The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-23
'r,ee reaaoRs OF sAlLooNiNG
AWs0aa's Exciting Fall Through spa".
and Escape From Death

and Escape From Death.
Mrs. Carl E. Myers, the parachute
Jumper, told of an exciting experience
of hers at the fair grounds at Ottawe
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 desccrF
ever made in America. 1t WASH b
regular parachute either, but I'll te't
you about that when l come to II
The occasion was a big fair, and the
grounds were packed with people,
the biggest and most uncomfortable
crowd l have ever een We had n
funny time getting the balloon TO th-
place. 1t was brought up on the
other side of the river in tow of a |"
connective and was to be towed across
,by a line OF canoes padded by III
dians. We got it fastened TO the ca
noes, and it lifted the first three into
the air, spilling their occupants ouI
That was too much, even for aborig
inal stolidity. The other Indians de-
camped in haste.
They afterward said that if thCt
had to go upward to the Great Spiri'
they preferred TO die first and have
the benefi,of decent burial. ThereNt
move was to fasten the balloons ~!
rope TO the stern Of a small ste2a
tug. The tug started up, a pun q.
wind lifted the balloon a little. a
up came the stern of the boat out 4,
the water. The ing kept on putting.
the screw revolved wildly, and th5
crowd howled with laughter. 1t was
too ridiculous, 1t reminded me of a
kitten held up in the air by the tai
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 denselv
packed was the crowd that l had tc
walk on the shoulders of the people
TO the balloon. In their eagerness Z
get up close The people broke tn,
concentrating ring. which gathers IL.
balloon ropes before they are fast.
ed TO the basket. and also tore a Ii
hole in the bag. In view of this. Il.
Myers wanted me 10 give up the til8
but / insisted on going. and tiLi.i.!
fastened the ropes to the basket. tn,
rapidity with which | shot ur wa.
alarming. and . was three mikes mig.
before | stopped. Then | began t
drop pretty fast. but | knew coulC
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 am
had torn three great rents clear Z
the TOP of the bag.
Il began to drop with trightfU
rapidity. and for a minute | gave ~!
self up for lost and sank down in IL,
basket. Then ii flashed into my min,
that / still had a chance if | could g
turn the balloon as to bring the tori
parts underneath. and thus keep som
of the gas in the bag. 1t was a cas-
OF working against time, for ever.
second vas bringing me nearer to
terrible death. In the n glanc
that / took downward | could e tn
earth leaping up, as it seemed, t
neet me quickly shifted all m,
and bags, and to my JOY the balloo'
turned so as to form a sort of para
chute. and the speed was greatly d.
creased. / was still dropping at
dangerous rate, however.
Looking downabelow, l saw nc
far distant a patch of spruce tree
Toward this ! directed my fall an
managed to land there. Rigf
through the trees went, breakln
9 branch that ! touched. but II
trees saved me, for landed on II
ground badly shaken, but unhurt.
had Travelled an actual distance OF
miles horizontally and three mil
downward in five minutes. MY "a
had been slanting. That was Il
only time that / ever gave up hol
even for a moment."-New Yol