The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-19

| (OOnClnued from rage One.)
and held US a moment. Then it tore
loose with a crash that indicated the
breaking of a large branch which had
held US. and on we went
Frightened the Rabbits.
| Dozens of rabbits scampered away
as the balloon approached. Chickens
ran screaming about farm yards seek
ing for cover as if they were men
aced By an enormous hawk. herd
of horses Stampeded ana we were at
tracing too much attention. A farm
er's wife with her children stood in
her door yard. Can you get US some
guess not" replied the woman. You
| just keep on going. There is nothing
| here for you" This hostile attitude
somewhat disconnected Webb, who is
not used to having women talk to
him like that-the rest Of US are mar
ried
A Jack rabbit raced us a half mile
and then gave up and dartad into the
bushes
AS we drifted over a com field L. A.
Reeves, sturdy young farmer who
was nearby, was induced by Mr.. Emer-
son to take hold of the drag rope and
attempt to hold the balloon. He got
hold of the rope all right. but he did
not stop the gas bag. He bounced
along on the ground for awhile and
! finally, when he was lifted ten feet
off the ground, he let 60 of the rope
and left US to our fate
The pasture where we desired to
land was just ahead but there was a
| tall hedge on the side next to us. The
basket of the balloon was not more
than ten feet from the ground as we
were swept toward the hedge and the
/ prospect was not pleasing But Elmer
/ son knew his business and when we
were yet hundred feet from the
| hedge he yelled to Parsons: Dump
that ballast" The Instructions were
followed. Immediately the balloon
rose and we cleared the hedge with at
least 100 feet to spare. Then we were
| directly over the pasture whi-1 was
lfnled with horses and cattle. The an
imals did not appear to be greatly
ALARMED. Webb threw out the anchor
but the rope was fouled and it did
no good.
When We Bounced.
Finally the basket touched the
ground and careened on its side. Webb
lfell on Parsons and Deinstbach on the
writer, while Emerson hung safely in
the rigging. In a moment things had
changed for the balloon relieved of the
weight of the basket, rose suddenly
carrying us up 100 feet or more. Then
we got ready for the second shock 1t
was worse than the first and the two
men on the underside groaned with
side. They could have eaten grass on
the surface. but there was no grass.
This time the bag did not rise so high.
Emerson chung to the valve cord and
the big bag was rapidly losing gas.
Our anchor caught in the side of a
little ravfne and held and the next
time we hit the earth the balloon did
not rise. We all staid with the bas-
ket and waited for the bag to defIate.
In five minutes a half dozen farmers
came up and they chung to the basket
and we all got out.
1t took more than an hour to get the
gas out of the bag and the visitors
were ably assisted by the farmers who
into their domain. William Stenmetz
and Marion Webster were the first ones
| on the ground and they did valiant
work. The others who rendered valued
| assistance were A. B. Goodrich, Adam
Zeigler, Jerry Allen and David Bate
man. We had landed on the farm of
I F. B. Webster, five miles northwest of
| the village of Rock Creek and six miles
southwest of Valley Falls. The time of
| landing was $50. We assembled at $50.
The distance was about % miles.
Bateman invIIeu US to supper at his
/ house. He lives with his father-in-
law, G. W. Cline, who has lived where
he now is for 40 years and who has
grown. rich off the land The supper
was excellent and it was enjoyed by
| FIVE hungry men. There we're at least
a half bushel of biscuits that were as
light as snow and as palatable as am
brosia. We ate most of them. Bateman
/ hauled the balloon to Rock Creek and
| we arrived in Topeka at 1920 none the
| worse for our experience