Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-11 00:00:00

ASTONISHING FEAT AT NIAGARA

Since the fatal leap of the famous Sam Patch, no feat of
daring has equalled the one recently accomplished at
Niagara by Andrew Greenleaf, of Connecticut. A corre-
spondent gives the following graphic account of it:—
One evening about a week ago, while sitting in the saloon
of the Internaticmal Hotel, I became interested in an
animated conversation which was in progress between two
persons, of whom one seemed to be a Southerner and the
other an Italian. The latter had registered his name as
Signor Gaspa Morelli, but I have since learnt that he is
really a Yankee boy ; that he was born and raised near
Stonington, Connecticut, and dubbed by his affectionate
parents Andrew Greenleaf. As he grew older he was
affiicted with an intense desire to become a circus per-
former, and finally ran away from home to connect himself
with some strolling company. He was for a while a mem-
ber of Barnum's immense " show," and,his astonishing per-
formances upon stilts will be remembered by thousands.
He is a handsome, frank-looking man, of about 25, has a
fair complexion, and wears a small black moustache. The
conversation referred to was a discussion upon the possible
feats which might be accomplished by a man upon stilts.
Morelli expressed his conviction that he could cross the
Niagara river, walking upon stilts, amid the foaming and
unsounded rapids that whirl between Goat Island and the
Falls. " I'll bet you a thousand dollars to fifty it can't be
done," exclaimed the Southerner. " I accept the challenge,"
answered Morelli, quietly. The astonishment of his hearers
at this reply may be imagined. "When do you propose to
attempt it ? " inquired the challenger. "On Saturday
morning, the 12th of February," tranquilly replied Gaspa.
The assurance with which he spoke filled every one with
surprise. The stakes were handed over to Mr. Augustus
Train, of Buffalo. The ietzval was spent by Morelli in
constant exercise, for the purpose of strengthening his
limbs, somewhat relaxed by a season of rest. His friends
expostulated in vain against the apparently insane hazard,
and even proposed to return to him the amount he would
be compelled to forfeit. He would listen to no one. To
avoid a crowd, it was announced that the attempt would be
made upon the 14th (Monday), instead of the day originally
stated, so that at seven in the morning there were only about
thirty persons by the river bank. He had with him a pair of
stilts about twelve feet long, made of wrought-iron, flat, sharp-
edged, and pointed-7-shaped, in fact, almost precisely like a
double-edged dagger. These were firmly lashed to his legs,
and he walked towards the river with a confident smile. At
ten minutes past seven he stepped into the water, which in
another moment was boiling, surging, and rushing beneath
his feet. The boldest of the lookers-on held his breath
in suspense as the daring man receded from the shore. He
alone seemed unmoved, and passed on slowly and care-
fully, avoiding the larger rocks which were made apparent
by the eddying current. His steps at first were very short
and carefully made, but afterwards became bolder and
longer. The stilts, of course, were so placed that the cur-
rent struck only against their sharp edges, and produced
but little effect ; but the danger from sunken rocks, and
the conviction that a single false step would send him to
death produced a feeling which was horribly painful. Once
or twice he seemed to lose his balance, and a sickening
shudder ran through each one of the beholders. Recovering
himself, he still kept on—still receded, until to our strain-
ing eyes, he could scarcely be distinguished from the
foaming waters. The middle of the river was attained at
last ; hours seemed to have fled, but it was barely 17
minutes since he left the shore. As he approached the
deepest and most dangerous part of his route, the suspense
Jarfully intense. No word was spoken,
except that one man offered another five dollars for a
moment's use of his opera glass, which offer passed
unheeded. Just as Morelli readied the swiftest and deepest
part of the Current, he seemed to totter—sink —he threw
up his arms ! I cloSed my eyes. Opening them a moment
after, I saw that he was still standing. A few moments
more, and he had reached the Canadian bank---he was safe,
and fell exhausted into the arms of two men who were waiting
to receive him. At about 3 p.m. he had nearly recovered,
and, though still in bed, receiving the congratulations of dozens
of visitors who were pouring in. He left the American shore
950 feet above the fall, and came out about 1,000 feet above
the Canadian. The money has been handed over to
him, and all will agree that it has been fairly won. His
generous opponent is able to afford his loss, and speaks in
praise of Morelli more enthusiastically than ever.---New
York Spirit of the Times.

beecrne more f

A TOXTETII PARK DISPENSARY.
TO THE EDITOR OF TILE NORTHERN TIMES

Sir,—l have read your very just remarks regarding the
conduct of our Guardians, and I hope the ratepayers will
not forget them in the forthcoming elections. There is
another remark I would just like to make, viz :—Why
should we not have a dispensary of our own, the same as the
other districts of the town has ? What guarantee have the
doctors and the patients that their prescriptions are
correctly prepared, and that the full quantity
ordered of an expensive medicine is put into the
bottle ? The doctors have not an opportunity of seeing the
medicine, and of coarse the patient don't know. These
remarks are called forth by what a person told me last night.
A friend of his gave in an estimate some years ago to sup-
ply a charitable institution with drugs. He found that he
lost money by it ; another druggist took it at the same
amount, and he remarked afterwards that " he made a good
thing of it." We cannot tell what the poor patients suffered,
or how the doctors were disappointed in the effects of the
medicine by this transaction. I sincerely hope that we will
have a dispensary of our own immediately, even before the
present contract has terminated. I believe the doctors are
dissatisfied already with the present arrangement. If the
system of having a dispensary of their own in other districts
works well, sorely it will do the

same in ours.
A. RATEP4YER.

April 9th, 1856,