The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-09-25
Parachute Jumper Has Narrow
Eccape.

| Saved from the fate of spectacu-
lar death by only marvellous mira
Gle, Walter Forming, the 10 year old
balloonist and parachute jumper,
who has been daily risking his life
for $25 a jump, as feature Of the
here last week, has at last decided
to abandon his dangerous profession
as soon as he has accumulated sui
ficient wealth to make him indepen-
dent for the rest of his life. Zorn--
ing, who is a pleasant CHAP. stated
day, that he, has seen the writing
on the WALL and that his narrow
escape on Friday afternoon was the
| climax of his death defying days.
Thousands of Clarke county. folks
who saw the young man make his
drop from the skies after his balloon
had suffered damage. in the air,
ed anxiety and fear as the boy shot
to the ground heading straight for
the wheels of an approaching G.. B.
& @. freight train. 1t was the most
thrilling and awe inspiring spectacle
seen in this community tin many
years. Not solitary person of all
the crowd, which had gathered to
! flight and drop. but what expected
THAT the sensational exhibition was
to end in disaster and the boy
ground to pulp under the wheels OF
the train. A miracle was performed
however and the youth was saved.
the way has made about 400 flights
and jumps during his four years as
a professional balloonist, says Fri
days escape was the closest and
most thrilling he has had in his
career: II thought ! was a goner,"
said the boy, when my parachute
vas carving T me d9 Gd to
open in SO short fall and l landed
alongside Of the cars just a, foot
thought tM sure sure my 11 time me- ii come and
I was ready" Forming made three
flights in Osceola. The first on
a ahee Yhe was young dare deR
ed safely in a field out near the
renovating plant. Fridays ascen--
sion, married by the nearly fatal
catastrophe, swas a total failure,
caused it was said by an oversmart
young lad who pulled wind guy as
en- texture of the bag was rent, a
great hole caving in the side. The
crowds below began to shout to
corning to jump to safety. The bas-
ket was up about $50 feet. corning
jumped but with no hope that his
parachute would open in so short
distance. He expected to come
crashing to the ground. Balloon men
here last week stated that they be-
rieved that the opening of the para
chute in so short time was re-
cord, for it usually requires a drop
of from IS to 200 feet before the
parachute will spread. Forming,
who is the youngest balloonist in
the country, lives in Minneapolis.
Formerly with carnival as a snake
charmer, he made a bet that he
could make leap from balloon.
His bet was taken up. he made a
Jump and soon became regular
performer. Many times has the
young fellow escaped from death
when his landings hurled him into
lake or river or into building in
the open, but Fridays adventure
here. he says, was the closest escape
Of all. He Is employed by E. B. Pur-
cell Of Des MOines who was here
with him According to Forming,
balloons are great deal safer than
an airplane, but both are bad enough
and Just as soon as I acquire
little more coin, it's farewell to this
life of flirting with the undertaken.
Me for some safe and sane profess
sion. Mrs. Purcell, wife of the
owner of the balloon, was slightly
burned about the face Thursday ev-
ening while assisting in filling the
big 80 foot bag with gas, the fire
shot back, out of the furnace, and
back f1red. -Osceola Tribune.