American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-07-28
a Gala Day at Niagara zFaIIsalBIondi
iald his, is,WheeIbsFrOw. Z l,f
(Prom The Buialo Courier, July Is.)

A Gala Day at Niagara zFaIls.lBIondin
ier and HE s,WheeIbprrOw. s,s IL
(From the Buffalo Courier, July IS,)
Several csuses combined to render yes
ieFday gala day at the Falls. The ss-
we're head drove many tkithet Isom the
city. The Hose Companies. excursions
from this city, the Woman's Rights Con.
yention, and more than all. the final feat
of Mons. Blondin in crossing the river BY
hisoWn road and private conveyance
these drew people together from al quar-.
tiers. Fe as
At 3 O'Clock P. NJ, Mons. Blondin ap.
peared in from. Of the Falls Hotel. He
took 1 carriage. IN which. With his little
buggy and two gentlemen friends. be
rode about the villages while, and then.
proceeded 10 the river side and entered
the enclosure. His wife soon came, and
entered the grounds also. MulIitudes Of
people began 70 gather about and within
the enclosure. and on the Canadian side Of
the river q still greater number had COL
lected. Some olambered down Upon the
rocks below. and took seats midway be-
tween the upper soil end the foaming wa.
leFs.
| At 4 o'clock the FIRE companies came
in q body and entered the inOlosure, 1t is
not known how many were present, but
doubtless between three and four thous.
and upon the American side, and as many
more upon the opposite. q.@s ssa
Alittle after I P. M, NJ. Blondin be-
gan a series Of interesting performances
on o slack rope in the grove. Tbese were
continued till quarter before 1--WE. when
be appeared ct the end Of the rope on the
| American side, to the relief of the specta-
tors who had melted III the sun for two
hours. W 81 ~ @f
The rope occupied it's former position;
NJ. B!ondin was dressed IL his former
style ofbody tights. He PASSED down the
csble back ward, carrying his balancing
pole. About two hundred feet from the
embankment he paused. sat down, rose
again, proceeding, passed little beyond
the center. paused, sat down. Then hol.
ding his hat aloft. Capt. Travis. who was
stationed upon the Maid of the Mist, about
500 feet above point beneath the cable.
shot at il with rife. II is not known
whether he hit the target or not. NJ
i Bloudiu, arising, passed on; at about zoo
feet from the opposite embankment. psus.
ed,s sa. down, and laid down upon the
rope. He Gid not pause again until he
had gained solid footing and was borne
with cheers to bis carriage. The heat
was very oppressive, the thermomete
standing at rs deg. 10 the shade. This
4 feat was more wonderful since it was per.
formed. backward, and in the short space
Of fifteen minutes, including eiops. .
After refreshing himself. with his
friends. M. Blondin appeared again at The
rope at 81. But this time he was clad il
dark hAbiliments. with false.face. ant
very much resembled monkey. He hat
his little barrow and balancing pole bsfor,
him. He proceeded directly across th'
river. without once hating until be gain
ed Iand. He had 10 be more cautious
and consequently sloweraI The who'll
time employed wss ten minutes.
The wheelbarrow is slender, mad
mostly of half zach wildwood, and nailet
with small brads. 4 The wheel is ffteel
! inches in diameter, and at its circumfer
! ence four inches thick. II is carved ou
in the centre in representation Of spokes
and is grooved upon the circumferans
! surface to the depths Of three inches. Tb
axle is Of wood. and at it's end no NOR
than half an inch in diameter. The arm
: Of the barrow are four feet long. made q
: inch board. and are bent upward fior
the box, 10 which they are attached at tb
: sides. The box is fourteen inches wild
at the top, about three feet long, and Z
: the bottom sixteen inches. The tops {
the sides are irregular, sloping toward th
center and the ends. The whole box 1
! made OF half inch stuff, except the end
: which are an inch thick, and nailed, wit
\ small brads. The sides of, the box are OF
y namentsd wisb bright colored paint. tt
Z whole conveyance would not weigh mol
! Ftiiah twenty pounds and thirty pound
y !, would likely brsak box, arms or axle. J,
!: was made by Thomas Duncan Of the th
J J; atrs of this city. No man rode, as son
= had expected, ..,. ~. y" e, sa -if s
After M. Blondin's arrival upon Il
of American side, the crowd dispersed.-
:, Some returned 10 this city by the Arro'
:. The 6 O'Clock train. alone brought no 10
q than 1900 persons home.