Elleda Wilson: The aeronaut's demise
Jun. 2—An eye-catching morsel from The Daily Morning Astorian, June 2, 1890:
—The daring aeronaut P. H. Redmond, who made a balloon ascension here a few weeks ago, coming down in the river, was injured soon after at Chehalis, Washington, and killed at Snohomish, Washington, on Friday, and buried yesterday afternoon in Portland.
"Professor" Phinneas H. "Finn" Redmond, aeronaut and daredevil extraordinaire, was only in his early 20s when he died. He was already infamous for an incident in Portland, when 12-year-old Eddie Hill's neck became entangled in the ropes of a rising balloon. Eddie managed to hold onto the ropes to keep from strangling, and flew to 1,000 feet high and several miles east. He landed traumatized, but safe.
The aeronaut's demise was quite dramatic. The Morning Oregonian reported that Redmond's balloon unexpectedly sailed over a forest containing 200-foot-high cedars. Mrs. K. Saupe, hearing her chickens squawking, ran outside, and saw the balloon approaching, with him frantically trying to avoid hitting a "mammoth tree."
He finally leapt into the air, grabbing for a tree branch. Unfortunately, the dead branch snapped off, and the professor fell over 100 feet to his death. He is buried at Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery in Portland.
