Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-07-14
Mons. Blondin's Great Feat.

4 IS UNeT tue SCiSc ESdI
uidn ay between the Falls and the Suspe- o
sion Bridge, 1t poin, where the banks Gin.
both sides jut out boldly, considerably leptt
senng the breadth of the furious curref, a
below The rope. which is about two ;nch or
in diameter, is made fast 10 large trees tner
each side. The Canadian bank is $50 fes bt
above the water, the American IG0 et.llly
The rope is detected over the gorge to tn o
amount of full one third, and is secured b o
ffty-seven guys on each side, inciudinlra
! large guys running from near the centefrtt
downwards, and fastened to the rocks o
each side. The guys are all fastened .,,o,
trees on the river banks, and reach from Ia; n.
centre of the stream to a distance Of thre, ,-e
or four hundred feet on each side of th, :,
point oil 'erm'ns'ioh' ne oiStahce asros ich
is about GOO feet, and the length of th.L
main rope is 1900 feet. The labor an -
peril in preparing the rope for the feat wa ~
great. Some four or five days were spen,n
| in getting the first line ecross. Blondin at
tached all the guy ropes himself. SomI =.
six or seven Thousand persons W itnessed the
daring of Mons. Blondn on the 3otn ut q,
thus described oy The Buffalo Courier: IeI
AT O'Clock the daring Frenchman sp,re
appeared at the cable, and gave the sigma in
to fire the gun. He DOTTED his purple vesl,a-
cap. wig, and trousers, and appeared bareer
headed in fesh-colored shirt, tights sn,ne
hose. Monster waved his hand TO the banden
which struck up an inspiring strain, anne
Monsieur boldly started down the rope to ly
wards the yawning chasm at a slow bua as
steady pace, while every man, woman anthe
child held their breath. Blondin himselso
was probably the coolest and most indifer,
ent person inside Of the two nations :,
The sun about 90 Gegi ees above The horizon :,
hot and brdssy, darted his fierce rays full il :
his face, but he calmly ard quietly pursuei,'
his way, using his balance pole. which ws5.
of enormous length, but very slightly. Or
reaching the fourth guy, about 90 feet from.
the bank, he paused-sat down-then laii
down calmly on his back, at which the "
whole of the immense tbrong were visiblN.
affected with palpitation of the heart. and
seven the boldest held his breath"
A iter a moments interval, MonsicuE
again arose and walked nimbly, stopping
only once more until he reached nearly -thff
center of the gorge. where be balanced
himself on one foot, again laid down to Test L
and finally sat up, bcckoning to the Maid of
the Mist, which was below with large
number Of people on board, to approach him
At the same time he dropped line to-
which, when the steamer came up, was at
tached bottle of wiRe, which he hoistedt
up and emptied. The conclusion of this
feat was greeted with lend applause, :rams
the assembled throng on both sides of thep
river From this point the Frenchman madess
his way without stopping, end at rapid paces
until he reached the opposite end, when ihe'
long pent-up anxiety of the crowd found
vent in oft repeated cheers. AS he ap-i,
preached the Canadian siGe an excellent>
brass band greeted him with "Get out of
the Wilderness - The whole -tims occu-
pied in crossing the chasm, Including the
stoppages, was III minutes. When the
thing was accomplished everybody knew
that it would be, with scarcely an exception
each had predicted the result. A Il confess
sed, however, that it was the most aston
| ishiug exhibition of nerve and daring !.
which it had ever been their lot 10 witness.
On arriving at the Canadian side, ii.
Blondin gave performance on the tight rope
similar TO that given previous to the grand
feat A subscription was set OF foot for the
bsne6t of Mons. Blondin, and quite a re-
spectacle sum collected. }
At 6.1o PRECISELY, shout from the Cana
dian side recalled the spectators Tor what
there was left of them) to the river bank.
from which Mons. BloLdin was beheld set
ting out on his return. This time the pas
sage was made much quicker as the daring
artist only paused once, in the middle of the
river, to rest himself, making the passage
in exactly seven minutes He was receR-
ed on landing with shouts of applause. the !
4 band playing Yankee Doodle. accompanied
| by the shriIl whistle of several locomotives
which were drawn up on each bank in wait
ing. He was also seized by the hand by
numerous enthusiastic believers. who warm
ly congratulated him on the successful ter
mination OF his perlous feat.
Mons. Blondin received these marks OF
appreciation with the characteristic polite.
ness and suavity Of Frenchman. and when
seized by eager hands and borne in triumph
on the shoulders of men to his carriage, he
in no degree RELAXED from the graceful
bon homnie, for which he is so much dis
tnguished. He appeared to be but little
fa,igued or excited and said that the only
anxiety he felt was on account of his friends
the spectators.
We learn that Monsieus BIundin will
give another performance offs similar kind
on the Fourth of July. (Monday) when the
problity Ii that there will be largely in
creased attendance. We should not be sur
prised 20 see him wheeling barrow across
the gorge in less than ten days with man
/ in it. The fact is that with n man of NJ.
Blondin's nerve. and ability, there is scarcely
the shadow of danger in the Undertaking y