The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-07-22
Mons. BlendIn's Second Great Performance on
the Tight Rope-sWalks Over the Niagara
Euyeleptd In Sack.

the Tight R0pe-aW AXIS over the Niagara
| Envelepsd In . Sack.
On Monday, the 4th, Mons. Blundn re-
peated his great feat of walking across the
Niagara on a rope. The day was clear,
cool, but little wind, beautiful as the great
gynnast could have desired. The crowd
Of people was much larger than on Thurs
day. On the Canada side it was probably
double, and would have been yet more
largely increased on this side had there
been no celebration at Buffalo, 1ockport,
and other places. Iii impossible to make
anything like correct estimate of the
numbers present on either side. The re-
ceipts for the admission to the Pleasure
Grounds were considerably in excess over
those of Thursday.
Previous to walking over the river Mons.
,Blondin went through with his wonderful
performance on the tight rope, Oh the
ground. This alone is said to be unequal
led by any other tight rope performer in
the world, and among those present on
Doth occasions we're many who have seen
some of the most celebrated performers IN
this country and Europe. To be convinc-
ed that falling from / rope don't come III
his line of business one only needs to see
him dance, turn summersets backwards and
forwards, perform on chair standing in
most every conceivable position, jump back
wards 10 to Is feet, alighting on the rope
perfectly erect and composed, &c, DC,
A few minutes before 5 o'clock Mons.
Blondin grasped his balancing poe-which
! l. &c SS
long and of about forty-fye pounds weight
and started out backwards; after walk
ing out about seventy five feet he returned
and then proceeded on his journey across
the chasm of the river. The cable had
been drawn up making it more tight and
higher from the water. After going out
about LOO feet the daring pedestrian stop
ped stood on one foot, and then proceeded
about $50 feet farther when he laid down
on his back as gently as though on his
couch. Again he rose to his feet and con-
tirued his walk to the centre of the cable.
Here one end of his pole caught under one
of the guys but he soon extricated it and
took another siesta. He here answered
the cheers from the Canada side, swinging
his hands, throwing up his feet, and all
with the utmost sangtrold imaginable.
He reached the Canada side in 81 minutes,
including stops, andwa received with ire
mendous cheers, clapping of hands, swing
ing of handkerchiefs, &c, &c. Part of
the distance was performed on a run!
After spending about an hour on the
Canada side, Mons. B. re-appeared at the
cable and gave the signal for the Band on
the American side to play. He then dreoo
a sack over his head which entirely enuelop-
ed hiaO, except his legs and feet, and started
on his return. MANY of our prominent
citizens did their utmost to induce him to
abandon the idea of crossing in this man
ner, but to no purpose; he had promised
the public, and Blondin would not give
any one chance to say he had deceived
the people.) When about seventy five feet
out, on his return, he laid down, then pro-
ceeded to the center. Here he sat down,
laid down, threw up his feet, sat with both
feet on one side, jumped up and continued
his journey. 1t was plain to be seen that
he exercised more care this time, yet he
reached the American side in 10 minutes
including stops! The actual time used in
walking could not have been over min
utes. AS he neared the bank several loco
motives on both sides of the river set up
such shrill noise that butlittle else could
be heard. The reception was most enthu
siastic. The river gorge echoed and re-
echoed cheer after, cheer went up from both
sides. Blondin was borne through the ex-
cited crowd and after receiving the con-
gratulations of his friends proceeded to the
Falls in a carriage, and the vast crowd
gradually dispersed.
1t would be superhuous to add any
lengthy comments on this grand perform
ance. 1t is unequalled in the worlds his
tory. The reader may take the facts-for
these are facts-seen with our own eyes
and Judge himself of the amount of nerve
required to do such an act. Few appreci-
ate tit is performed with such apparent
ease-until they stop to consider all the
clrcumstances-the rope stretched from
bank to bank, distance of one thousand
feet, and 100 to 200 feet above the boiling
impetuous flood-a pole of the length and
weight described, to carry in his hands,
held firmly in front, and walk perfectly
erect and unconcerned as though on land,
and in SO short time. The more these
facts are considered the more astonishing
will the fact appear.-Niagara Falls Ga
zette, July 6.
\ MAN WITHOUT MoNEY.-A gentle
man some sixty miles below New Orleans
was accosted by a stranger.