Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-16

calculating perpendicular distances"
she added with little laugh. II look
ed down, and could hardly distinguish
any object in the city below. / could
see the houses, but they looked faint
and blurred. oh, yes, l can tell pretty
well looking down from my parachute,
where am going to alight. l will not
miss it more than 200 feet.
i don't cut my parachute loose I'M
til the balloon is resting. 1t is easy to
tell when it is no longer in motion.
Balloons are different. Some will not
move in any direction after they have
stopped ascending, while others will
sway in one direction or another. If
my parachute is attached to station
airy balloon, | may as well cut loose inn
mediately even if l am over a lot of
buildings, or a body of water. Do
realize the danger of accident? Ger
tainly. But l take every precaution
possible. l am more careful, if posi-
Bile, each time | make an ascension.
Before the balloon goes up l count the
ropes of my parachute twice, and
personally see that all the apparatus is
in good condition, and properly Sc
cured.
"Parachutes are different in con-
struction. Some are fiat before they
open out, while others have hoop in
side. The latter opens sooner, and
shortens the drop. prefer the fat par
achute, because it makes the descent
I,.f1l - l., -
who makes the most sensational leaps
who commands the largest salary.
can assure you that the quick drop is
just as thrilling as it appears to the
spectators. 1t fairly takes my breath
away, but when the parachute
opens out in umbrella fash
ion there is very little dan
ger. | have learned great deal in
my expeerince, and one thing | have
acquired is the ability to swing myself
out Of danger-from contact with
church spires. pointed roofs, trees, etc.
The only serious mishap in my career
as an aeronaut, | meet with in this city
seven years ago, when / struck the
Presbyterian church. | was forced to
give up parachute leaps for two years.
OF course | don't count scratches. Once
| broke my ankle, but made. an ascen-
sion against the orders of my ply
stefan, and In alighting struck the in
jured foot in such a way >as to repair
the damage previously done-at least
the surgeon told me So"
There is nothing about Mile Zeno's
appearance to indicate the grit and de-
termination which she possesses. but
it is soon revealed in conversation with
her. as she grows enthusiastic in dis
cussing her work.
Il saw the men making parachute
leaps she said. "and escaping with
out injury, and | just made up my
mind that ] could do anything in the
line of daring that man could do"
Then she talked about her first en-
gagement, saying:
Il signed my first contract as an
aeronaut on June 25th, my birthday.
| was filing a theatrical engagement
in Cincinnati. It was in 1890. a man
who owned balloon wanted TO engage
me to make two leaps on the Fourth
of July, che at Coney Island and the
other on the opposite side Of the river.
He offered me SIS for each, and that
was a little more than | was earning
for week in my profession. did not
hesitate. | carefully followed his in
structions, made two successful leaps
within an hour, and received $50 At
ter that / was not only willing, but
eager TO sign a contract for year. The
next season / owned a balloon myself,
and all the necessary paraphernalia,
and I have been making ascensions
every season, with the exception OF the
two years when | was incapacitated by
reason of my accident in Wheeling"
Mile. Zeno talked very entertainingly
about her experiences as an aeropaut.
and relA,d some amusing as well as
interesting incidents. Her scrap book
is filed with clippings from all over
the Union. She has frequently dropped
into bodies Of water.
Are you an expert swimmer" asked
the Register representative
Not an expert, but can handle
myself fairly well. / sometimes think
| it is fortunate for me that am not an
| expert, for then might trust too much
/ to my ability In that line. and overlook