The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-27
THE TERHoRS OF sAllooN,No,

\ Exciting Fall Through space
and Escape From Death.
Mrs. Carl f. Myers, the parachute
jumper, told of an exciting experience
of hers at the fair grounds at Ottawa
that, as she said, began like a com
edy and nearly ended in a tragedy.
1T was the narrowest escape Nv.
ever had, and incidentally and acci
dentally the first parachute descerr
eCer made in America. 1t wasn't s
regular parachute either. but I'll tel,
you about that when l come to il
The occasion was a big fair. and the
grounds We're packed with people
the biggest and most uncomfortable
crowd l have ever seen. We had a
funny time getting the balloon TO the
place. 1t was brought up on the
other side of the river in tow of a L,
connective and was to be towed acroS,
by a line Of canoes padded by In
dians. We got it fastened to the ca
noes, and it lifted the first three into
the air. spilling their occupants our
That was too much, even for aborig
inal stolidity. The other Indians lie
camped in haste.
They afterward said that if the,
had to go upward to the Great Spirii
they preferred to die first and have
the benei, of decent burial. The mex
o was TO fasten the balloons g1ly
rope to thevstern of a small stear
tug. The tug started up, a PUT OF
wind lifted the balloon a little. ard
up came the stern of the boat out oi
the water. The tug kept on putting.
the screw revolved wildly, and the
crowd howled with laughter. 1t was
too ridiculous, 1t reminded me of "a
kitten held up in the air by the tail
and wildly scratching TO get a foot
hold on the floor beneath.
Finally, a bigger boat got the big
gas bag over safely, but so densely
packed was the crowd that | had 70
walk on the shoulders of the people
to the balloon. In their eagerness ~
get up close The people broke the
concentrating ring. which gathers IL,
balloon ropes before they are fasteu
ed TO the basket. and also tore a bio
hole in the bag. In view of this. Mr.
Myers wanted me to give up the trip.
but ! insisted on going. and finally
fastened the ropes To the basket, The
rapidity with which l shot up was
and | was three miles high
before / stopped. Then | began 10
drop pretty fast. but | knew | could
stop that when i wanted to. and |
better. Suddenly | heard a tire.
mendous ripping and tearing sound
The air pressing up as l fell had start
ID the hole made by the crowd ana
had torn three great rents clear t.
the top Of the bag.
Il began to drop with frightfui
rapidlty, and for a minute l gave ny
self up for lost and sank down in the
Then it flashed into my min.
hat l still had a chance if l could 50
;urn the balloon as 10 bring the torn
parts underneath, and thus keep some
If the gas in the bag. II was a case
II working against time. for every
'econd was bringing me nearer TO a
errible death. In the one glance
hat ] took downward | could see the
sarth leaping up, as it seemed, to
meet me. quickly shifted all my
and bags, and to my JOY the balloon
;urned so a. to form a sort of para
,hute, and the speed was greatly de-
:reased. ] was still dropping at a
rate, however.
Looking down below, / saw not
ar distant a patch of spruce trees.
this ] directed my fall and
managed to land there. Right
the trees l went, breaking
very branch that ! touched, but the
;rees saved me, for ! landed on the i
round badly shaken, but unhurt. 1 s
nd travelled an actual distance of Is {
niles horizontally and three miles Z
in five minutes. My fall {
lad been slanting. That was the [
time that l ever gave up hope 4
ven for a moment. New York