The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-01
THRILLING EXPERIENCE
A Girls Perifous Flight in a Burn
ing Balloon.
Although Hanging on Trapeze She
Had Presence of Mind to Loose
The Parachute. The Big
Umbrella Also Caught
Fire. Narrow Escape.

Seuth Wales, just month ago, accord
ing to papers brought by tho Australian
steamer Miowera, crowd of curious
slghtseezs were treated TO AN exhibition
which for the TIME held thsm SPELL
bound with hearts that seemed no longer
to beat, and which when the terrible
tension was relaxed and thoy know they
wero net to be the witnesses of an awful
though fascinating fatality left the
strongest men as weak rs children and
as hysterical as women
The town and country roads had been
billed with flaming posters for weeks
before announcing that Mile. Essie VIC
la, the queen Of American aeronauts,
would give balloon ascension and a
parachute descent. The day came and
the expectant little folk Of olympic
gathered with their elders to SOC tho
show. Tho hat was duly passed around,
not once, but half dozen times, us the
balloon--an old, wcll used, hot air
monstor--was swelled. Then Mile Vic
Ia kissed her hands to tho crowd and
seized held of the bar of her trapezs as
the balloon tugged and strained Mt ito
ropes.
All was ready, and the balloon would
the next moment be released in the &C
customcd way, when the accident oc-
CARED. Swinging sideways, the fringe
OF the air bag caught the flame, and in
startled surprise those who were holding
the balloon prisoner until they reoeived
the release signal let go their hold The
next moment the great gray bag shot
upward, crowned with vicious sheet
of fiamo.
The aoronaut had been waiting her
signal, her hands mechanically holding
tight to the slender trapege bar upon
which her rnidair fcats were to be per-
formed. There was cry of horror as
the crowd realized the tragic situation,
and s00pairs of hands were outstretched
to grasp tho unfortunate performer 1t
was too late. The balloon rose straight
in the air, mounting rapidly, then list
cd to west and swept with tho breeze in
that direction, an altitude of fully a
mile being reached almost before tho
Mortified crowd Of onlookers could real
lie what they were unwillingly wit
Messing. The young acronaut retained
ell her presence OF mind, for she real
lied that she required it.
The upward fight Of the balloon was
series of jumps, and the balloonist,
with extreme difficulty, maintained her
seat and cast occasional furtive chances
upward. The fire she as we'll rs those
below could see was spreading rapidly,
and her mind and hands wero busy.
Winding one leg about tho sido rope of
the trapoze, she coolly proceeded to IN
fasten the parachute Its ropes had be.
come tangled III the escape Of the bal
loon, and it seemed that it would be i'm
possible to detach it before the fire com
pleted the destruction of tho mir bag,
which was rapidly losing its buoyancy
and threatened to collapse. Standing
with one foot on the trapezc bar and the
other pointed in space to balance the
1.-the figure, Mile, Viola lent hands and
teeth to the undoing of the knot that
defied her hands alone.
1t was not before the balloon had &C.
tually begun to fall that success crowned
her efforts. Then as she abandoned the
trapeze and seized the parachute with
both hands the crowd below saw that
ahe had risked everything on the para
chute and that it was indeed leap for
life In silence they watched the para
chute drop, at first refusing to opon
and apparently pushing the woman who
chung to it down to certain and horri-
BILE death. b
Then 1t began to open, and even rs it
Odd SO second gasp of horror escaped
the spectators 1t, too, was Oh fire.
Slowly it descended at first, then more
alowly, az it caught the mir and was
breught nearer and nearer the ground.
The breeze had died away, and the de-
bris of the balloon was following the
parachute and its passenger straight
down. When it neared the earth, the girl
was seen to draw her limbs together as
though preparing for the last act. Then,
watching her opportunity, she dropped
clear OF the burning mass and alighted
en- the ground absolutely unhurt
The balloon and the parachute struck
the ground almost together. The girl
was trembling when the crowd reached
her, but there was no sign Of hysterical
reaction, and her nerves were stronger
than those of her manager.
II told you it would go that way
come time if you didn t look out for it, y
abe said to him as he came up, and there
was no reply.
Later In the evening correspondent
OF the Australian Star talked to her.
She was very nervous then and realized
fully the extent of the peril in which
she had been.
NO, l never had quite so close a