The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-14
TEMPTS DEATH In
AIRSHIP RUNAWAY
Chicago Inventor Scars Above
City, Benumbed, His Ship
Unruly.
Journal Special Service.

Journal Special Service.
Chicago, Dec. 14-With the daring
of a man who faces death for the mere
excitement of it, Horace B. Wild, ~
years old, yesterday afternoon, for the
first time in his life made q flight in
an airship. He scared to a height or
$500 feet above the ground.
ences he returned to the earth safely,
three miles from where he started on
his trip in a machine which never had
been tested before His fight was over
Grand Crossing al. 7 startled the LABOR
ers in the factories Of the district.
Hundreds of people filed the streets to
see the navigator in his flight.
The trip thru the air at the dizzy
height Of half a mile was made under
difficulties and Wild several times
thought it was his end.
In Peril from Gold.
His greatest peril was the danger OF
losing his hold on the machine on ac-
count of the cold. Twice his numb
fingers slipped from their grasp of the
frame of the ship and twice he caught
himself by hooking his heels into a
groove in the crOssbeams. This was at
the maximum height. /,
| The start was made at 4:30 pm. at
Sixty-seventh street and Stoney Island
avenue. The finish Of the perilous jour
gloom of the December evening.
For time all went we'll, the diri-
gible machine moving to the south
Smoothly. Then came trouble. Wild
suddenly realized that the engine oper-
ating the propeller had stopped because
the supply of gasolene was exhausted.
With that came to the airship man the
realization that he, was going higher
and higher and had no means OF pro-
pelling the ship in the direction OF the
earth.
Gnawed at the Knot.
Far above his head was the valve
IF the GREAT bag tied together with
heavy rope. The navigator was un
able to unite the knot because OF the
numbness in his hands and the danger
of falling, should he attempt 1t. tie
thought of the days when he was - a
iaI and hit knots with his teeth. He
would 1t try it this time. Then, holding
to the shi % by the net above his head
his feet swinging free above the frame
! work, lie bit away at the rope to: let
: : 1t was dark by this time and the cole
was increasing. Several times In sue
cession he tugged at the knot ana i
finally gave way. The gas rushed GU
with such great force that 1t stunnee
frame exhausted, while the ship tumbiet
toward the ground at fearful rate.
Expected Tragedy.
People watching the flight Of the ma
chine expected that Wild would b
dashed to pieces. Suddenly he wa
seen standing erect on the frame one
more. He had grasped the valve II
his hands and was staying the down
quick enough to prevent it's nose iron
striking the tall smokestack Of tn
Grand crossing tack factory. Befor
the aeronaut could see what was belov
III the dim light he had encountered, tn
, top of the chimney. He managed t.
slide by it by fitting the ships, fran
and then descended over and beyon
, the roof Of the big building.
Then Wild encountered the creates
d dipPed a 90 to w Within dozen
feet of the Lake Shore railroad track
, in front Of an approaching expires
, train. The aeronaut, benumbed by tn
cold, had not noticed the onward swee
Of the train, but a lad shouted to him t
look out for the express and WI
lore the locomotive WulALeu Wy
/: Almost Unconscious.
The machine was being carried wit
the wind and he was unable to effect
, landing. $780,.
!, Finally, at Eighty-second street an
= Madison avenue, he managed to dro
I his trail line, but it was now too hie
+ in the air for crowds nearby to catch i
$ He finally released some more gas an
q the machine dropped with thud, tt
i wind bouncing it over the ground.
3 Thousands Of people thought vii
had dropped to his death and men an
:. rope. Wild was found beneath the ba
n of the ship. He was not hurt beyond
n severe shaking up.
n The airship is Chicago productio
It is seventy feet long from tip to tt
and is made on a plan similar to that I
the Knabenshue ship.
f Wild is an electrical engineer and hi
s wife and child. He says he is reac
! to take another sail as soon as the bs
f can be reflled.