, 1870-08-12
An zns1FcsStnK humping Ikemsn-
lseenEG.

An Interesting jumping Ikem.n-
iseencc.
Leetpvrt Aug. 8 Cv'r<,pors1os af the 8uEato Lt-
Apropo. OF Frank Thorue and his proposed
jamp ffum the Ai.saza Faila Bridge, rem1n-
ieee1ee Of twenty ycars ago occurs to me
which viii be now to most Of your readers.
take il for granted that since his e.per-
icnee Of last Wednesday. ana bis narrow
escape from death BY his foolhasay jump at
Duna1o, this en,erprrlDg young man il quito
willing to forego Lis intention Of tempting
fs;e 1t Niagara. II not, ho ouRht to BE- al
rised Of TIC Esd experiences Of certain
Dutchm4n, WIN, about The year 1852. attempt
ed I jump into the seetting current Of NiAg-
ua from the then new bridge at Suspension
Bridge
Iwaa a boy u the time, md "a tho event
seemed to me Of moro importance thsu any
thing th&t had previously transpiEea since tho
discovery Ct the American continent, TIC PSF.
ticnlarH Of it left IN impression on mv mind
that il as inaffaceahle - other youthful xecal-
lectious-
This Dutchnan, although he occupied no
higher position in lie than that OF : hostlor,
and was in fact . very ordinary, beer-dEiok-
ing Teuton, had no lack Of that kind Of
! devi:-may-care courage thai leads men or
poor rnenta1 balance to tic performance Of
| euch ally exploits. He had the reputation
however. Of being arst-class iu1npist; hid
cast himself down. it was said, from heights
in Europe anywhere from five Hundred to one
thousand feet attove tho saa IN safety, md
vas perfectly confident Of Lis ability to jump
| froui tho Lewiston Bridge. and tel! Of it half =
century afterwarl. This bridge, it will be re-
memberel, is al Of ufty fest less in height
aeose ths f., r3ging saIren. s h, of t1s @ river Tim
I Conlrtock. proposes to descend.
Although general incset1ulity prevailed at
| Lewiston, and in its vicinity, as to the Dutch
man*e performance Of his advertised feat, ret
he ventu1ed it At the DAY and hour appointed
III tho presence OF crowd Of si9ht-see1s, who
{witt ali Difference to the twenty thonaand
who Witnessed TLotues exploit 1t Iuffaiol
should have been better employed. Fortified
with whiskey, and, perhaps, with some idea oi
"bubble reputation. the Duschnasn msde an
awful jump. For perhaps third Of the dis
tzucs he descended straight aud With his bod,
in the perpendicular, then Ruat of wiud top
pied him over, and he struck the water OF
his tack and shoulders with force that sound
| ed audlblr above the roar OF the waters. FIJI
injuries we're hbout the same that the Buffalo
70 easily Nss the only na.vA1 TO those VII,
witnessed the fest. His back and sides wer,
peeled raw. and he was confined to his bod to
. several days Probably tlinssy;;niao such OF
! rcEinen.s ont of the hundred would mes
with instant death.
The moral Of this incident ought to h
seriously considcted By Frauk Thorne, an
| by all those incousiderate people who chee
lin on to this crazy exploit: Whethe
his equilibrium WAS or Was not disturbed
his Buttalo jump by current Of air, It is pos
| lively certain that it would be at Niagara. Th
! atmosphere in that dreadful chaam Ii In
! constant tumult, With currents and connte
: currents, and often with gales which svea
down it. All humane and sensible people vi
heartily aErce with tho conclusion or tho E.
Z | pre*s, that it ia quite time that stop We,
\ t pnt 10 such performances and it is best.
: that this sentiment should become general t.
fora 31r. Cometock OF any other man has 4
/ opportunity 10 commit public suicide 1t