Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-24
TIRED OF. THE TRIP.
SO HE GOT OUT OF THE BALLOON
BY THE JUMP ROUTE.

n
on to an Insane Asylum.
"I went up in a, balloon once. and
never want to make such a trip again."
said Colonel A. Noel Brakeman. MY
experience as an aeronaut was in Lon
don," he continued, land it would
never have occurred but for friend 1
Glanced TO meet there. he was going
to make an ascent, and he persuaded
me to accompany him.
1.-THE balloon was feature of some
big exhibition, and every day it was
| inflated and made an ascent, with four
or five passengers, in charge of an ex-
| perienced aeronaut. There were about
| five in the party the day took the trip.
We got into the basket. which was
boxed in quite high, then let the rope
go. and we shot up about 5000 feet. 1t
was interesting to look down on the
world and hear the noises of London
streets coming from so far below. The
balloon sailed along smoothly, and we
drifted for about eight miles.
''It was when we tried TO descend
that the trouble began, The method
was to throw out anchors as the bal
loon settled toward the earth. The
aeronaut said that when one of these
anchors caught firmly he would haul
the balloon down to the tree in which
the anchor was expected to become
fastened. This would be done by wind
ing in the rope on a winch In the car.
We would be expected to climb out of
the balloon into the tree, he said, and
\, @af- Ill 20 L.,
rope and, standing n safe distance
away, open the valve, let the gas es-
cape. and the big affair would collapse
and sink. He Informed us that we
must get clear of the sinking folds, as
they would come down fast, and If
they caught and covered us we would
be in an atmosphere of most poisonous
gas.
"All this was very interesting, but
we did not seem TO be making very
much progress toward the point where
we would have to look out for the de-
scending folds of the collapsing bal
loon. The anchors caught in n whole
lot of trees. but they did not hold. One
would get tangled in tree. and then
the balloon would sway far over, tilt
ing the basket In which we were until
it seemed that we would be spilled out.
Then the anchor would break loose.
and we would shoot up again.
II became very tired of this and told
the aeronaut that thought il was time
to bring the voyage 10 a conclusion.
He told me If | did not like it'll could
jump out. At first 1 thought he was
simply resentful of my remark, but he
said he meant what he said.
When the car Tits over again, you
climb out on the edge he said, and let
go. 1t will probably be a plowed field
underneath us. and you won't get hurt
well. l did as he suggested. When
the anchor caught again, climbed out
and hung to the edgesof the car. When
l saw that the car was as low as it was
likely to get. let so. l dropped about
IL feet, and. as he expected, a plowed
field was below us.
"As soon as l dropped out the bal
loon, relieved of my weight, shot up in
the air again and scared off. 1 walked
to the nearest road and continued along
ii until 1 came to an inn.
81 asked the landlord how far it was
to London. and he told me it was eight
miles. / ordered a carriage to take me
there, and while l was waiting the
landlord asked me where 1 had come
from.
81 took him to the door of the inn,
and. pointing to the balloon. which was
then sailing along about a quarter of
mile above the ground, said, L jump
ed out of that
THE man looked at me in alarmed
fashion. and after had returned to the
sitting room l noticed that several peo-
pie peered through the window at me.
Finally my four wheeler was ready,
and set off for London. After we had
driven along for half an hour or so the
coachman suddenly turned the horse in
through n gate, and we drove into a big
courtyard. l yelled to him and asked
him what he meant, that / wanted to
go straight to London. but he paid no
attention and slowly circled the court.
When he stopped on the other side,
man wearing glasses stuck his head I'm
the carriage. scrutIniZing me closely,
pulled back, said something to the
coachman, and we drove on to London.
FINALLY we reached my lodgings.
and when we did so the coachman
jumped off the box, ran up the steps
and as soon as his knock was answered
asked If Mr.. Brakeman lived there. |
The maid was just answering that l
did when reached the top of the steps |
and collared the fellow.
what was that place you drove me |
into on our way to London? 1 asked |
him.
at was a hinsane hasylum, SIR he |
replied. when you said you had jump |
ed out o. that balloon, we thought you |
was crazy and maybe you was a es-
capped patient from the hasylum.' -
Washington Post