Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-30

j. When a parachute jumper dropped to
instant death recently at the county
fair i'm Oskaloosa, Kan, II interfered
with the plans of an amusement man
ager, who had contracted to furnish
two balloon ascensions and drops
This fatal drop was only the fulfill
ment Of the first half of his contract.
He had to give another ascension and
drop the next day or lose one-half of
his money. So. before the body OF
Turner, the dead aeronaut, was cold,
the manager wired to "Curley" Clark
of Kansas City to come at once.
"Curley" read In the papers that
evening OF the death of Turner, but
he did not hesitate. The next day he
made an ascension and drop with the
same balloon and parachute that
caused the death of Turner. The para
chute had been used to carry the
mang1ed body of Turner off the fair
grounds, and II was covered with blood.
Not one man in thousands would have
the nerve" to make the same jump
with the same bloody materials the
next day after that frightfu death,
but Clark did IL without a moments
hesitation, was glad to get the job, and
he was paid only $40 for it.
Curious to see and talk with the kind
of man who could so coolly and reck-
last week to the home of "Curley"
Clark, 519 Locust street, opposite the
court house.
One can imagine a single man Of
reckless temperament dropping from
midair every day or two for $5 drop
and trusting his life to canvas para
chute that might or might not open at
the right time.
But "Curley" is married and has a
pretty little daughter.
Are you going to make a balloonist
of herr" he was asked.
Not on your life. One in the family's
enough" he answered.
lone in the family is one too many"
retorted his wife.
she's sore on the business said
"Curley," nodding his head in her di-
rection.
i've got right to be sore,' she re-
piled. Look at Turner's poor wife and
children today And every time Curley
goes out / think maybe they'll bring
him home to me in that way. Many a
sleepless night I've spent when he was
out on the road"
"Curley" is big fellow, of magnifi-
cent form, an athlete, with black curly
hair.
why do you stay in the business?"
ne was asked.
why? Because it's my trade and I
like it,"
Are you ever afraid?"
Never. ! don't mind going up 500
or 1000 feet and dropping any moro than
you mind hopping off a street car.
What is there to be scared Off"
. What do you supposed caused Tur-
ner to fall?" was asked him.
His own carelessness. If he'd had
on the safety he couldn't have fallen"
What is safety?
IT'S a rope tied to the ring in the
chute with slip moose in the other end
the bag without the safety around my
wrist first. Then if 1 get cramps 1
can't fall. I'll come down when the
chute does, and not before. This is
what kills most air jumpers. They get
all heated up on the ground getting
the bag ready to go, and then up they
go, all of sudden, to where the air is
colder. The change chills them and
causes their muscles to cramp. That's
what happened to Turner. He hadn't
any safety on, and when he took the
cramps, as he hung by his hands. he
had to let go. I've had the cramps
often UP in the air."
How long have you been in the BUSH
ness?% Z.
Ten years as a regular business"
Ever had any narrow escapes?"
He griDned "A few. Once dropped
about 500 feet straight down before my
chute opened. l thought 1 was a dead
man that time sure. You drop pretty
fast, 1 tell you, and l expected to hit
the ground any second, but / did not
dare to look down, because | needed
every second to look up and try and
shake the chute open. At last she flew
open with flirt and a jerk and l was
all right. 1t was only 100 feet from the
ground when she opened. Another Sec
ond or two and Mrs. Clark there would
have been a widow. AS it was l struck
the ground pretty hard. I've had the
chute close up on me after 1t opened.
too. But I never in my life lost my
head. That's one reason why I'm here.
''I had narrow escape in Sedalia
once. | went up unusually high that