The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-22
y>1e reRRORs OF sAlLooNiNc.
D Wo0aa's Exciting Fall rhroozh specs
and Escape From Death.

00o0 Exctenng FAIL Tnro02n spas
and Escape From Death.
Mrs. Carl E. Myers, the parachute
Jumper, told of an exciting experience
of hers at the fair grounds at Ottaws
that, as she said, began like a com
edy and nearly ended in a tragedy:
1T was the narrowest escape I've
ever had, and incidentally and acct
dentally the first parachute desccrr
ever made in America. 1t wasn't .
regular parachute either, but I'll te't
you about that when | come 10 II
The occasion was a big fair, and the
grounds were packed with people,
the biggest and most uncomfortable
crowd / have ever We had Il
funny time getting the balloon to tn"
place. 1t was brought up on the
other side of the river in tow of a i"
comotive and was to be towed across
by a line OF n padded by In
hians. We got it fastened to the "a
noes, and it lifted the first three intn
the air, spilling their occupants ON
That was too much, even for ab0rig
inal stolidity. The other Indians de
camped in haste.
They afterward said that if tho
had to go upward to the Great Spiri.
they preferred to die first and hay
the benefit of decent bur ial. The n"y.
move was to fasten the balloons gu.
rope to the stern Of g small stna'
tug. The tugsslarted up, a pui! "a
wind lifted the balloon a little, u
up came the stern of the boat out e..
the water. The tug kept on putting
the screw revolved wildly, and thI
crowd howled with laughter. 1t wa
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 bis
gas bag over safely, but so densely
packed was the crowd that / had Il
walk on the shoulders of the people
to the balloon. In their eagerness t.
get up close The people broke the
concentrating ring. which gather tn.
balloon ropes before they are fu>t"i
81 TO the basket. and also tore 70 a
hole in the bag. In view of this. Il
Myers wanted me to give up the "trip,
but | insisted on going. and finally
fastened the ropes to the basket. The
rapidity with which / shot ur was
alarming. and !. was three miles nigh
before | stopped. Then ! began tc
drop pretty fast. but | knew | could
stop that when | wanted to. and
felt better. Suddenly | heard a tire
mendous ripping and tearing sound.
The air pressing up as fell had start
ed the hole made by the crowd anG
had torn three great rents clear t.
the (op Of the bag.
Il began to drop with frightful
fapidity, and for a minute | gave my
self up for lost and sank down in tbs
basket. Then it flashed into my min
that I still had a chance if / could &C
tnxn the balloon as to bring the tori
parts underneath, and thus keep some
q the gas in the bag. II was a case
a working against time. for every
Ocond was bringing me nearer to a
terrible death. In the IN glance
that ] took downward / could G the
earth leaping up, as it seemed. ta
meet me. quickly shifted all my
and bags, and to my JOY the balloon
turned so as to form a sort of para
chute, and the speed was greatly de
Creased. ! was still dropping at q
dangerous rate, however.
Looking down below, l saw not
far distant a patch of spruce trees,
Toward this / directed my fall and
managed to land tHsre. Right
through tie trees l went, breaking
every branch that / touched, but the
trees saved me, for / landed on the
ground badly shaken, but unhurt.
had Travelled an actual distance OF II
miles horizontally and three mile
downward in five minutes. My ia.
had been slanting. That was tn
only time that / ever gave up hop
even for a moment. New Yorl