The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-09-18 00:00:00

ACROSS NIAGARA ON A BICYCLE.

_
This test was announced by Professor Jenkins Lobe accom-
-0,110 on the 2iith of August, and accomplished it was, in
the presence of a von crowd. A thousand feet of good two-
nch rope stretched am's the stream below Suspension-
bridge, and where litindin crossed with a man on his back.
The New Y ork Times gays
"The machine used by Prof+ ssorJenkins is not in any
sense a velocipede. It is, however, • bicycle and
turned njoitle down would resemble in some degree a
modern velocipede. The wheels, three inches wide,
are made heavy and of wood, without tires, but in
their placee are grooves an inch and three-quarters
deep. The front wheel is lift. 21n. and the hind wheel
21t. 10in, in diameter. The connecting rode are iron.
so also the balance-pole, which is 81t. long and tipped
with 10-pound balls, and weighs 281 b. The whole
thing, with the man thrown in, weighs 29iiih. The
propelling power is a pinion cog-wheel made of brass.
about nine inches in diameter, which is made to gear
to cogs which surround the front wheel at the bottom
of the eroove.
"At 2 '3l p.m. the prof essor made his appearance atthe
mall house on the Canada ride with the pieces of his
machine, and at once proceeded to put them together,
a task of no 'mall labour. With the aid of his men he
first placed the fore wheel on the rope just at the edge
of the precipice, and while one man balanced it,
snot-I:or placed on the standard from the underside,
thus bringing two strong bars of iron on either side of
the rope. All the joints were securely fastened with
bolts. The line. sor connecting rods extending hi-m
the standard to the rear shaft in the form of the letter
0 made the connecti, xi complete and very strong. The
professor then got outside of the rope, arranged the
pinion wheel and fastened the balance pole across the
o part of the brac. a. This done, the seat, a strip of
leather, was secured to the rear axle by means of
straps. This arrangement, which it was seen at once
would throw the entire weight of the machine and the
rider under the rope, was a source of disappointment,
if not of relief, to many of the spectators, who, not
consulting the inventive genius of the Canadian
Blondin, rather expected to see him mounted on a
Greenwood velocipo de, which, of course, would give •
good chance for ground and lofty tumbling.
" All being in readiness, the bicycle was fastened by
a rope to the bank, and Jenkins prepared to start. He
wore white tights, black velvet kneedweechea. shoulder
straps and cross-belts of the same material and on
his head was plic-d a crown-shaped hat, and all were
profusely bedecked with tinsel and beads. His feet
were covered with buff ILMCCasills, lie took his
position astride the rope, and proceeded to arrange
the leather strap oc seat, which, as it was allowed to
Ouch the rope, seemed more for the purpose of protect-
ing the velvet pants from damageby attrition that to sit
nisin. fa fact, he did not sit, but stood up with his feet
about 18 inches sport, resting on the balance pole. In
a moment he grasped the handles of the pinion wheel,
and turned theni, moving slowly from the bank, the
crowd preserving a death-like stillness. After passing
out a few yards a halt was made, and the photographers
were allowed to take his picture. He then returned
and waited five or ten minutes and resumed his seat.
Three pistol shots were then fired from the Canadian
side, and it was a 'go.' The machine moved slowly
forwtrd, the rope swaying gently from side to side
until he had passed out about 5011., when another
opportunity wrs given the artist, after which he
crawled along at a snail's pace to the middle of the
abyss, where he raised and waived his hat, and re.
csived a faint cheer in response. From the centre to
the American shore it was evidently bard work to pro-
pel the bicycle, but at last the edge of the cliff was
reached, and then the welkin did ring with the
applause of the people. The time occupied in passing
over the rope was just eleven minutes."