The Washington herald., 1908-08-30

! London, Aug. 29.-8Iiss Viola Spencer.
the famous parachutist, has had a thrill
I ing adventure and a most remarkable es-
/ cape from death
/ On Thursday Miss Spencer was engaged
10 make parachute descent at &. sports
meeting near Nottingham. but when the
balloon rose 70 a height OF about 700 feet
/ she found herself unable TO liberate the
/ parachute The result was that she vas
carried helplessIy BY the balloon FOR
distance Of thirty miles. She managed 70
keep her fraH seat until the balloon de-
scen6ed. by which time she was almost
Pe-ishins from cold
Balloon Scars High.
At one time the balloon rose 70 height
Of 20,009 feet. which is about four miles.
I had horrible feeling said Miss
Spencer yesterday. that I should be
frozen How l wished I had brought my
wrap or coat, I had only a muslin blouse
and a blue serge coat 1 felt the cold
keenly when I was up IL the air height
Of io.eo0 feet, but al 1000 IL was uubear-
able Ny hands were quite numbed and
I had 10 knock them against the wooden
ring OF the parachute 20 restore the cIrcu-
latiou-
And next" Miss Spencer continued. 7
had AZ awful fear that the balloon would
be blown out 70 sea; but happily I es-
capped that fate But where. Of all places
in the world. do You think we did come
down" she asked Actually IN a clever
field, Could x have been better? Talk
about landing in clover and the fair
parachutist laughed uerrily.
But felt confident after time. g" Miss
Spencer declared. that Z 7 could only
manage 20 keep NY seat n the parachute
the balloon would come down all right
What alarmed ne most was the possibility
that should faint from cold and fau OF.
Al one time. before had gone I'd very
far I tried 10 console myself by hurnuinS
snatches OF a comic song. and a queer
idea struck me 10 sing Up IN q Balloon.
Boys but I stopped short. because IN
view of my dangerous position I thought
It was improper and inprudent. Unfortu-
nsteIy. could not recall any hymns
she added.
Miss Spencer then described the scene
as Il appeared 10 her in the clouds.
7 remember being iEp-e--el Nth a
sense O1 awful stiffness around" s e re-
marked It was terrifying But / got
accustomed 20 Il The moon was shining
clearly. and all around was bathsd n rs
pale light Il was impossible 90 see the
trees, but one OF the most beautiful sights
saw was the reflection Of the moon in 4
river as We passed over 81 Il seemed
70 dance on its placid surface. A pretty
scene of different character was the
lights cf Nottingham as the balloon Dor
dered upon T. Il was all so strange with
the large buildings looking mere specks
down below.
Miss Spencer then explained how tEs
nishap which led 70 Aer remarkable a6-
venture occurred TIE parachute was a.
tached 70 the bottom part OF the balloon.
and her seat was a little webbing loop
not more than four inches n width On
either side she cIasped the ropes for sup
port In appearance the loop would Be
Ike garden swing
Failed 10 Release.
The parachute IS detached by pulling a
piece Of cord. which releases q steel catch
round which are twiaed the strings OF
the parachute.
7 tugged and Jugged.~ said Miss SPen-
Ger, but could not release Il. and an
convinced that the crowd must have tr0d-
den On the rppa-at-s when IL was oa the
ground I shall never again so Up II the
crowd comes into The ilclosure.
OF course L had 70 control over the
balloon. which was forty feet above ne.
The JOY and relief experienced when nv.
little pocket aneroid barometer showed
ne that the balloon was coming down
was great
1t dropped near a little village called
Th-ussingJCn. near Rea-sby. in Leicester.
Immediately Jumped on and scarcely
had 7 done so Before the balloeu started
'G again. and I chased i across two
fields Seeing a house I gave I'D the
hunt and I STAYED at an adjacent house!
,or the night At g O'Clock next morning.
discovered the balloon half a mile
away L had dropped IN somebody's.
back garden. and not only scared but
,sf stifed the people in the cottageSj
with its escaping gas
IN the ordinary way. Miss Spencer said
'le would have descended with her para
,lu-e IL ten minutes. The crowd al Hea-
lcr. near Nottingham. where the sports
nd gala were held. alxiousIy waited 20
bee her come down When she failed 70
io so there was a search for her al night
ong. n which several motor cars were
ngaged.
Although Miss Spencer has made 80
parachute descents this IS the first time
-Uch an accident has happened 10 her