Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-07-17
AERIAL FLIGHTS.
A Ralloonist Tells How IL Feels to
FAN From the Clouds.

Parachute jumping is a modern ad-
junct to the bsIlooning business. SAID
the retired aeronaut. The records are
silent as TO the identity of its in
vcntor. but il Is not more than IL or 10
years since il was first ATTEMPTED
Hundreds and even thousands Of dol
lars were paid in those days for
single ride. q.
u took my first lesson in riding the
bag from Van Tasel. IT came about
in a curious way. About eight years
ago a western railroad began its at
tempt To make the Great Salt lake in
Utah Il popular inland seaside resort
All sorts of attractions were offered.
Among thcra were various sorts of out
door pcrforrIIa Of the kind made
familiar by the circus.
My partner and were doing ira
pezc turn ut the beach. One day as we
sat at lunch in downtown restaurant
my eye fell upon big threc-shect
poster announcing the first balloon as
cension by the great Van Tasel at
Garfield beach on the following day.
Parachute jumping wls little known in
those days. and W. made merry over
the impoSsibility of doing what WAS set
forth on the poster.
"At tho next table sat man who
seemed nightly interested in our con-
vcrsation. The bills set forth some i'm
mensc sum that was to be paid the
famous traveller or the air. and ! re
marked that | would be perfectly will
ing 10 make the trip for Si0o. The next
day. as we We're walking on the beach.
the man we had seen in the restaurant
approached and began talking balloon.
He asked If / 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 sub
Stitutcd for his own.
You know that parachutes are Of
different dimensions. graded according
To the weight of the performer His
wife. weighed 13n. he weighed 40. and
10 use her outfit was out Of the uues-
tion. He said he was to get 5000 for
eight aScensions. and if he could not
get a substitute he would have to
throw up the contract. He offered me
5000 if would 70 up the first two lays.
by which time he expected his balloon
would arrive.
1T is a point of honor with show per-
pie to make good their little bluffs. and
while | was hesitating he kept showing
at mo column after column of news
paper clippings intended to prove that
there was nothing dangerous about the
leap. The upshot of it was that took
him up. and that afternoon I deCl<ed
myself in my rrettiest pair Of tights.
determined to die beautifully if not
braVclv.
Il must have shown something If my
inward misgivings in my eye. as the
professor gave me n last opportunity
to back out. I was game. however
and let them tic the lifeline to me and
grasped the bar in both hands
The bag looked like live monster
as il tugEed and leared at it's leash 1t
was a 60 footcY of the kind then made
70 rise with startling rapidity so that /
the jumper could get the most there
was out Of the spectacular part cf it.
My nerve almost failed me as the
moments passed. and if they had not
given me the signal to let 60 when taey
did would have iSnominiously backed
down. AS it was. | was on the point
,f turning round to speak to Van Tasel
when the Jerk came.
II suppose it was q mere matter Of in
'tinCt. bat | followed the instrtIc ions to
'un a few steps and leap with the balloon
u order to lessen the shock Of the sud
len separation from the earth. NV legs
we're through rope looms ami the l'ne
would have held me had unconsciousncss
'omc. hut with the first wave of triuh,
'as*cd ] actually began to enjoy my Elf
y looked down. and could SEQ a won
'"rtui panorama RAPIDLY unfolding under
nc. have seen the sam" thing many
im"s since, hut a more novel sight never
struck my vision. Mountains seemod to
'e slowly ieveled, and the waters OF The
axe gradually e spread over the earth.
vas shocked to find the balloon gone.
Apparently | was suspended from n7th-
hE hut ln feet Of taut rope. In fact, tho
''g had s'mnly gone into q cloud. and
vas out Of sight.
The next instant heard tn" sirnrl
NOT from the professors revolver. NJ
Nm' ana w"nt , on IN ."arch Of The cutoff
~ heart was in nv tliroa' Just ono
M SAID my brain t~ain NJ ~ 4
.''a' "1t Again hc~itatcd. Only a IT,
nv 'dea "f how long it took The I'D rtvI.
.hnte 10 oren would nave~ rrv~
lu' ked M courage enough to pnll that
ord NV heart was u. ting tattoo m ,
nv hrcast AMI il was aho"' all tha,
nuld do To hold on. I cautiously tr.cI 5
ne rore. 1t seemed to he working Tam :
cut Loose. II
1T was a clear drop Of several hundred
'ct before there was any s:avin: nf II,
ownward momentum. a sickness, that !
'cmcd NOR al possessed me. a drown I
lg man. they say. secs his life pass be a
'rc him n review. ! saw nothing. q
1T every thing. Ny only recollection .y /.
horror. terrible hinck sh1.e 4
'nuching iuet above me. ! did not even
link to look at the.chutc. I simply
I'D on and fell fell
Then just before Inconsistencies