Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1896-02-29
A PARACHUTE JUMP.
The Sensations Described by . Man WI
Made this Descent.

Made ths Descent.
The great balloon which was TO bcai
me on my first journey up into the azur,
heights, and from which was /, mako
my maiden leap with parachute, was
Juggling like thing of life ut Its moor
ings upon the broad lawn. confess
that II was with some nervousness
took my seat in the little chr beside
Joseph Norcross, skilled aeronaut
who had from dizzy heights made many
and many fight earthward through
the air. With this same balloon he
had during the past year safely made
sixty-seven ascensions to the realms
beyond the clouds, and had each time
successfully descended with the para.
chute. So why should fear?
Norcross smilingly welcomed me,
and as he gave the order to cast loose
the line and the men on the ground re.
leased the great aerial traveller, felt
myself afoat in little boat upon an
ether sen. There was no sudden Jolt
or jar about II, SO cleverly 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 Garth kept rcceding.
Norcross smiled.
Then l gazed 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-llne In his
hand. Again looked down, and the
houses and barns seemed to crouch
closer to the ground and the villages
to cluster together. Streams and lakes
Mt 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
ulous county seat. We were far from
the world.
Suddenly we were in a cold, drizzly
rain and the earth was shut from view.
! looked inquiringly at Norcross.
"We have entered the Clouds" was
his smiling explanation, land we are
not yet mile high"
In five minutes we emerged into
beautiful sunshine. Beneath us lay n
heavy bank of fog FURNISHED by the
ardent afternoon sunlight. but the
earth for time was not within sight.
Suddenly through rift in the clouds
! caught a glimpse of it far. far below.
SO distant was II that only here and
there could an object on its surface he
discerned. Truly. we were getting
well up in the world.
The thought ut once attracted my
serious attention to the balloon. Sup
pose il should spring leak or COLLAPSE.
what would lie the fate of the daring
sky travellers? Or. on the other hand.
IL the valve line failed to operate, would
we go on upward forever? The thought
disturbed me not little. The aero.
naut surmiscd what was passing in my
mind. smiled gcnially and said
II have maii thousand ascensions
unnarmed'
From what hcirht would YOU like
to leap?" calmly inquire NorcrosS
Make IL ABOUT one thousand feet,
replied, dcicrminedly.
"All right" Norcross responded. as
lie scanned the "er"metcr and prompt
~ puiied open me valve preparatory
10 DESCENDING
fiac'n my mad ou' over the side q!
the ear the rush OF col MIR a"ninst my
down'trrned palm in' 'ci'et that we
were hga'n swiftly J" rnevin" earth
ward. soon we were envelope in tae
log OF 'he clon Dams ''r minute or
two ana then emergc6 VIA The dr.
tant earth IN view. Tne glance nj II
from my perch there away up near TIE
clouds only increased m nervousness.
Look up. Look up' exclaimei the
aeronant' or yonii lose your n'rve.
y glance downward when descending
with the parachute might. knew,
turn my hair white d' bring on
stroke OF paralysis as II nal done in
the case OF some other men.
twenty-five hundred 'ect from here
to the round. excl iimei the smiling
Noreross' Get ready!
lie then bound round my body under
the arms stout rope, the other END OF
which was secured to the traprae bar
in my hnni and which In turn was at
'ached to the parachute that hung nj
the bottom OF tn' car
1t was now raniI,y approaching the
time when ! should make the leap OF
my LIE ana graiping I'll" guy ropes OF
the car ] stood upon the seat IN rendi-
ness. while Norefoss gave me his hnai
Instructions
Leap ms TAR out INTO the mir rs pos
sible and the liz htening OF the tr'peze
line Will release the parachute, which
Will open It's hiteen-lont spread In
Cnnnn1