The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-07-13

Lhe point OF lanolng was eleVen nunnreu anu
fifty miles, and was accomplished in nineteen
hours and fifty MINUTES, being nearly mile a
minute.
The trip was at Mr. GAGER' s expense cost
ing him two thousand dollars.
Three days after the Express bag was pick
ed up. iI the Lake and found to contain for
ty letters, one inclosing thousand dollar
draft, on New York.
Prof WISE announces that the Atlantic
will soon be repaired to try it again, bnt wheth
er the California and ocean tri ps will be at
tempted is not stated. We should judge that
Prof WISE was Just the man to attempt to
cross the Atlantic in balloon, for he has
manifested decided prediction for drown
ing rather than perishing on land, and that
will afford him a splendid opportunity to
drown.
How Niagara is spanned by Rope-and a man
dances across 1t.
For some time past preparations have been
going forward for the hazardous undertaking
of crossing Niagara river upon tight rope
which was successfully accomplished upon the
the 30th ult.
The hero of the occasion was Frenchman,
known in this country by the name of BLoN-
DIN, though his real name is EMILE GRAvELET.
He came to this country in 1855, since which
time he has been connected with the famous
Ravel troupe and Martinett company, until
within year or two, when he became part
proprietor of a circus.
When he first proposed to attempt the feat
people quietly smiled and thought of the
moon and meteoric hoaxes.
He intended to fasten one end of his rope
upon Goat Island, and stretch it thence to the
bank near the Clifton House, but the propri-
etors of Goat Island thinking him 20 be mad
man, and not wishing to assist his scheme ot
self-destruction refused him the use of the
Island. The point which he then selected. is
about midway between the Suspension Bridge
and the Falls, mile and a quarter below the
ca, arect, and where the bank on the Ameri-
can side is one hundred and sixty feet from
the water and on the Canadian, one hundred
and seventy. The rope used was three and q
quarter inches in diameter; is 1900 feet long,
and with 2,700 feet of guy rope necessary to
steady it, cost $3.50.
At the appointed time, twelve thousand
people were present, ready for the start M.
B1oNpIN appeared dressed in tights. stepped
upon The rope. and after conversing few mo-
ments with his friends, addressed the crowd as
follows:
Gentlemen, any one what pleases to across,
carry him on my back
No one accepting the invitation, he took his
balance pole, which weighs fortv-6ve pounds
and started. After walking ahont fortv-6ve
feet he Law down on his hack. balanced him.
self on one leg &c. and then proceeded to the
middle of the river where he again stopped
and let down cord to the little steamer, Maid
of the Mist, that was accompanying him by
the water route, and bottle of wine being
attached by the captain he drew it up, and
drinking the health Of the multitude, proceed
ed to Canada in safety, having been nineteer
minutes in making the trip including stops.
After resting short time he retraced hi
stems, making the return trip in eight minutes
He was received by bands of music and deaf
ening cheers which. considering the Fall
make some little noise in that neighborhood
must have been tremendous
Since then he has repeated the feat. and OF
the Fourth in the presence of ten thousand
crossed from the Canada TO the American
side with b aa on his head reaching TO hi
knees. 1t is reported that HENRY L. YnUNo
of Rochester twenty-four years old, weighing
one hundred and twenty pounds, and SYLvEs
TER Doss, weighing The same, with nerve un
shaken have accepted hi invitatation tc
please to across Whether BLoDIN will car
ry them remains to be seen, but we presume
he will. Why he should wish to undertake 81
hazardous an operation seems little strange
but his being Snowman looks little as tho
there was flthv lncre at the bottom of the risk
and should he complete his operations at Nj
agara without completing his life, in a short
time undoubtedly, barHs pig sties and grog
geries will be ornamented with mammoth
posters announcing the advent of the vertable
man that crossed the Niagara on rope, who
will perform suudry gyrations for reasonable
compensation.
Many newspapers assumed TO be horrife J
that any one should be so reckless. To be
sure the slightest misstep would send him
Where catfish and cells DER his body would founder,
but judging from the description of him,
which is that he is ssne thirty-six years old,
five feet eight inches high and weighs one
hundred and forty-two pounds, we shou pre-
sumo that he was as much interested as any
one, and while he don't care, we see no neces
sity why others should give themselves any
uneasiness concerning him. provided that he
will leave property enough to support wife
and two children. so the country will incur no
expense Should be loose his life, his resting
place will be so moist that it will ohviate the
necessity of hedewing his grave with tears.
A Rich Rowdy Murderer Cannot be Hung.
Young Cook, the drunken young rowdy
who murdered KATE BUREAU, in 40 assigna
ton house in Cincinnati, last spring, has upon
recent trial been convicted of manslaughter