The Yellowstone journal., 1894-06-16
THE TERFoas OF sAlLooNlNa.
j Woman's Exciting Faii Throosh spacs
and Escape From Death.

\ woman's Exciting Fall Throosh spacs
and Escape From Death.
Mrs. Carl L. Myers, the parachute
jumper told of an exciting experience
of hers at the fair grounds at Ottawa
that, as she said, began like com
edy and nearly ended in a tragedy:
1T was the narrowest escape I've
ever had, and incidentally and acci
dentally the first parachute descert
ever made in America 1t wasn't a
regular parachute either, but III tell
you about that when l come to il
The occasion was a big fair. and the
grounds were packed with people.
the biggest and most uncomfortable
crowd l have ever seen. We had
funny time getting the balloon to the
place. 1t was brought up on the
other side of the river in tow of l.,
-comotive and was to be towed across
by line of canoes padded by IN
idians. We got it fastenedto the ca
noes and it lifted the first three int.
the air, spilling their occupants ouJ
That was too much, even for aborig
inal stolidity. The other Indians d..
camped in haste
They afterward said that if the,
had TO go upward TO the Great Spirit
they preferred to die first and have
the benefit of decent burial. TheneXt
move was TO fasten the balloons 5 guy
rope to the stern OF a small steam
tug. The tug started up. puIf Of
wind lifted the balloon a little. ard
up came the stern of the boat out q.
the water. The tug kept on putting,
the screw revolved wildly, and the
crowd howled with laughter 1t was
too ridiculous II 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, bigger boat got the big
gas bag over safely. but so denselv
packed was the crowd that / had to
walk on the shoulders of the people
to the balloon. In their eagerness ~
get up close .he people broke the
concentrating ring. which gather. the
balloon ropes before they are faster
ed to the basket, and also tore a big
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
alarming, and was three miles high
before / stopped. Then l began to
drop pretty fast, but knew l could !
stop that when / wanted to. and | /
felt better Suddenly heard 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 top of the bag.
Il began to drop with frightfui |
rapidity, and for minute gave my .
self up for lost and sank down in the
basket. Then it flashed into my min,
that | still had chance if | could Sc
turn the balloon as TO bring the torn
parts underneath, and thus keep some
of the gas in the bag 1t was a case
of working against time, for every
"ocouu "dS DTluSIuS me nearer 10 /!
terrible death. In the one glanca
that ] took downward could see the
earth leaping up, as it seemed, t.
meet me. Iquickly shifted all my
,zsnd bags, and to my JOY the balloon
turned so "a TO form a sort Of para
chute, and the speed was greatly dc.
creased. / was still dropping at .
rate however.
Looking down below. | saw not
far distant patch of spruce trees
Toward this | directed my fall and
TO land there. Right
through the trees l went. breakinc
every branch that / touched. but the
trees saved me, for landed on the
ground badly shaken. but unhurt.
mad Travelled an actual distance of Is
miles horizontally and three miles
downward in five minutes. Ny fall
had been slanting. That was the
'nly time that ever gave up hope
wen for a moment. New York
sun I