The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1890-05-29
FIVE MILES HIGH oNA TRApEzE.
Adventures Of Man Whose Parachute
Got Away From Him. 4

OIUJuou oH SdtuIuay ditSTHOOu Al
connection with the ascent from the
old fair field OF Prof Higginss, the
parachutist, and for several hours
doubts we're entertained as to has
safety. The balloon, which had that
day been named "The Dukes Mot
to, and was Of the capacity of 12,-
900 cubic feet, was fully charged by
5 o'clock. Higgins said the direc-
ton of the wind, which was north
east, would necessities his travelling
a considerable hight, but he hoped
to return to the field in about half
an hour. When he gave the signal
to the attendants to ''Let go" the
machine gradually rose, and appear
ed to 60 in the direction Of Nor
wood. Upon reaching an altitude
of something like 1900 feet the
parachute became detached from
the net of the balloon, which was
evidently proceeding upward at a
great rate, as the parachute was
fully expanded, although inverted.
1t was now evident that something
was wrong with the apparatus, and,
amid breathless excitement, the
parachute dropped from the balloon
and fell into a garden in East Croy-
don. The balloon rapidly disap-
peared in the clouds. When dark
ness set in and no news had been
received OF the parachutist much
anxiety was evinced as to his tate.
Shortly after s O'Clock, however, all
fear was dispelled by the receipt of
telegram stating that Higgins had
landed safely near Tunbridge. Hig-
gins and his balloon arrived in East
Croydon by the 9:20 train.
In an interview with CORES
pondOnt Higgins stated that he had
experienced the most wonderful OF
all his aerial voyages. When he
had reached hight OF 1000 feet he
began to get into strong current,
and the balloon twisted right round.
The current then caught his para
chute, causing the wooden ring of it
to catch him very tightly under the
arms. The test cord which held the
parachute then broke. Directly
that happened he saw that the para
chute was hanging below him fully
inflated, and the pressure on him
was SO great that it was impossible
for him to descend into the middle
of the town with anything like safe
ty. He therefore opened his pen
knife with his teeth and cut the
parachute away. This caused the
balloon to shoot up 6, 900 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 sudden he found himself
in darkness, caused, he presumed,
by the snow and thick atmosphere.
He was in this snow storm for at
ten minutes, and when he had pass
ed through it the sun was shining
beautifully. Below he could see
what appeared to be snowy noun
tains rising up and down for miles.
He could see a distance of some
forty clear miles, and was able tc
discern the sun glistening on the
water at Brighton. 1t was evident
to him that he was going toward
Tunbridge Wells. He found the
air getting very sharp and keen
icicles were hanging from his nous
tache, and he had no sooner rubbed
them off than others formed For &
few minutes he was quite deaf Ht
now seemed to be descending on the
mountains of snow, and he though
he was getting near Hastings o.
Brighton. He could smell the sea
Thinking he was coming down, he
took hold of four Of his guy rope an(
pulled the balloon partly over one
side to allow the gas to escape at the
mouth.
The balloon then turned arounC
three times, and he felt he was de
scending. He did nothing more t.
the balloon, merely sitting on hi
trapeze watching for terra frma
which he did not see for some time
At length he saw plowed fields, ant
close by there was what he took t.
be a large park, with white roads
across it. He then travelled abou
FIVE or six miles at very rapid pace
and saw more plowed fields, which
: he thought would be suitable place
to land on. When he was abou
1000 feet from the earth he pre-
pared to descend by hanging by ont
arm to the trapeze rope as if ht
were using his parachute. Wher
his feet touched the ground the
, balloon, which was in front of him
dragged him for ten yards, and ther
L II