Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-31
At RIVER VIEW.
How the Crowds Enjoy Themselves Dow1
the River.

tne ktlvers
Abou. thousand pairs Of eyes peered into
the skies yesterday afternoon at the rapidly ris-
ing balloon with human form dangling from
| the bottom. This at River View. 1t was bad
day fer going up. The air damp and chilly
and the hot air of the great bag that carried
Miss Grace Shannon up TO enable her to fall
gracefully from her accustomed dizzy height
had tendency to cool too soon. There were
other things at hand to interfere with the as
cension. The balloon went up about
500 feet and then began to tilt, splitting
he smoke out of the hole in the bottom in
great black volumes. At this juncture Miss
shannon. slight young woman clad in green
tights, pink waist and lite preserver, came
TO the conclusion that she had had enough, and
III order TO avoid being thrown down by the
tipping balloon without being able to open her
parachute she pulled the string that worked
the trigger, and dropped among the young
trees on the bank of the river about 200 feet
from where she went up. The balloon was not
any more anxious to 90 up than she and fol-
lowed suit soon afterward, pouring out Its
smoke in cloud and falling on the verge Of
the bank with a rent in its side from a collision
with a tree. Beyond the tear there no injuries
sustained by the outfit either the balloon or
the balloonist.
POPULAR RESORT.
This balloon business is one of the chief at
fractions at River View just now, but it would
be very charming place without it. 1t is new
and it presents the features of newness. Most
OF the trees are small, but they are growing
well, and there is an atmosphere of prosperity
about the resort that always makes folks feel
comfortable. There CAN be no more delightful
place for a hot evening, situated as 1t Is ON the
eastern bank OF the river, to get all the air
that may happen to be stirring. 1t is high and
free from mOsquitoes-who ever heard OF o
pleasure resort that was not?
But perhaps the best guarantee Of the popu-
larity OF the place is the fact communicated by
Capt. Randall to a STAR reporter, who went
down yesterday. afternoon, that SO far this sea-
son he has carried over los, 600 people down
there from Washington. That means good
deal, and especially when the resort is so
young.
VARIOUS ESJoYMENTs.
The buildings neat and commodious, ex-
cept the main house, where the refreshments
are served, and this is to be replaced before
next season with another structure, for which
the plans have already been prepared. There
are lnnumcrabe ways for a person to spend
money and to enjoy himself or herself in return.
Scattered all over the grounds are little booths
that hold about ten people, or dozen small
ones, with table in the center, where family
parties can have luncheon. Fleet, keen-eyed
walters wander about ready and anxious to
serve. The whole place Is one huge picnic.
Then there are the regulation shooting gal
lery, the place where people play at being
cruel and throw balls at inoffensive figures Of
wood, representing people; bowling alley
with balls OF all sizes for all shades of strength;
carousal, or, III the popular parlance, an
outfit of dying horses" whicn are run by
steam, with rocking motion that is supposed
TO be very soothing. and the whole to the
tunes OF popular airs ground out OF strong
lunged organ by an armless negro figure that
Is dubbed Blind Tom. This music forms
characteristic feature of the place. 1t is to be
heard before the boat lands, and it is the last
sound that is distinguished as one leaves. 1t
interrupts every conversation with some such
strain as 'She Ninked the Other Eye" or II
Gave Ten Dollars to O'Grady," or other such
sentiments that are apparently pleasing to the
folks within hearing.
Mingling its noise with the grinding efforts
of Blind Tom is to be heard the occasional
rumble and roar of that profitable case of curv-
allure Of the spine, the roller coaster. 1t is al
ways going. Ii seems to like to roar and rattle
and produce small shrieks and loud yells and
other forms of vocal expression Of enjoyment.
THE PONIES.
Then there are ponies to drive and horses to
ride around small track of perhaps quarter
of mile. with some nice soft mud at the finish
where a careless rider can fall when his horse
bucks him off. They are not all buckers, but
one o. them makes up Tor the deficiencies Of
the rest. He is a large black animal with a
temper uncurbed by this treadmill work of
hustling around a small track at gallop, and
he takes particular delight in starting off shyly
sideways, as if to make his rider think that he
Is not going to run very fast. then letting out
at a dead run and winding up with planting
OF his fore feet at the finish and motion of his
head that leaves nothing for the rider to do but
to go on He goes about ten feet and then
drops IN the soft mud, and he is smiling apollo
Sctlcaiiy when the crowd laughs. The other
horses that do not have this little trick do not
Lave to work as hard as this one, for there
seems to be popular demand for the pleas
ures OF being thrown in the muI. 1t has an
excitement about it.
FOR THE CHILDREN.
The little pony carts tina: can he temporarily
bought for brief drives around the ring are
neat and well patronized. Then there are two
other rigs for the children one drawn by goat
and the other by dIminutive donkey that is
always pronounced by tbs feminine portion Of
the crowd perfect 'iove of little fellow"
These two seem to have formed a mutual ad-
niration society, for they affiliate in great har
mony. and otfer each other sympathy at the
end Jf each trip-at the small sum OF a nickel,
ladies and gentlemen-in the form OF new
places on the fence 10 bite.
A tintype artist spends much labor in an en-
deavor to reproduce all humanity in pictures
that never fade and are finished while you wait"
1t Is not a slot machine, but it serves the same
purpose.
Yesterday the most lonesome place of all was
the dancing pavilion, where people wandered
when they were satiated with the sights and
wanted a quiet, calm view OF the river, both
ways, that extended for miles. The floor
looked delightfully."- smooth and inviting, but
the only sounds OF waltZes came from the arm
less Thomas 1t the caroasal, and tA..t was too
last and too erratic Tor dancing, besides which
the rules forbade it.
Cozy hooks among the trees, reached by
winding, sheltered paths offered apremium on
romance and gave tenderness n chance to assert
itself N the micst of all the other forms of
Saiety. These opportunities were not neglected.
but were amply appreciated by that part Of the
attendance that had not grown gray and had
plenty OF time 10 spare and had other ties to
keep them out Of the hooks and corners that
breathed sentiment in every breeze that passed
THE BALLOON ASCENSION.
The main crowd. however, gradually gathered
around the ropes that inclosed the balloon, now
a great unshapen mass of cloth on the ground.
Then fire was started in temporary furnace
that led by a small tunnel to the mouth of the
bag, and before long the cloth began to rise
and expand. and in eleven minutes from the
time that the match was struck it was inflated.
Miss shannon sat in her sling on one side, and
the word was given she gave little run and
sprang into the air an was sailing off toward
the river.
She will try the ascension again next Wednes-
day and again on Sunday and Monday with q
m ~ lto Ia h0