Prof. Leonard Back in North
Returns to Dawson After Absence of Two Years - Makes Spectacular Ascension
After an absence of two years, Prof. John Leonard has returned to
Dawson. He will remain here during this season and then leave for
St.Louis, where he will do a few stunts with a flying machine at the great
fair. While here the professor will make one ascension at Dawson,
another at the Forks and a third somewhere else.
This is Leonard’s twentieth season as an aeronaut and his fourth in
the Yukon. When he left here two years ago the First avenue business
men presented him with a handsome gold medal of appropriate design.
He went to Nome and gave several exhibitions there. Twice he landed
in the Behring sea three-quarters of a mile from shore.
From the barren shores of Nome, Leonard traveled south to the
sunny beach of Hawaii, where he made six ascensions. He flew four
times over the course traveled by Laurence, the ill-fated employe of Van
Tassel. Laurence was devoured by sharks outside Honolulu. Leonard,
however , came out of the ascensions safely. The local papers were
opposed to him taking the Laurence course.
The professor was charmed with the quaint simplicity of the natives.
They looked upon him as a demi-god. He met Prince Cupid and Prince
David. But he had to leave Honolulu because of sickness. He did not
acclimate readily. It was a big change from the Yukon. The food was
entirely different. Consequently the professor returned to the states and
thence to Dawson.
Coming down to Dawson Leonard made a spectacular a spectacular
ascension at Whitehorse. He crossed the river in his balloon. When he
cut loose at a height of 2,000 feet he aeroplaned the parachute by hauling
in one side and traveled back across the stream. In his 2,000 foot fall he
traveled about 100 yards.
If Leonard ascends here on July 4 he may dynamite the air. He
would take two or three sticks and a fuse with him and explode the
dynamite when he reached a safe height. It would be an illuminated
ascension.
When he goes to St. Louis Leonard will have a flying machine built
on the same principle as Count Von Zeppelin’s famous contrivance.
Santos Dumont and other noted air navigators will be at the fair.
Altogether it is expected that forty flying machines will be in attendance.
Leonard expresses great pleasure at getting back to the Klondike."
