The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-27

like a stone. while the nearoGs rescuing
crew was 200 feet away. II was his FIRST
and last spectacular exhibition In the pres
cnce OF . great multitude. He was Is
years old.
u. -. West Was Never Tound.
Edward N. East. q years old. me, . sim
liar fate In Minnesota lake ono pleasant
evening In tho first week Of August. He
began the hazardous work Of kiting bal
looms and jumping from parachutes early
this season. hoping to mako pot OF mon
ey and to win the plaudits Of admiring null
t!tudes but unfortunately his mstsoric ca
reer was cut short at his NTH ascension.
1t WAS In the town Of Walker. Accord.
Ing to advertisements. the young aeronaut
made his ascension in the evening. and
there was q big crowd on hand to watch
the performance. Everything was made
ready. and the hot air balloon shot heav-
onward at the rate OF mile q minute. At
an altitude Of several hundred feet strong
wind caught tho balloon and carried Il out
over the south arm Of Leach lake Soon
the aerial vehicle. with the young man
ssil, sitting on the trapese. was lost to
sight. A sense OF impending danger spread
through the crowd. Then . steamer has
tened TO the rescue ana although the bal
loon was recovered. the aeronaut was not
to be found. A search waA kept up all
night. but no signs Of the body were ssen
II was supposed that the parachute failed
to do liz work properly and that East. IN
attempting 10 cut himself loose. became
excited and fell headlcnx into the lake.
How Keef Met Ms Death.
Charles Keef. q Cleveland asronaut, met
death In that city July 10 In the presence
az several hundred persons who had assem-
hied 20 witness his balloon ascension and
parachute Jump at Euclid Beach park Tho
balloon and parachute were attached to .
guy rope. which In turn was fastened TO a
stake As the balloon became inflated IL
swayed and tusGed so powerfully as to pull
the stake from the ground. Released from
Its moorings. the airship shot upward with
sudden Jerk. and the trspeze bar was
broken by coming In contact with the NY
ing stage. Aeronaut keef franticaily chung
10 the ropes ~ the BALBOA. Almost before
any one realized the situation he had been
lifted TO a height Of $50 feet from the
ground, At this poin, he glanced downward
over his shoulder, with q look OF terror on
his face. He probably felt that II meant
certain death to cling longer 10 the ropes
and allow the balloon 10 carry him higher.
SO he took TIA one chance In thousand
which remained 20 him and released has
strip for fall. He handed sauareiy on his
feet. The crowd stood breAthless with hor-
rer az he sho, downward like q plummst.
Bath legs we're broken and his internal IN
turies We're very severe. He died without
regainirg consciousness
one OF the most thrilling fights FOR life
IN mida!r THIS eeason was that OF Balloon
ss w. A rhsyer. at e,reator. III. July q.
lie fought bravely. but the odds were
against him and he lest the battle Thay-
went 20 Strcator fror, Collins. Mich, 10
make an ascension at the picnic given by
the local camps o, the Modern woodmen
O! America. Esriy in the afternoon. every
thing being IN readiness, he started on his
aerial voyages. The balloon rose rapidly 20
a height OF about les. feet and then drift
ed toward tho southwest
rhayev's right for Lite IN Midair.
Suddenly the balloon hegan 20 de.r.nd
quickly ana the parachute opened. Thou
sands 81 spssc' .nrs were watching every
movement. They ssrc s-sfsd with panic
so terror when they saw shs frantic but
unsuccessful attempts OF Thayer 10 loosen
the parachute from the balloon. Time and
again In the short space u . few seconds
hs could he seen swsnx every effort and
strainlng every muscle and nerve 10 tree
h.msr,f ard his parachute. until all 90 a
sudden TIE balloon collapsed. A few sec
ends later rh3y~r struck the ground He
, sss dead wien the nrst man reached his
site lie fell q distance OF 80 feet. land
ting on hts back en- q railroad track. HIS
back. neck, t@sh legs ana both arns were
hroksn- I; seems that when he attempted
/ ~ make his parachute descen; tho halicen
tafnfd over and The gas escaped. The big
eHc fafi faster tbag ttle para huge ThAfer
s-sd net Ne& esss la0sc from iise balloon
The resalt was that she Balloon caused ,he
parachute - turn UPSIDE down and tho
AeSsnAas wao leSt heipssaA TAeHoA141