Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-16
MIDAIR ADVENTURE
FIRST COMPOSITE STORY EVER
WRITTEN ny FOUR WOMEN.
ON FLYING THROUGH SPACE.
with the Husband ana Father at the
Lever, the Four Women Were Sent
whIzzinE Across River i'm a
Swfftly-Swaytng Box.

The following unique article was written
by these four women, each one telling of
her experience on the midair trip:
TOPEKA, KAN, January 10.-If four
women, by reason Of some unfortu-
nate combination of circumstances, should
be compelled TO cross an unfinished
bridge. high IN the air. above deep and
rapid river, with nothing between them
ana death but a few planks supported on
q spider-web cable. sympathy would be
in order on account of their thrilling es-
cape" When four women go through
the same experience of their own free
will and just for the fun of the thing,
II IS called a daring performance" and
should be greeted with applause.
The country may, therefore, applaud
Mrs. Emma Hunsecker;
Miss Alice Stouffer, sister Of Mrs. Hun
seeker:
Kate and Alice. daughters Of Mrs. Hun
seeker.
Mrs. Emma HunsecRer is the wife Of
Engineer Hunsecker. who Is at work on
the Melan-ConcTete metal bridge, uniting
the two cities on the northern
and southern banks of the Kansas river
which form together the city Of Topeka
The other three heroinos OF the daring
adventure are Mrs. Hunsecker's two
daughters-Alice ana Kate-twO buxom
girls Of 70 and IS years, respectively, and
Mrs. Hunseckcr's sister, Miss Alice
Stoufer.
Their daring ride was not the result
OF a wager and was witnessed by no
cheering crowds. The family had gone
down TO see how the work on the won
derful bridge was progressing, ana on the |
spur of the moment Engineer Hun |
seekers soul was fired with an ambitious /
desire TO make his folks" famous from
one end Of the Continent to the other bv |
sending them through midair across the |
Kansas river the first passenger to cross |
the bridge that, even in its present UNI |
unlsned state, is attracting interested |
spectators from far and near.
The queeriy contradictory nature of
woman showed itself when Engineer /
Hunsecker, half jokingly, half IN earnest
made the proposition. A mouse might
have stampeded the four women. but the
idea OF a flight through the air in
small wooden box was enthusiastically
received.
Before proceeding to the womens own
story, composite recital in which ali |
have elaborated. il is necessary to
give brief description of the bridge
The river is 900 feet in width at this
point. Independent of the approaches
the bridge il composed of five arches. ali |
constituting one huge stone |
from thirty-five feet below lOw-water
line 70 the Keystone Of the great l25-foot
centre arch, which is supported on either
side by two smaller arches, one each of
10 feet, and one each Of 100 feet space
frlr. inf fIa.. ..t..t
10 the proper place on the work. the ,
contractors built a tower hundred feet
nigh upon either bank and Joined the I
towers with a monster cable capable of
sustaining six tons. which permitted q J
lateral movement of forty feet, the width
OF the wagon way Of the bridge From !.
This cable they swung a canoe or skin ,
which, by an ingenious combination OF /
puileys geared 70 a steam engine located /
'n the south tower, could be raised or G
owered. sent forward or backward nj I
he VIII OF the engineer.
with this part OF the situation ex
,lained We Will let Miss Alice stouffer (
write her part Of the story OF the peri q"
Gus trip. which she does as follows: Fl
we were all staggered for an instant d
y uAe proposal OF my brOther-in-law. Y
-hslheer Hunsecker, but when the SUI | -
OF construction, Mr.. Frank | ~
= Gaines consented to accompany ms | u
We became holder, and were al laughing n
'lth 6iee when we stepped into the frau- n
boxing carriage that was to carry us 81
cross the river We had scarcely sten- o.
ed into the skip when, as ii By made y
shot seventy-fiye feet straight inward ~
ITO the air. while we all gasped and
'ould doubtless have shrIeked aloud had
'e not been TOO much frightened to do
nything but merely gasp"
Here Mrs Huug4ckar falrae a., a. 49, az
awe, and she does not altogether agree h.
It'll her sister that every member of the M
arty was scared. This Is her narrative.
! written by herself; ",
Just as Mr.. Gaines called. AN readyy II,
Q earth sank from under us. four wo- a.
en- screeched, Or and eight hands h.
lied hold Of the only man in the crowd.
a second, before the oh could be me-
ished, the ear stopped with US swinging Al
midair with nothing but board be- ~
cen US and the water. eeYegty-nYe feet Sa ga