The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-06-30
Terror in Midair.


"Circus life has its incidental dan
gers, as I found out in my experience
of more than a half century, under the
canvas" The speaker was Dan Rice,
the veteran clown and circus proprie-
tor. Gone of the dangers I encoun-
tered was recalled by a paragraph in a
paper the other day about an %aeronaut
being killed in making a jump from a
balloon with a parachute. I had a
narrow escape from a similar death
away back before the war.
II was always willing to act as gen.
eral emergency man, to do any work
and fill any place in any circus with
which I have been connected, ard in
such cases have been in imminent
danger of being devoured by lions,
crushed by elephants, and 'skined'
alive by candy butchers and other en-
ployes who handled my money, butthe
occurrence I am about to relate was as
interesting as anything in my career.
II believe / was the first circus pro-
prietor in the world to employ q pro-
fessional to make a balloon ascension
and a parachute jump prior to each
afternoon performance, picking up an
aeronaut named Ed. Billings in an
Ohio town.
"Now, Ed. was a good aeronaut, en-
tircly devoid of ear, and made leaps
with the parachute from greater
heights than had ever been made be-
fore. The only trouble was that Ed.
was too ~jovial, and at times drank too
much whiskey. More than once ]. had
spoken my mind To him on the sub
ject, and, as he did not heed my re-
marks, I made every preparation for
oppcrtuncly advertising my circus on
the day when he should in the natural
course of events fall from his balloon
or parachute and be killed. With the
same foresight I made a study of aero
n%autics and parachute leaping, until |
felt competent to fill his position when
made vacant. The occasion for my
services came at White Water, Mich,
when, at ascension time, Billings lay
under a wagon suffering from sick
headache
"When it became evident tLGt ]
must make the ascension and jump, ]
did not hesitate, but, donning a tinsel
suit, entered the car and began my
first journey skyward, amid a chorus
of half-suppressed EXPLANATIONS of
admiration from an immense throng OF
spectators. AS I saw the earth drop,
ping from me and the human forms
below growing shorter and smaller,
until they appeared like the tiniest
insects, / contrived to maintain my
nerve, and, leaning over the edge Of
the basket or car, brayely threw kisses
to the gaping crowd beneath. WheI
I had assembled nearer heaven than ]
had ever been before-say 1900 Of
1900 fcet-I prepared to make my
maiden leap, being particularly care
full that my every movement should
be seen by the crowd Of spectator:
away down beneath on the earth:
CATER a time l pulled open the es'
cape valve of the balloon, which
slowly began to descend after remain
ing stationary for a brief moment
Then I clutched the trapeze bar, which
was attached to the parachute, kissed
my hand to the expanse Of upturned
faces below, shut both eyes and made
a bold jump out into space, and sho'
like an arrow earthward. My feeling:
at that critical moment can best be
described as one of all-goneness, but
grimly and desperately I clutched the
bar in my hand, and, with my hear
in my mouth, a~nxiously awaited tht
sharp swapping sound which would
announce the opening Of the parachute
But the sound did not come. Grca'
God how the seconds flew by, ano
still the accursed canvas did not open
Though darting earthward fatally
hope did not desert me.
my mind, under the excitement
became unusually active, and, as
looked below and saw the earth rapidly
approaching, | concluded that my
chances of escape from figuring as the
chief object of interest at a funera
was too small to mention. | resolved
that my death should be the best ad
vcrtisement Dan Ricc's circus ever
received, but the thought of how wei
the show was prepared to herald thu
sad event far and near was poor con
ISOLATION at that moment
"Suddenly the sharp, swapping
sound ran upon my cars. Thanl
God the parachute had opened
was saved, and that, too, at the las
possible moment. My descent was a
once checked and the earth was no
200 feet away. 1t was with assumec
case that | finally landed upon thu
ground, and l doubt if any, save tn
circus people, in that great crowd knew
how near l had been to DEATH"
"When Billings subsequently learn
cd of my pcrilous leap with the para
chute and narrow escape from a peril
Gus death he came with tears in his
eyes and, taking my hand, vowed tina
he would never again touch an lntoxl,
cant. lie was true to his VOW, ant
remained in my employ until his death
from natural causes several year:
later. Always [ have been a stickle1
for temperance habits on the part q
my employees of all kinds. and on set
Ting with them always made an allow
ance of money for thyse who had re
Trained from ovcrindulgcnce in stron!
drink. AS a result | had better con
troll over my company than had thu
average circus proprietor. If yol
want sobricty to prevail in a circus
or anywhere else for that matter, maxi
it an object to the people to keel
| sober "-Nen TDyk Sim,