Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-08-15
AN ADVENTURE IN THE UPPER SEA.


q younger man (Which is not SO long)
I was an aeronaut and navigated that
aerial ocean which is all around
about and above us. Naturally it is
hazardous profession, and naturally
I have had many thrilling experiences,
the most thrilling, or at least the
most nerve racking, being the one l
am about to relate.
1t happened before went in for hy-
droeen gas balloons, all of vanished
silk. doubled and lined, and all that,
and fit for voyages of days instead OF
mere hours. The Little Nassau"
(named after the Great Nassau" OF
many years back, was the balloon l
was making ascents in at the time. 1t
was fair-sized hot air affair, of sim
gle thickness, good for an hours fight
or so and capable of attaining an
altitude of a mile or more. 1t an
Swered my purpose, for my act at the
lime was making half-mile parachute
Jumps at recreation parks and coun-
try fairs. | was in Oakland, Cali
fcrnia town, filling a summers en-
gagement with street railway COM
pany. The company owned large
park outside the city, and of course
1t was to its interest to provide at
fractions which would send the towns
people over its line when they went
out to get whiff of country air. My
contract called for two ascensions
weekly, and my act was an especially
taking feature, for it was on my days
that the largest crowds were drawn.
Before you can understand what
happened, | must first explain Dit
about the nature of the hot air bal
loon which is used for parachute jump
ing If you have ever witnessed such
a jump, you will remember that di-
rectly the parachute was cut loose
the balloon turned upside down, emp
tied itself Of its smoke and heated
air, f1attened out and fell straight
down, beating the parachute to the
ground. Thus there is no chasing
big deserted bag for miles and miles
across the country, and much time, as
we'll as trouble, is thereby saved. This
maneuver is accomplished by attach
ing weight, at the end of long
rope. to the top Of the balloon. The
aeronaut, with his parachute and tra-
peZe, hangs to the bottom Of the bal
loon, and weighing more, keeps it
right side down. But when he lets go,
the weight attached to the top imme-
diately drags the top down, and the
bottom, which is the open mouth, goes
up, the heated air pouring out. The
weight used for this purpose on the
Little Nassau" was a bag OF sand.
But to return. On the particular
day l have in mind there was an un-
Usually large crowd in attendance, and
the police had their hands full keep
ing the people back. There was much
pushing and showing, and the ropes
were bulging with the pressure Of men.
women and children. AS | came down
from the dressing room / noticed two
girls outside the ropes, of about IA
md 16, and inside the rope youngster
Of 8 or 9. They were sIoldng him by
the hands, and he was struggling, ex-
eitedly and half in laughter, to get
away from them. | thought nothing
Of it at the time-just a bit of childish
play, no more; and it was only in the
light of after events that the scene
was impressed wildly upon me.
Keep them cleared out, George!" |
salled to my assistant I'VE don't want
any accidents"
"Ay," he answered, that I will,
Charley"
George Cuppy had helped me in no
end of ascents, and because Of his
soolness, judgment and absolute reli-
ability, l had come to trust my life
In his hands with the utmost conf
tence. His business it was to over
look the initiating of the balloon and
to see that everything about the par
lchute was in perfect working order.
The Little Nassau" was already
oiled and straining at the guys. The
)rachute lay fiat along the ground
I'D beyond it the trapeZe. l tossed
aside my overcoat, took my position,
and gave the signal to let go. AS you
kulOW, llle uTSI TuSn upWdTu lTOHl
The earth is very sudden, and this
lime the balloon, when it first caught
The wind, heeled violently over and
was longer than usual in righting l
cooked down at the old familiar sight
Of the world rushing away from me-
AEd there were the thousands of peo-
pie, every face silently upturned. And
The silence startled me, for, as crowds
went this was the tine for them to
ratch their first breath and send up a
roar of applause. But there was no
hand clapping, whistling, cheering
only silence, And instead, clear as
bell and distinct, without the slight
est shake or quaver, came Georges
voice through the megaphone:
Ride her down, Charley! Ride the
balloon down.
What had happened? l waved my
hand to show that had heard, and be-
gan to think. Had something gone
!