A BIGHT IN MID-AIR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2875, 18 July 1896, Page 1

A BIGHT IN MID-AIR.

Suspended 300 ft Above the Roofs of London. THIRTEEN HOURS OF FEAR AND MISERY. Some of the Victims Tell their Experiences. London, May 22. The great wheel at Earl's Court stopped on Thursday night, and scores of visitors to the Exhibition had to pass tho night in mid-air. At first the stoppage, which occurred just after S o’clock, was treated as a joke. But then the passengers did not know what was in store for them. They bantered one another on the chance of having “a night in the air,” and of the excuses various people would have to make for their absence from homo. Meanwhile tho news quickly spread that tho wheel had ceased to revolve, with tho result that crowds surged thereto from all parts of tho gardens and building. As time woro on, and the hour for closing arrived, the serious position of affairs began to bo realised. Happily no accident of any kind occurred, although many belonging to the fair sex gave unmistakable evidence of alarm. Thera woro upwards of 20,000 visitors to tho Exhibition, and at the time that the wheel stopped there woro about 80 occupants in the compartments. It became evident to tho authorities that hours must elapse before a rescue could be accomplished, and no communication could tako place with the people aloft. Darkness had enveloped the gardens, but fluttering down from the cages above the poor prisoners sent their messages—in pocket; handkerchiefs, cigarette oases, pieces of paper, and in innumerable ways —to be telegraphed to their friends. Moans of relief from hunger woro, through the ingenuity of a lady prisoner, fortunately at hand. The lady having a reel of cotton in her possession, lot it down, holding one end, by which means a rope was hauled up to the occupants of the oar, and afterwards meat and drink. It was not until 3 o’clock yesterday morning that the first of the prisoners was rescued. It was slow work at the best, and ns one by one a captive was let down to terra Hrrna, in a' chair made fast bylropos and chains drawn over pulleys, eager, anxious faces could bo seen watching tho descent. At length, about noon, the last of tho ill-fated passengers was freed. All had had their material wants well attended to. One of tho lady occupants of a oar gave the following account of her experience; —“ Wo paid our money and took our seats. Almost imperceptibly wo rose, and very beautiful did it all seem until wo noticed that wo had stopped, and one of the passengers said that he hoped they ‘ would not keep us there all night.’ After a time we began to get so nervous that wo were afraid to ask each other concerning tho danger wo most dreaded. Wo could hear the music down below, but I could not prevent myself from bursting out crying. At first wo kept up our spirits by talking over our position, but we quickly got tired of that, and kept straining our eyes into tho black night, looking for the help that seemed never would come. Wo wore all so cold wo could not sleep, and hungry, cold and sleepless the long night passed. If I live till I am 100 years old 1 shall never forgot what I suffered. At last wo wore rescued. I nearly fainted away when once again I stood in tho gardens.” One gentleman, who Is on bis way from Constantinople to New York, and who intended to “do ” London in three days, said he would not spend another 10 hours such as he had gone through for dllOO. The discomfort, coupled with the anxiety, seemed to havo made a deep impression upon him. Ho had, he said, seen quite ns much of London as he desired, and ho intended to start for Liverpool immediately. The Central News was informed by the chief engineer at Eavl’a Court that tho sudden stoppage was due to tho breakdown of ono of the driving engines, and not to any fault in the wheel itself. It is believed that two or three days will elapse before tho wheel is in working order again.