The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-08-12
DEER'S TRIP A SUCCESS.
Got Tangled in the Parachute When the
Dive Is ATTEMPTED.

Clinging by his toes to a parachute
Skyscraper" j. P. Deer made jump
of 5000 feet from the clouds into Lake
Michigan Sunday afternoon at about l
o'clock. He performed the feat sue
cessfully and was rescued from his
sudden bath twenty seconds after he
struck the water. Four thousand pas
seGgers on board the Christopher Co.
lumbus witnessed the sensational as
cent and descent, as did every Keno
shan who could find boat to get out
there in.
Skyscraper" Deer is known among
aeronauts by the dignifed title Of
:" Prof" Deer. For the last seven
years he has been making aerial trips
from land. Now he has set anew pace
for parachute jumpers by starting from
the deck of a vessel. The feat was
performed without accident, but twice
the professor was in great danger.
When he made the ascent his balloon
carried him directly upward and prep
arations for the Jump were made d.
rectly overhead the excursion steamer.
The aeronaut could be seen through
the glass making frantic motions to-
ward the boat. His meaning was
guessed and the boat began to move.
In an instant Prof. Deer launched from
the balloon and with his toes fastened
in the hoop of the parachute he darted
toward the water with his head down
ward. A thousand feet were passed
before the parachute opened. When it
did there was a cheer from the crowd
as the daring aeronaut came more
slowly toward the water.
Three hundred feet from the water
the professor tried to free himself from
the parachute and make clean dive
into the lake. As he was about to
jump rope caught his foot and man
and parachute struck the water at the
same instant Being engaged in his
efforts to free himself from the para
chute, the cloud scraper neglected to
straighten himself for the plunge. He
struck the water with his neck and
back Lifeboats had been lowered and
they were quickly on the spot. The
aeronaut came to the surface within a
few seconds and was taken on board
the whaleback.
The ascent and descent lasted but
two minutes, but the whaleback was
delayed nearly an hour while prepara-
| tiOns were being made tor the ascent.
A balloon sixty feet high was placed on
the hurricane deck near the stern and
filed with hot air. Three miles off Ke-
nosha was the place chosen for the
attempt but it took place between here
and Waukegan. Dozens of small boats
crowded with passengers pushed out
when the whaleback was seen to stop.
Thirty minutes after the vessel stopped
the balloon shot upward from the deck,
dragging after it the parachute from
which the professor, clad in black jer-
sey and trunks, hung by his teeth.
The descent was started in the same
manner, but the professor quickly re-
versed his position and hung by bis
feet.
Prof. Deer is little the worse for his
trip. The muscles of his neck and back
were stiff from the sudden contact with
the surface of the water. Otherwise
he was ready for another attempt.
Difficulty was encountered in getting
a sufficient quantity of hot air into the
balloon, and the ascent was slow. The
professors verdict was that it was a
little too slow for man hanging by his
teeth. He will make another similar
attempt soon, and is confident that
with his balloon in good condition he
can travel 5000 feet upward in eleven
seconds.
This makes 254 times Prof. Deer has
been on aerial trips, and he claims the
credit of having introduced a new
| feature into aeronautic circles.