Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-16
FIRST ASCENSION IS FATAL
Inexperienced Young Man Goes Up in
Balloon at Manawa and browns.
swMs LITTLE WAY AFTER DROPPING
Professional who Has Contract for
the Ascensions Allows Him to Go
Up After Being Repeatedly
ImpOrtuned.

The desire to experience the excitement
OF a balloon ascension cost Ollie Jensen, a
youth OF Council Bluffs. his lie last even
ing in the waters of Lake Manawa. Per-
mitted by Thomas Andrews. who has the
contract for the balloon ascensons at the
lake resort, to make the ascent last even
| ing young Jensen failed to cut the para
| chute loose from the balloon when the lat
| ter drifted over the lake and dropped into
| the water He succeeded in getting loose
from the balloon, but sank just as boat
with two Of his companions in it was
within a short distance of him.
Jensen roomed and boarded at 1913 South
Main street with his chum, John Bottom
| ley. He was employed as driver of a de-
livery wagon for local grocery firm. His
parents reside in Underwood. Ia.
The young man, according to Mr.. An
| drews, had been a frequent attendant at
| the balloon ascenslons at the lake and had
! repeatedly expressed the wish to make
| ascension. He had frequently asked to be
permitted to do so and during the last
three weeks Mr.. Andrews said had been
| inststent in his requests. Yesterday Jen-
sen approached Andrews again with a re-
quest that he be allowed to make the as
cension and offered the latter 81 II he would
!
that he was a good swimmer and that he
would be able to swim across the lake IL
he dropped into It and on this assurance.
Mr. Andrews said. he permitted the young
man TO make the ascension.
Signal Fails to work.
| Mr. Andrews was to have fired a revolver
as a signal when Jensen was to have cut
the parachute loose, but the revolver failed
TO work and the signal was not given
Jensen made the ascent without mishap
and to the crowd on the ground who wit
messed the ascension he behaved as IL he
was a professional instead OF an amateur
making his initial trip. When the bal
loon drifted over the lake onlookers were
surprised when the aeronaut failed to cut
the parachute loose. The balloon COM
menced to sink and 1t was only a short
| time before II struck the water Jensen
was seen to get loose from the floating
balloon and swim around for a few min
utes.
Jensens roommate, John Bottomley, who,
with another companion, was in row.
boat to pick up the young man in the
event of his dropping in the water, fol-
lowed the course OF the balloon across the
lake and were within speaking distance of
Jensen when he sank. Bottomley and his
companion had to row around the balloon,
which was drifting top of the water.
in order to reach Jensen. Jensen appeared
to Rave retained his presence OF mind. as
he called to his friends to row to him
saying "Come and get me-" Just as they
were within a short distance of hirn, how
ever he sank and did not appear above
the water again.
c. II. Woodward in charge of one OF the
companys electric launches, had also put
out after the balloon and he was almost
-
the latter sank.
The accident occurred a few minutes
after O'clock but II was fully two hours
before the body was recovered William
Hall, a boatman in the employ of the
| Manawa Amusement company; Charles
Rosters another employee, and two other
men succeeded in recovering the body
after a long search by means OF graphing
hooks at the end Of a line.
The body was turned over to Undertaken
Cutler in the absence from the city OF
Coroner Treynor. One OF the local Justices
Of the peace will be called upon today to
act In the place Of the coroner.
William Byrne. manager at the lake re-
sort, stated that his company's contract
with Thomas Andrews, the aeronaut, pro-
vided that Mr. Andrews should either make
the accents himself or that It should be
made by competent men in that profession
and that any person employed to make the
ascension should be a capable swimmer
When seen after the accident, Mr.. An
drews said: Jensen, whom / have known
for about three years, told me he was
good swimmer and could easily swim across
the lake. He had been after me for long
time to let him make the ascension as he
wanted to enjoy the experience of making
balloon ascension. This morning he came
to me and offered me 81 to make the ascen-
sion. I told him he could make 1t. as he
seemed so anxious and as he said he was
good swimmer and / would not charge
him anything for making IT, When he
failed to get the signal by a shot from the
revolver from me he should have cut loose
the parachute and made the drop when the
balloon commenced to turn, as 1 had in
structed him"
The portion OF the lake where Jensen s
body was recovered is weedy and II Is
thought possible that he became entangled
in the weeds and that this, coupled with
the excitement and possibly fright from
making the ascension, exhausted his
strength and caused him to sink
| II was a considerable time before the
7 identity OF the young man could be learned
at the lake as he was apparently unknown
except to Mr.. Andrews, the professional
asronaut and his two companions who
followed him in a row boat
T