he started in the balloon Stoii
yert IA / o'clock on a cloudy after
noon. The balloon flew one mile at
most straight upward into the timex
Of a storm. Wolf, fearful OF the
strong winds and hail around MIN,
decided 10 make u landing as soon
as possible.
and woods under us" he said suisse,
ou.ntly "The balloon descended
With violent rapidity, | finally dis
covered II little clearing ON a steep
mountain side, and prepared tonnch'
or. The balloon descended more
slowly. and the people Who had 90
served u, hurried together under
meath to help Us land. drew the
ypntilator n little farther open and
motioned Ia Schmitz 70 get out.
Depenheuer alighted, and all was
we'll. when suddenly n whirlwtnd
struck Us. A terrible jerk sends me
ON nv back ia the ear. lunpuptO
find all things swimming down down
below me, and two men clinging
halplessly to the edge OF the car. |
catch the nearest one, IA peasant who
tried 10 assist in the landing. Too
late! His strength is gone, be lets
90. and | hear with horribled distinct
ness the mutiled thu,l Of his body on
the ground.
NV heart sickrus. hut | rally %
save ms friend Schmitz, who still
sticks 10 the cars side, Already tho
clouds are sinking beneath Us. We
are at least two miles above the
earth. | try 10 raise Schmitz into
the ear, but he has sunk so fur down
from the edge that ! can hardly
grasp his wrists, and he Is to weak
10 make an effort tor himself Both
OF IA groun our despair, Goralls seem :
over. Slowly and painfully rni,e
him Il little. set ms teeth in the back
OF his coat, aud endcavur To bind
him fast with the storm line. 4 few
moments drag by in hope and do
spair, and | finally succeed In iustcn
ing the rope under his arms aud
IN tying him 20 the car. There Is no
safety in the device, however. Tor
Schmitz 20 lose consciousness tor an
instant his body would relax and he
would slip away. | call 10 him.
Spread out your nrm4' SPREAD out
your arms | heard his body move
in response to my admOnttion, bat
his voice is lost to me.
"All this hns occupied - minutes,
and We have In the meantime hecn
slipping upward Everything now
depends upon our making y quick
landing. ! draw open the valve. md
We begin falling. We plunge into %
n great storm. The balloon sUins
around in circles, and swuys about
like n drunken man. Rain, hail,
thunder and lightning sweep over us.
The balloon reels so that | must lie
on my face to remain In the ear.
Peter Peter cnll To my friend.
Hold ihst' Only hold inst
mo respone for he cannot hear
me. The agitation ~ tho balloon
has loosened the rope aud he has
sagged back again. down the side
OF the car, so | can SEE
only his finger. tipa on tho
edge. ! creep To the side 81 tho
ear, seize his wrist with my In
hand, and with my right hand
and teeth ! tug NJ the valve.
- cannot hold out longer
comes in n weak voice from Schmiu.
j am slipping away.
One minute; only a minute
more cry bnck, and We will DO
there
"Ihenrnrer wi come to the ground.
however, the more violent becomes
the oscillation OF the balloon. ri.
naliy we slip over n house. a barn.
and drop like "A shot to the ground
Let gol' shout to Sehmttz. nnl
Jump away from the anchor
He obeys, and tho balloon lo5
P'uNus IlRllteF, scars upwnrd /
pull ut the valve with an my
strength, tillGthe anchor cntche. n
small tree. But the tree gives WV
and with thercbound the car spring.
up to the balloon, aud torn moment
hang on almost by my teeth. 1thc
anchor catches again in n tree. Again
a Jerk, n crack, a rebound. and / nm
tossed nbont like n ball. Once mora
the anchor catches, and | find my.
sell Just above tho top OF n dense oId
cedar, Head first / dive into tha
branches, and fall from bough 10
bough until reach the ground Tia
anchor rnttles near me. Anothsr
tree breaks, and the balloon snils on
to the northeast. ~
u had lunded neal Give. In nm
hour | had the whole neighborhood
out looking for Schmitzs Uo woa
not to be found. Dead, / thougbt
az | limped painfully along botwson
Two peasants in the direction ~ IN.
OYernth rnilwny atofio,