Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-09-09
Urucral Sntrlll1tntf.
UNEs, NIAGARA on \ BICYCLE.

4. Bultalo Express gives full account
vt Il. r,.seu@t OF Prof Jenkins over Mag
ala ON q Rycic!e, from which we extract
the following:
The Canadian Blondin is about Is years
ot N -, with dark hair. blue eyes and prom
Uncut Nose; he is spare in flesh; stands 5
l,..t =. and weighing, perhaps, 40 lbs,
aud would pass anywhere for Down-east
Yankee.
Il The machine> used by Prof Jenkins is
not III any sense q r1'o"ipeoe. 1t is, how
ever, byciclc. and turned upside down
would resemble in some degree modern
v,iocipcde. The wheels, three inches wide,
are made heavy and of wood without tires,
Int IN their places are grooves one and
three quarter inches deep The front
wheel is three feet two inches and the hind
wheel two feet ten inches in diameter. The
connecting rods are iron. so also the bal
ancc pole, which is eight feet long and
ii, ped with ten pound balls and weighs
lightweight pounds. The whole thing,
With tho MAJ thrown in, weighs two hum
lrel and ninety-eight pounds. The pro-
polling power is q pinion cog-wheel made
Of brass, about nine inches in diameter,
which is made to geer to cogs which sur
round the front wheel ut, the bottom of the
groove. ~ l. -
At haf-past two o'clock the Professor
made his appearance at the small house on
the Canada side with the pieces of his ma
cline and at once proceeded to put them
Ia. cher q task of no small labor. With
tn. aid of his men he first placed the fore
wheel on the rope just at the edge Of the
l1rccipice and while one man balanced it,
another placed on the standard from the
nn,,sr side, thus bringing two strong bars
of iron on either side Of the rope. All the
ioiuts were securely fastened with bolts.
The braces or connecting rods extending
from the standard to the rear shaft in the
form of the letter O made the connection
complete and very strong,
TIE professor then got outside of the
rope, arranged the pinion wheel and fast
eutd the balance pole across the o part OF
the braces. This done the seat, q strip of
leather was secured to the rear axle by
means of straps. This arrangement, which
it was seen at once would throw the entire
weight Of the machine and the rider under
the rope, was n source OF disappointment,
ii not OF relief to many Of the spectators,
who not consulting the inventive genius of
the Canadian Blondin, rather expected to
sc HIM mounted on q Greenwood veloci-
I; lie, which, OF course, would give good
chance for ground and lofty tumbling.
vi being in readiness, the bicycle was
fastened b. rope to the bank, md Jen-
kiu;, who hnd superintendent all the opera
tuns, started for his hotel to robe. During
his absence the crowd viewed the machine
critically, and murmurs of 'humbug,"
sold" who ''couldn't," &C., were heard,
h,.t as q general thing the crowd were
pleased with the ingenious method in which
TIE great danger supposed to be involved
i'll the undertaking had been avoided. By
this time the people who had been pouring
in on excursion trains from all parts of
tiles for observation, to the number per-
laps Of 5000.
The lion made his second appearance at
half: past o'clock, dressed for the perform
,tilc". He wore white tights, black velvet
knsc breeches, shoulder straps and cross
belts Of the same material, and on his head
was placed a crown shaped hat; and all were
rro;usely bedecked with tinsel and beads.
Ills # ct were covered with buff moccasins.
Before alighting from the carriage, Jenkins
stopped and talked with our reporter; but
there was a little nervousness apparent
about his eyes and mouth which, perhaps,
was caused by over smoking, or the enor-
mons Guild OF tobacco he was seen to bite
from Il borrowed plug.
We gave him word of encouragement,
iiiti liz dl O1Ce lOOA Ills pOsltlOu dSIEllAo tAe
rope and proceeded to arrange the leather
ss!p Or seat, which, as it was allowed to
to1lch the rope, seemed more for the
purpose of protecting the velvet pants
from damage by attrition than to sit
anon. In tact. he did not sit, but stood
Up with his feet about eighteen inches
apart, resting on the balance pole. In
moment he graspcd the handles of the pin
ion wheel, and turned them, moving SLOW
~ from this bank, tie crowd preserving
dcath-liko stiffness. After passing out
q few Yards halt was made, and the pho
tngraphors were allowed to take his pic
t'rr. lie then returned and waited five
OF t: Il minutes and resumed his seat. Three
pistol shots were then fired from the Cana.
"a AIDE, and it was a 'go.' The machine
lnnved slowly forward the rope swaying
gently from side to side until he had passed
ont about fifty feet, when another opportu-
l.ty was given the artist, after which he
rrswled along at q snail's pace to the mid
die of the abyss, where he raised and
waived his hat, and received faint cheer
in response, From the center to the Amer
lean shore it was evidently hard work to
propel the bicycle, but at last the edge of
the cliff was reached, and then the welkin
did ring with the applause of the people.
he time occupied in passing over the rope
Vas just eleven minutes.