Show GOODAS AIRSHIP passengers taken through the air to top of zions cliffs b cable A thrilling ride sept 23 although it has been moro than seven years since david flanagan of conceived tho idea of an endless wiro or cable to bo used for transport mg lumber from tho pine clad mesas to tho bottom of tho gorge thousands of feet below and hundreds of thousand feet of lumber hao been lettered in this manner and every conceivable thing to tho top tuesday september 13 was alio firel time a live human being ever made the descent the gentlemen to whom this honor belongs are french and steart of the U fa geological suncy they remained for bome time at tho bottom of tho wire and then mado tho ascent it was understood that they would make the gnp again sunday and a great many from and rockville Rock villo were there to witness it according to expectations the gnp was again made but this time by tareo instead of two wm stratton of virgin being ono of the number after feasting on water melons provided for the occasion they made the ascent the men who have taken the trip eay that the fascination is great and that after tho first jerk when they view let over tho ledge they acro continued on fourth page good as airship continued from first not in the least frightened nowa that the ice is broken in will no doubt be but a short time before it is a common means of conveyance for parties having occasion sion to go on tho mountain by means of the cable one can reach tho top of the mountain in about two minutes the trail used now is tarco miles long hewn the greater part of the distance in the solid rock and it takes a strong man not less than two hours to make the trip about seven icara ago dave flannigan of assembled his material at the bottom of one of the cliffs in zion canyon and announced his intention of building a wire method of transportation for the purpose of lowering lumber from the mesas 2700 feet above to the valley below ho was ridiculed by his but not discouraged and after a spell of hard labor his task was completed and the first use that was madlof the contrivance was to raise a wagon to the top of the cliff which was successfully accomplished by taking the vehicle apart and taking it up piece at a time at first it was used to lower material for making barrels later a sawmill was installed and the lumber lowered by means of the wire the evolution of this means of transportation por tation has been great from the number three wire with a capacity of perhaps pounds on the lowering load and perhaps one fourth that on the ascending it has developed until today a quarter inch steel cable is used with a capacity of over 2000 pounds for the two loads although heavier cables are used at the present time than at first the plan for raising and lowering remains the same viz by means of an endless cable running on huge drums which are securely anchored at top and bottom and using the force of gravity as power ing load being the heavier and pulling the ascending load up the speed is regulated by means of a brake fastened to alie top drum the time required to lower and raise the load is about two minutes the load is fastened to the cable by one end being placed in a cage the other anse fastened by a chain virgin enter the drainage department of the U S dept of agriculture are asking for bids for feet of lumber for in the washington field |