Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-07-27
COLLAPSE OF cocKlNo's pARAcHUrE

4 name, is about to attempt something
never hitherto achieved-no less. In
fact, than to descend from the clouds
BY means OF n parachute.
A hoarse cheer rises on the air as
at given signal the ropes are severed
ano the huge balloon scars away to-
ward the armament The car Is occu-
pied by MIR. Green and a fellow
aeronaut and the spectators below
perceive that Cooking, the Intrepid
parachutist, is suspended by a smaller
basket beneath. with his parachute be-
side him.
Up In the clouds all Is silence, but at
length Mr.. Green hears Cocksng,s
voice:
How high are we, Mr. Greenr'
About 1000 feet"
Good. Let me know when we are
1900 feet and then every 500 until we
reach 5000 feet. That's the height
from which want to descend
Al length the fateful words ''Fiye
thousand feet" are ammo lnced. "Let
go? cries Cooking. and Mr.. Green
sewers the ropes which keep the para
chute fast to the car
Down below the spectators are cram
Ing their necks. They see the balloon
shoot suddenly upward and a tiny
speck come hurting down with terri
Die rapidity. They know il Is Cock
Ing, and n thrill runs through every
nerve.
Nearer and nearer. laundering to
earth, comes the doomed man. Moth
Ing can save him. and strong men
shudder and women faint. Then all
Is over. Smashed to jelly. poor Cock
ing. the victim OF his own intrepidlsy.
lies dead on the stones OF the street.
1t is Sunday morning In the pleasant
city OF Bordeaux. southern France.
For some days previously the inhabit-
ants of the city have been excited over
the announcement that an Englishman.
Lieutenant Gale, will on this particu-
Lar Sunday make sensational bal
loon ascent. The novelty OF the en-
tertainment consists In the fact that
Dit. Gale will dispense with the usual
car and will ascend seated on the back
OF pony.
thousands OF excitement loving
Frenchmen and Frenchwomen assem-
BILE hours before the time fixed for the
ascent at the Hippodrome Vincennes.
Everything Is favorable for the event.
The balloon known as the Royal Gre
morne" Is filled with gas, and when
Mr.. Gale appears. accompanied by the
pony, cheers ring out far and near.
All Is ready. The pony Is securely
dashed to the ropes attached to the net
ting. Mr.. Gale takes his place on its
back. the stentorian order to let go is
uttered, and up shoots the balloon.
Mr.. Gale Is seen seated gracefully ON
the animal, the bride In one hand,
while he salutes the audience with the
other. A shudder OF fear goes through
the audience as the pony makes an ef-
fort as If to free itself, but its rider IS
perfectly calm and collected.
Slowly the balloon sails away, and
some distance from Bordeaux 1t is OBJ
served to be descending Skillful aero
naut as he is, Lieutenant Gale brings
the balloon safely to ground. where it
is held by over hundred peasants by
whom 1t Is eventually secured to a
tree.
The horse is loosened. and then q
terrible thing happens. Relieved of
the weight OF the animal, the balloon
makes an upward dart Mr.. Gale is
hanging on to one of the ropes, and be-
fore the peasants can lay hands on the
netting the grappler attached to the
tree Is dragged out, and the unfortu-
nate aeronaut Is whirled aloft, hang
Ing with both hands to the fraH rope.
Horrihed, the onlookers can do moth
Ing. They see the whirling figure OF
tho balloonist as he makes frantic eff
forts to climb up the rope. They see
him spun this way and that, and, spell
bound, they watch for that critical mo-
ment when nature must give out and
the wretched man must come thunder
Ing to his doom.
The balloon reaches a height OF over
1850 feet and sweeps along for dis
lance OK two miles. What must be the
agony of the miserable man dangling
from that roper What thoughts must