The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-13
"BALLOON JUMPERS
Aeronaut Thinks That a Fortune
Awaits One in Brazil.

Haverhill, Mass. April 13.-Leslie B.
Haddock is Just back from Rio de
Janeiro. where he has been talkins
balloon ascensions and parachute jump
ing to the Brazilians He thinks Bra
I'll a good field for balloon jumpers, =
and may go there on a professional trip
next cold weather Balloons are new
throughout the east as one Of the most
expert and daring balloon jumpers, -
had an idea that the sensational ascen-
sions and even more sensational para
chute jumps of Yankee aeronauts might
strike the fancy Of the tropical amuse-
ment seekers He found them quite
pleased with the notion, and encourage
ing In the talks he had with them.
Haddock left Haverhill the first week
IN January last, and on the sixth of
that month sailed from New York on
the steamer Cerea down to Rio de jan
GIRO On arrival he interviewed United
states Consul General Eugene Seager.
asking his general opinion of balloon
prospects in Brazil and also for names
Of good men with whom to talk bust
ness. Consul Seager thought a balloon
enterprise would be a novelty for Bra
I'll and paying venture for an expe-
rlenced man. He furnished Haddock
with names Of promising Brazilian men
IN the capital city who would be inter-
ested in any form of profitable amuse-
ment enterprise. Haddock talked with
these men, spent a few days inspecting
the city, and then returned north. ar
irving in New York last week and back
home in Haverhill a few days later.
Boston Journal man, happening to
run across Haddock here, noticed the
tan he had acquired and that led to
questions which brought out the story
tropics
Speaking of his talks with the Brazil
lans, Haddock said: I found the Bal
loon Jumper to be an entirely new
IN p n 10. =
ascenslons in Venezuela, but I don't
think would care to try there just at
present. Venezuelan affairs. according
to the papers, seem to be unsettled. But
Rio should be good field.
The novelty of an ascension and a
parachute jump couldn't fail to take,
and would be a great holiday attraction.
They seem to have holidays to burn
down IN Rio There are government
holidays and religious fete days, and
whenever one or the other of those
comes everybody knocks off work. they
tell me, and goes out to have a good
time.
We'll, I talked balloon to those cIaps
till my head felt like one They don't
seem to be so very hustIing down in Rio.
But they are shrewd enough along some
lines They take about two days to talk
over proposition and look a il from
all sides before they give an opinion.
They'll smoke about a dozen cigarettes
Ginning over 4 business point then go
back ana talk IT over again. But, on
the whole I got what I went after-that
is. encoura cement to return next fall
when cold weather comes here, and give
the Brazilians q touch of the real thing
in balloon jumping.
According to what 1 learned from
the men I saw good aeronaut could
make those chaps eyes stick out. And
there ought to be money in it, too.
4 didn't close any contracts, didn't
try to. All ! wanted was to look the
ground over. If I had found there was
nothing doing. I would have had the
trip and the experience. AS it is. it
won't be bit surprising to me il
find myself doing parachute stunts n
the tropics about next November, after
the fair circuits close"
Leslie B. Haddock is Haverhill
grammar and high school graduate
learned balloon jumping under the i'll
fated Prof. Charles Wolcott, and for the
past eight years has made innumerable
successful ascensions and parachute
jumps He was a feature at fairs last
fall when he introduced the mortar
jump, a variation of the cannon jump
In this aerial act he is carried up en-
cased in a metal mortar-shaped shell
dangling from the balloon. At the pro-
per height the mortar is exploded, the
daring balloon jumper shot forth, and
clutching his parachute bars the while,
is let down to earth-a spectacular per-
Torrance.