SLIDING FROM A BALLOON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7506, 13 September 1902, Page 2

SLIDING FROM A BALLOON.

' (London Qlolt.) ' By a startling ahd hirfowing exhibitlbn of nerve and agility^. Simeon Nicka, a onetime sailor^ bias anads himself 'the Champion , long-distance tjsUdec of the worlds Ftdm. a. tadiooh-i that .sailed ih-: thtt -'hesvensi fifteen handled, feet.. ahove the-ground, he slid down, to where thousands 6t00d,» in breathless anxiety. The feat which so transfited the spectators w«s ;cu:complish«d with ease by -"the former Jack Tar, and when he landed -on the earth from his perilous descent he wa_ as unruffled as if he had merely "shinned" dowii from the crow's nest of a Bhip\> It -vfas the longest slide on record, and it is not believed that a similar performance was ever before attempted. Nicks frankly antfbubced 1 that he was "Out for the stuff," and had ca_cUiats_ that by sliding down from the clouds oh a string he oonlcbdttain a notoriety that .would mean "ready money." The thrilling performance took place at Charles Park, Los j 'Angeles, Calif brhia. At least 15,000 persons passed into the park, and the housetops, treeß>-. shedsj- fencesj and 'other "points ! of yajntoga for blocks. around Were UifcWdfcd with the curious. . ■.' It was 6 p.m.,before aii the'arrangements were- perfected, and the balloon rose in the a,ir. Th* hugs gafcbag was made captive hy the rope Jby which Nicks prbpo_6d to, regain, the earth..- . He was dressed in an ordinary; (spit of ciothes> and. carried in his hands a IQin .seotion of garden-hose, sjit , up the side^th«t fitted snugly over th? liin ,nen>p Xftpeathafc.keeps.ihis ballon ffoip. straying into. the empyrean. Accompanying him, wete Aefohaut Hudson nnd the -little son of Professor Baldwin. At a height of, about 200 ft Nicks clambered out of the basket, and, with a sailora twist of hie legs around the pliable hemp he began to slide downwards. Then he" cuecked. himself, and, remaining : stft-r tionkry, he rose with the ballobn until it had rea,ohed a height of 1500 ft, Then he began to 6lide, slowly at first, snd gradually increasing his speed until the rope spun by him at a terrific rate. Regulating his speed at will, he sometimes came to a full stop, when he would release, his hand-hold and lean back, as though he were in an axm-chair. The friction of the rope on the calves of his legs' created a burning sensation, but Mas not sufficient to scorch his trousers, and his hands, being protected by the hose, ; "Were nob affected in the least by the long ; descent. Once the tar stopped himself with a sudden jerk, and threw out his hands as though he had lost his hol4, A cry of horror "Went up from the great crowd, but in a twinkling it was seen that the slider had merely created a diversion by which to add interest to his feat. Then he grasped the rope with his hands, releajsed it from his nimble legs, and made a giant swing through the air. Then ho would slide swiftly for a great distance, catoh hiniself with one' leg, and turn himself upside down. He continued to cut up such dangerous antics until he touched tlie ground, and every moment was filled with sensations .for those who watched. When he finally reached the earth there was one tremendous sigh of relief, and many declared that no money ,

would tempt them to witness another such foolhardy attempt. As a matter of fact, the feat was about as easy a thing as Nicks could have been asked to' do, for while he was a sailor he became known to the tars of all nations as the most daring rope-performer afloat. He Was in the American navy, and was aiso in >the merchant service,, and is no doubt, the best-known man.that ever went aloff.