TERROR IN MID-AIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10479, 26 June 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

TERROR IN MID-AIR.

THE SENSATIONS OF A FIRST LEAP FROM A BALLOON, "CiEccs life has its incidental dangers, as I found out in my experience of more than a half century under (be canvas, Tbe speaker was Dan Rice, tbe veteran clown and circus proprietor. " One of the dangers I encountered was recalled by a paragraph in a paper the other day about an aeronaut being killed in making a jumpfrom a balloon with a parachute. I had a narrow escape from a similar death away back before the

war. "I believe I was the first circus proprietor in the world to employ a professional to make a balloon ascension and a parachute jump prior to each afternoon performance, picking up an aeronaut named Ed Billings in an Ohio town. "Now,Ed was a good aeronaut, entirely devoid of fear, and made leaps with the parachute from greater heights than had ever been made before. The only trouble was that Ed was too jovial, and at time? drank too much whieky. More than once I had spoken my mind to him on the subject, and, as he did not heed my remarks, I made every preparation for opportunely advertising my circus on the day when he should in the natural course of events fall from his balloon or parachute and be killed. With the eame foresight I made a study of aeronautics and parachute leaping, until I felt competent to fill his position when made vacant. The occasion for my services came at White Water, .Mich., when, at ' ascension time, Billings lay under a waggon suffering from 'sick headache.' "When it became evident that I mustmake the ascension and jump, I did not hesitate, but, donning a tinsel suit, entered the car and began my first journey skyward, amid a chorus of half suppressed exclamations of admiration from an immense throng of spectators. As I saw the earth dropping from me and the human forms below growing shorter and smaller, until they appeared like the tiniest insects, I contrived to maintain my nerve, and, leaning over the edge of the basket or car, bravely threw kisses to the gaping crowd beneath. When J ascended nearer heaven than I had ever been before—say I'JOO or 1500 feet—l prepared to make my maiden leap, being particularly careful that my every movement should be seen by the crowd of spectators away down beneath on the earth. " After a time l> pulled open the escape valve of the balloon, which slowly began to descend, after remaining stationary for a brief moment. Then I clutched the trapeze bar, which was attached to the parachute, kissed my hand to the expanse of uptnrned face 3 below, shut both eye 3 and made a bold jump out into apace, and shot like an arrow earthward. My feelings at that critical moment can best be described as one of all-poneness, but grimly and desperately I clutched the bar in my hand, aqd, with my heart in my mouth, anxiously awaited the sharp, snapping sound which would announce the opening of the parachute. But the sound did not come, Great God! bow the teconds flew by, and still the accursed canvas did not open. Though darting earthward fatally, hope did j not desert me,

" My mind, under the excitement, became unusually active, and, aa I looked below and law the earth rapidly approaching, I concluded that my chance of escape from figuring as the chief object of interest at a funeral was too small to mention. I resolved that my death should be the be«D advertisement Dan Rice's circus ever received, bub the thought of how well the show was prepared to herald the sad event far and near was poor consolation at that moment.

"Suddenly the sharp, snapping sound rang upon my ears, Thank God! the parachute had opened ! I was saved ; and that, too, at the last possible moujeut. My descent was at once checked, and the earth was not 200 feet away. It was with assumed ease that I finally landed upon the ground, and I doubt if any, save the circus people, in that great crowd knew how near I had been to death."—New ¥ork Sun.