The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-30
THOUSANDS SEE MAN
FALL HUNDRED FEET
Joseph f. Mcmahon, AerOnaut
at Salt Palace, Takes
Fearful Plunge.
PARACHUTE FAILS TO OPEN;
HE is FATALLY HURT
Picked Up Unconscious, Both
Ankles Crushed; Intern
ally Injured.

Witnessed by a crowd of over 5000
people, Joseph NJ. McMahon, the aero
naut, who made the balloon ascension at
the Salt Palace Sunday night, fell about
100 feet to the ground, his parachute
failing to open, and received injuries
which are apt to prove fatal.
McMahon made the ascensions in
the cannon, which was attached to the
large parachute connected with the bal
loon. Inside of the cannon was
smaller parachute with which he was to
descend after shooting from the cannon.
When he emerged from the cannon the
small parachute failed TO open and the
aeronaut was dashed TO the ground,
distance of about 100 feet.
Probably Fatally Hurt.
Both of his ankles were fractured,
the left ankle receiving a compound
fracture and the bones being pushed
through the flesh. An ugly cash was
cut across his head and he was so bad
ly battered and bruised generally that
1T is not known whether there were
any internal injuries received or not.
The shock TO his system was so great
that DR., Root, who attended him at the
Holy Cross hospital, fears that the aero
naut Will not recover from the shock,
and, at the best, it will be n day or
two before the wounds can be dressed
or the fractured bones set,
Falls One Hundred Feet
The performance of Sunday night is
the same as has been given at the Salt
Palace every night during the past
week. Attached to the balloon is the
first parachute, which carries the can
non in which is the aeronaut and the
second parachute. When the ascension
was made Sunday night McMahon cut
hn !, L..
parachute caught the air and opened
up all right. He descended in the can
non until he was about 100 feet high
and then shot from the cannon, but the
parachute to which he was fastened
failed to open up and he shot to the
ground as straight as an arrow.
Picked Up Unconscious.
The place where the aeronaut struck
the ground was considerably south of
the Salt Palace and was hidden from
the crowd by the trees. Mr.. and Mrs.
A. Levy were sitting in their
buggy on Main street watching the as
cension and as soon as Mr.. Levy saw
that an accident had happened he I'M
mans assistance. When Mr. Levy ar
rived where McMahon had struck the
ground he found him completely COW
cred by the parachute and wholly un-
conscious. Mr.. Levy secured assist
ance and placed the aeronaut in his
buggy and Immediately drove with him
TO the residence Of DR.. Parmelee at As
East Third South. DR.. Parmeleo had
the man taken to his office and upon
making a hasty examination found that
he was so badly injured that he i'm
mediately called for the Holy Cross am
bulance and had the wounded man re.
moved to the Holy Cross hospital.
Little Hope for Recovery.
DR.. Root was summoned To the hos
pital and after McMahau, who was
completely covered with dirt, was
washed. he made an examination and
found that he had sustained the in
iuries mentioned above. The injured
man had bled profusely before he
reached the hospital and DIR. Root
stated that tho frightful loss Of blood,
coupled with the terrible shock, made
it impossible to do moro than tompor-
urily dress the wounds and rendered