The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-04-19

SicuidIS explaining now easy ana safe
parachute jumping is in this age of
mechanical achievement, and incident
ally calling attention to the low prices
for which aerial outfits were offered.
1T wasn't so ten years ago.
Then a man made an ascent that
was an ascent. He didn't begin work
/, ing the lever the minute he got above
| the tree tops and could just about make
out where to land. Instead, he let the
machine almost reach the cloud line;
then he let loose and came down in full
| view of the people for miles around.
Such an ascension was worth seeing
and it was well worth making.
Parachute jumping Is modern adj
junct to the ballooning business. The
records are silent as to the identity Of
it's inventor, but it is not more than
fourteen or fifteen years since 1t was
first attempted. Hundreds and even
| thousands of dollars were paid in those
days for single ride.
Out at Quincy, ILL.,, along in 1883,
lived two young fellows named Bald
win. BY dint Of long practice in the
gymnasium they became experts on the
bar and trapeze. Both We're daring
| athletes, and they turned their train
ing and nerve to good account. They
were among the first to take up the
new idea, and gave exhibitions of drop
ping from the clouds in various parts
Of the world, including Constantinople,
Berlin, Vienna and Calcutta They
came home in 1890 with 100000 clear
money Today they are among the
substantial citizens of their home town,
| owners of the baseball park and pro-
| prietors of a big factory which turns
out everything needful for an aeronaut.
Another of the pioneers was Profess
sor Van Tasel. He taught his wife the
no rot, 81 Ill.,.
big money before competition cut
prices to pieces. Van Tasel, by the way,
Is dead now. About four years ago he
went to the Hawaiian islands and made
the first ascension ever witnessed in
Honolulu. Unfortunately for him he
dropped into the Pacific ocean and was
eaten by sharks before the eyes of his
wife, who had come out in a tugboat
for the purpose of picking him up.
took my first lesson in riding the
, bag from Van Tasel. 1t came about in
curious way. About eight years ago
the Union Pacific railroad began its
attempt to make the Great Salt lake in
Utah a popular inland seaside resort.
All sorts OF attractions were offered.
Among them We're various sorts of out
door performances Of the kind made
familiar by the circus.
My partner and l were doing a
trapeze turn at the beach. One day as
we sat at lunch in a downtown res
taurant my eye fell upon a big three.
sheet poster announcing the first ba-
loon ascension by the great Van Tasel
at Garfield beach on the following day.
Parachute jumping was little know, in
those days, and we made merry over
the impcssibility Of doing what was set
forth on the poster.
/ AT the next table sat a man who
seemed nightly interested in our con-
versation. The bills set forth some inn
rnense sum that was to be paid the ia
nous traveller Of the air and 1 re-
marked that would be perfectly will
ing to make the trip for s1OO. The next
day as we were walking on the beach
the man we had seen in the restaurant
/ approached and began talking balloon.
He asked II was prepared to make
good the offer Of the day before. was
decidedly taken aback and began to
stammer reply
Then he explained that he was Van
Tasel, and that he and his wife lived
In San Francisco. The engagement had
been made by telegraph and in the
hurry of packing his canvass the bal
loon used by his wife had been substi-
i tuted for his OWL
You know that parachutes are Of
i different dimensions graded according
to the weight of the performer. His
",
to use her outfit was out of the ques-
ton He said he was to get 81, 200 for
eight ascensions and If he could lot
get a substitute he would have to
throw up the contract. He offered me
i $300if would go up the first two days,
by which time he expected his balloon
would arrive.
/ people to make good their little bluffs.
and while was hesitnting he kept
showing at me column after column of
newspaper clippings intended % prove
that there was nothing dangerous
about the leap. The npshot of it was
that I took him up. and that afternoon
decked myself in my prettiest oair OF
\ tights, determined to die beautifully,
| IL not, brayely.
| I must have shown something OF my
inward misgiving i'll my eye, as the
professor gave me a last opportunity
| to back out. / was game, however, and
Itet them tie the lifeline to me and
gTasped the bar with both hands.
The nag looked like live monster
as it tagged and leaped at it's leash. 1t
! was rinety-footer Of the kind then
made to rise. with startling rapiGity
$50 that the jumper could get the most
there was ous of the soectaculas. Part
| of IT. My nerve almost failed me as the
moments passed, and IL they had not
given the signal to let go when
they did II would have ANONYMOUSLY
backed down. AS it was, was on the
point Of timing round to speak to Van
Easel when the jerk came. Is
II suppose 1t was q mere matter of
instinct, butt IA followed the instruc-
ITEMS to run a few steps and leap with
the balloon in order to lessen the
shock Of the sudden separation from
the earth. NY legs We're through rope
loops and the line would have held
me had unconsciousness come. but with,
the first wave ut fright passed ac-
tually began to enjoy myself.
TX looked down and could BEE q won
|sderfuf m nora ma RAPIDLY unfolding nm.