The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-20


O'clock
From the Buffalo Cosrisr, August 1s.l
ROPE DANCING AT NIAGARA-BLONDIN
AHEAD OF DELAVE-HE CARRIES A MAN
SAFELY ACROSS.
Probably the largest crowd that ever assembled
at Niagara Falls was present there yesterday to
witness Mons. Blondln cross the Niagara River up
on his rope, carrying man upon his shoulders
Excursion trains were run upon all the roads lead
ing to the Falls, and every train was crowded The
trains from this city-a total of 40 cars-carried
not less than z 800 persons. The steamer Arrow
took down two loads; in all about 200 PERSONS
The excursion train from Rochester was composed
of 20 cars, all full. The train from Lewiston 10
cars full; and the Great Western Railway brought
IN 80 coaches; these also were as full "a hey could
hold. The steamer Zimmerman, from Toronto
brought over 200 persons.
A very large number of persons from both sides
OF the river came down in their own carriages and
helped to swell the numbers of those present. The
Great Western and Detroit and Milwaukee Rail-
ways ran special excursion train at half fare from
Milwaukee to the Bridge, and the Michigan Cen
trail Road put on an excursion train from Chicago
to connect with the Great Western at Detroit
When we arrived upon the ground at about 4
o'clock, every available seat and lookout was secur-
ed, and both banks for some distance back were a
mass OF human beings, all eager to catch a glimpse
OF Mons. Blondln and the man he was to carry
across on his back. Many doubted whether NJ
BlOndin would attempt the feat and others assert
ed that he could not find any one who would be
willing to accompany him.
About AZ o clock NJ. Blondin entered the enclo-
sure and proceeded to the end of the rope on the
American side. His appearance was the signal for
general cheering, which responded to from
the other side of the river. He was dressed as on
former occasions, in silk-tights, bare-headed and
had on his feet rough dressed buckSkn shoes In
few minutes after his arrival he ascended the rope
with his balancing pole, and started to cross the
river alone. Before leaving he tied pad of papers
around his waist After proceeding about 100 feet
he stopped swung one foot and then the other and
then walking along Is or 20 feet stopped and stood
upon his head-his head resting on the balancing
pole which lay across the rope, the ends supported
upon the guy ropes. He then ran along the rope,
stood upon bis head sat down, turned sommersets
backward and forward, and proceeded to the mid
die o the river, where there are no guys. He
here laid down on the rope on his back at full
length, stood on his head, laid his balance pole
across the rope, and stood upon it with the other
foot his hands laying by his side
He then passed along the rope to where the guys
on the Canada side fastened, and laid down
his balancing pole. He now returned with his body
suspended beneath the rope, running along with
his hands and feet as an ape to the middle of the
rope, between the guys. He here went through
with all the feats attempted by tight-rope perform
ers, such as hanging by one foot, then the other,
by one hand, dropping his body down full length
below the rope, aud whirling round, resting his
breast upon his rope, and with arms and legs ex-
tended, as if in the act of swimming He hung by
both arms, and then passed his body between his
arms and the rope, and in fact performed all feats
ever accomplished by the most agile tight-rOpe per-
formers. He then returned to where his balancing
pole was, took it up, and crossed to the Canada
bank, stopping several times to turn summersets
stand upon his head, upon foot, and to lay
down upon the rope Upon his reaching the Can
ada shore he was received with tremendous cheers
from the crowd, and the locomotives on the bridge
and on both sides of the river responded with their
whistles
IaH bolc
hour in crossing, most of his time being spent in
his performances the rope. He remained upon
the Canada side to rest aud refresh himself some IL
or 20 minutes, and again appeared upon the rope.
This time he had his Agent, Mr.. Henry Colcord, a
man weighing about l36 pounds, upon his back,
and his balancing pole in his hands. He proceed
ed down the rope very slowly and cautiously, as if
feeling every step, until he about hundred
feet from the Canada side, when Mr. Colcord dis
mounted and stood upon the rope Immediately be-
hind NJ. Blondin. They here remained to rest pro-
badly three or four minutes, when Mr.. Colcord
again mounted, and NJ. Blondin proceeded, still
walking very slowly and stopping occasionally to
balance himself They stopped five minutes in
crossing, and each time Mr.. Colcord dsmounted
and again resumed his position. He had his arms
around NJ. Blondin's neck, and his legs rested on
the balancing pole. He in his shirt sleeves, and
wore straw hat. About % minutes were occu-
pied in accomplishing the first half of the rope and
the balance in 20, making AZ minutes from bank to
bank.
The LONDON TIMES OFFIcE.-Mr Story, son O
one of the proprietors of the Rochester Democrat
writes 10 that paper account of his visit to the
office of the London Times. We copy a portion of
the narrative:
One of the most interesting and novel depart
ments of the establishment is that in which the
stereotyping process is carried on Y ou know per-
haps, already, that every number of the Times is
printed from stereotype plates, thus saving a great
part of the and tear of the type. The stereo-
type plate is taken from the ''form in three min
utes, by new process, invented by Swiss and
known only to him. A thin layer of soft and damn
papier mache first receives the impression of the
type, and after it has been hardened by the appli-
cation of heat, the melted lead is poured on which
is to form the stereotype plate
The papier mache has the power of resisting the
action of the melted lead, and out of the fiery
trial unnured, and almost unscorched. The plates
remelted every day after the issue of the day
printed from them, and the waste of type metal
| from day to day Is very slight By this power of
| multiplying the number of forms from which the
same side of the paper can be printed. the Times
can three or four presses at once, and thus print
its SO 600 copies, on emergency, in two hours
time. The Times employs in its establishment
some $50 persons. 1t has eighteen reporters at the
Houses of Parliament, and for these as we'll as the
majority OF its compostors, the working hours are
the night hours exclusively. 1t owns four cabs
which are employed solely in carrying reporters
and reports at night to and fro between Printing
House Square, and the Palace at Westminster
! The reporters relieve each other at the Houses
|
bate in the Commons last till four O'Clock in the
morning, the Times gives it in full by sunrise,
though it cover two whole pages of the journal.
BALTIMORE AND PoroMAC RAILRoAD.-The meet
ing of the Directors of the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad which was to have taken place in Port
Tobacco, Nd, on yesterday, was not held, owing
| to the absence of Mr. Robinson of this State, one
of the Directors. The Port Tobacco Times says:
''There being present quite large number OF
our citizens who feel an interest in the enterprise,
the Agent ofthe Company, Mr.. Robert Bowie,
| called an informal meeting of the Directors and
and invited the public to attend. The President of
| the Board, Col. Seman, being requested to make
a speech, promptly responded, and mis- remaks were
very encouraging to the friends of the road in this
country. The meeting was also addressed by the
Agent, and Col. w. w. W. Bowie, who spoke with
happy effect.
The CINclNNATI GRAPE CRoP.-In the month OF
June, the vines IN the vicinity of Cincinnati gave
evidence of producing the largest grape crop ever
gathered there, but, towards the latter part of the
month, rot or mildew made its appearance and a
good deal of alarm manifested. About one
tenth OF the grapes it is estimated, destroved
but with the dry warm weather of July the rot dis
appeared and it is stated by experienced men that
the crop now on the vines and which looks won
derfuly well, is as large as ever known. A gentle
man thoroughly conversant with the cultivation OF
the grape estimates the money value of the crop OF
Hamilton county this year at one million of dollars.
| TAKING 1T CooLLY.-The Houston Telegraph
which bitterly opposed Gen. Houston, takes the
result of the election in very philosophical spirit.
Hear it,
We were going along smoothly as we thought
had made our State officers for a couple of years
ahead, as we fondly anticipated, and supposed the
country was all right, whenGall at once we "heard
something drop" and the next thing we felt ''as
though we had been sent for and couldn't go" 1t
is of to try to account for the business Thel
is just this one thing about it, the opposition out
numbered us, and we had to knock under. We are
pleasantly located ON the banks of Salt River,
that famous place for retrieving broken political