Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-09-07
A PARACHUTE JUMP.
The Sensations Described by n Man WI
Made the Descent.

Aug ttunMttOuh HtArTtbtu Uy " hau w Nv
Made the Descent.
The great balloon which was to bean
me on my first journey up into the azure
heights, and from which was to mako
mynmaiden leap with parachute, wns
tugEing like thing OF life ut its moor
ings upon the broad lawn. l confess
that II was with some nervousness
took my seat in the little car beside
Joseph Norcross, skilled aeronaut,
who had from dizzy heights made many
and many "a flight earthward through
the mir. With this same balloon nc
had during the past year safely made
sixty-sevcn asccnsions to the realms
beyond the clouds, and had each tim,
successfully descended with the para
chute. SO why should | fear?
Norcross smilingly welcomed me,
and as he gave the ar Ter Ia east loose
the line ana the men ON the ground RI.
leased the great aerial traveller, felt
myself atloat in little boat upon AN
ether sea. There was no sudden jolt
or jar about IL, 80 clcvcrly was the re-
lease effected. Putting my head over
the side of the car. looked below and
was surprised, for, apparently, we
were not ascending. but the great old
world, with all her glory of green and
gold, was dropping from us away down
into space. looked in pleased amaze
ment upon the wonderful panorama
presented rs the earth kept reccding.
Norcross smiled.
Then gaIcd upward ut the great
bird-like balloon soaring triumphantly
ON. and yet completely under the con-
troll of the brave acronaut sitting calm
ly there with the valve-linc in his
hand. Again looked down, and the
houses and barns seemed to crouch
closer 10 the ground and the villages
To cluster together. Streams and lakes
ut last looked like mere threads, or
blots of silver. Away in the north the
range of mountains looked like AN en-.
erald wall, while that dark blur of the
earth below was the thriving and pop
nlous county seat. We were far from
the world.
Suddenly we were in cold, drizziy
rain ana the earth was smut from view
looked inquiringly ut Norcross.
We have entered the Clouds was
ms smii'hs eNpianal'oh' ana we are
not yet mile high"
In hvc minutes we emerged INTO
beautiful sunshine. Beneath us lay n
heavy bank of fog FURNISHED by the
ardent afternoon s"hiish., o"' the
e"r'n ior '''he was not WIN" s's"''
suddenly through ritt IN the CLOUDS
l caught glimpse Oh u iur, lar "e'ow,
80 distant was u that only mere ana
there c"u'd an ooJ'c' on IT'S s"r'"ee De
ulscerheu. truly we were getting
well up IN the world
Inc 'hought ~ once "..rac'e" my
serious attehtioh 10 Tue pa'iooh' sup
pose II shouiu spring 'c"n vi co,"pSe'
what would Dc Tue iate Oh tue 'ar'hS
SKY traveiers' or, on the o'h'r hahu,
IL the waive line ia'ie" 10 operate; woulu
we go on upward forever me 'houRh'
disturbed ne not NIUE nc aero
hau. s"r'n'ssu Wn"r was passing i" my
ihiiid, smiled geh'aiiy ana sa'a'
nave nia"c 'h""s"'iu "sce"s'o"S
unframed
FROM what he'ght wouiu you like
10 leap calmly inquired Norcross
Make ~ aoout one thousah" ieet'
fep,'e'. aeterm'heoiy'
All risht. Norcross respohoe"' as
lie scanned the aerometer IN" prompt
~ puiieu open the VaiVe' preparatory
1" descending. .
fiacihG my mana out over the siue Oh
the car the rush OF cola air against my
palm indicated that we
were again swiftly Jonrheyihg earth-
ward. soon we were enVeiopeu IN Tue
log Oh the cio"h oanK lot minute OF
Two ana theh emerged WIN the uis'
tant earth IN view Inc glance AT IL
from my perch there away up near the
clouds only increased my nervousness
Look mp LOOK up! exclaimed the
aeronau'' or you u lose your nerve:
\ glance DOWNWARD whch descending
with the parachute might l Knew
turn my mar white or prihg on
stroke oil paralysis Us II had done III
the case OF some other men
Twenty-Five hundred feet from here
To the ground, exclaimed the smiiin2
Norcross' Get ready"
lie then bound round my BODY under
the arms stout rope the other end III
which was secured to the trap'ze bar
IN my hand ana when IN turn was ut
tached to the parachute That hung nj
the bottom OF the ear :.
1t was now rapidly approaching the
time when ! should make the leap OF
my lie, ana grasping tine guy ropes OF
the ear, / stood upon the seat IN readi'
ness, while Norcross gave Inc his maj
instructions
Leap as far out into the air as pos
sible and the tightening OF the trapeze
line will release the parachute which