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 80
Chicago, Dec. 14.-With the daring
Of a man who faces death for the mere r
excitement of it, Horace B. Wild, ~
first time in his life made fight in
an airship. He scared to a height OF
$500 feet above the ground.
After series of thrilling expert
ences he returned to the earth safely,
three miles from where he started on
his trip in machine which never had
been tested before. His fight was over
Grand Crossing al 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. IL 4.
His greatest peril was the danger Of
losing his hold on the machine on &C
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. s--..s.s
The start was made at 4:3O pm. at
Slxty-Seventh street ana SCOney. 1S1duu
avenue. The finish of the perilous jour
new came thirty minutes later in the
gloom of the December evening.
For time all went well, the dir
gible machine moving to the soutt
smoothly. Then came trouble. WIG
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
polling the ship in the direction OF the
earth.
Far above his head was the valve
of 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 DANCE
of falling, should he attempt 1t. ~
thought Of the days when he, was
| lad and bit knots with his teeth. ~
would try it this time. Ihen; hoid1nS
to the ship by the net above ms n mead g
his feet swinging free above the frame
| work. lie &bit away at the rope to- lie
: 1t was dark by this time and the coli
was increasing. Several times IN sue
! cession he tugged at the knot. and
finally gave way. The gas rushed GU
. with such great force that it stunne'
I the Young man and he fell upon tn
frame exhausted, while the ship tumbfe'
toward the ground at fearful rate.
Expected Tragedy.
People watching the fight Of the ma
chino uop Expected @cte't That TT Wild would b
dashed to pieces. Suddenly ne wa
seen standinp erect on the frame one
more. He had grasped the valve i
his hands and was staying the down
ward fall of the ship. But he was no
quick enough to prevent it's nose fro1
striking the tall smokestack Of tn
Grand crossing tack factory. Befor
in the dim light he had encountered tn
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
! danger Of all the trip. His machin
dipped down to within dozen or NOR
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
look. out for the express and Viii
fore the locomotive whizzed by.
Almost Unconscious. r.
The machine was being carried wit
the wind and he was unable to effect
landing.
Finally, at Eighty-second street ar
!. Madison avenue, he managed to drc
his trail line, but it was now too hie
in the air for crowds nearby to catch
He finally released some more gas ar
! the machine dropped with a thud, II
wind bouncing it over the ground. .
!, Thousands of people thought Wi
had dropped to his death and men al
women and boys tried to grasp the ira
, rope. Wild was found beneath the bs
! of the ship. He was not hurt beyond
l severe shaking up.
/ The airship is Chicago productio
1t is seventy feet long from tip to tt
and is made on plan similar to that
the Knabenshue ship. IL.
Wild is an electrical engineer and h
s a wife and child. He says he is reat
: to take another sail as soon as the b;
f can be reflled.