The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24

fast but had had time 70 collect myself and
was equal Tor my new ride / kept cool and
landed safe. Had lost my nerve and Jumped
when saw tho parachute was gone l would
not be here TO tell about IL
Il had another exciting time in Cincinnati
year ago. | was making an ascension and
everything seemed TO be going safely when
suddenly noticed a big hole in the balloon. Be-
fore could prepare myself to leap the balloon
burst and for a second or two was undecided
Just what to do | had heard before OF the dan
ger Of q bursting balloon and remembered how
several acronauts In recent years had been hurt
by such accidents l resolved not 10 duplicate
that trick. and although my parachute was al
ready beginning TO fall from the balloon jumped.
l must have fallen 800 feet before the parachute
spread out When once the chute in work.
ing order I looked up 10 sec what had become
OF my balloon. l saw that had Jumped mono
too soon, for IL was now only big soaring
sheet which was fast falling to the ground.
Had delayed leaping with the parachute should
have lost my life 1t is another example which
shows that an aeronaut must keep cool, no mat
ter what the danger.
Il have had many other adventures, In fact
every other trip or two involves some sort OF ex-
element have hung in tree tops for half
hour at q time, have fallen in fields OF cactus
in Texas, and have landed on the roofs of houses.
I have bumped up against chimneys and barbed-
wire fences, but tho worst injury l ever received
was a sprainod knee. usually manage to como
down on my feet, and have lately developed tho
act Of breaking the fall by dropping on my knees
and toes at about the same time That breaks
the fall considerably, and ono Is In less danger
OF being hurt All told have been lucky; but
there Is no telling when you meet your day. Vic
toria met hers. She was the most nervy woman
c
day In Detroit saw her mako descent when
she so lame that she could not walk without
crutches. She hobblod to the trapeze and. as the
balloon went up, she held and left her clutches
behind. OF course she hurt herself when she
came down. But she was under contract to ride
the balloon that day, and Victoria never backed
out She too nervy year after she mado
that ride she was killed In St Louis. Her sister
lost her nerve and retired. am still in the bust
ness and don't intend to quit iustyet
New novelties are constantly being In
vented in tho balloon business Just like every
thing elsa In order to make money at the business
nowadays must be up TO date You see, there
arc many aeronauts nowadays Take the
little town Of Sturgis, Mich. Why over there
alone there are ffty-nine Every other person
you meet on the street is an aeronsut School
boys 60 up in balloon for quarter in that place
That town has done more to hurt our business
than all tho others in tho country. Tho compe-
on there is sharp that they cut prices, and that
hurts the business But they can't introduce
tho novelties; only experts can do that It is not
every aeronaut who can shoot himself out OF a
cannon in midair. Nor will every balloonist
dare TO make night ride and shoot of fireworks
he goes along. That Is terribly dangerous,
because you are apt 10 FIRE your balloon wi hout
knowing It, Then again, you don't know where
you will land with your parachute, have dono
all these, but can't say that am fond Of night
rides day ride is good enough for me; but, Of
course, will do it at night II they pay me we'll
enough for ii. In fact it Is the money we are oil
after In that respect our business is the Same
as every other The business man schemes for
tho dollar We court fate and danger for it. It's q
great world, tell you"