The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-01
A Flying Hoax.

RECENTLY a number of boys were dis
tributing a neat-looking circular in the
upper part of the city above Fourteenth
street. In the Fifth Avenue hotel and in
front of the other hotels in that neighbor-
hood many well-dressed persons stood
reading the circulars, all evidently much
interested. The circular, which is printed
on a half sheet Of French note, is as
follows:
THE ART OF FLYING.
Prof. Cantell A. Biglie, Scientific School of
the public that he will give an exhibition of his
completed apparatus for navigating the air on
Wednesday aiternoQn the 9th Of A9r % at
Church. The Professor proposes to fly from
house to house, across Broadway, at angles;
then from Trinity to Bowling Green, and return;
and will ascend as high as Trinity steeple, and
hover few moments in that vicinity. An op-
portunity will be given after the exhibition TO
examine the apparatus. The public are respect
fully invited.
A Sun reporter learned that these circu-
lars had been extensively distributed
among the bankers, brokers, and mer-
chants down town. AS early as half past
? large crowds who had read this aston
ishing announcement began to assemble
in tie neighborhood of Trinity Church,
the crowd extending from Liberty street
as far down as Bowling Green. The side
walks were lined with men, women, and
children, all intently gazing heavenward,
and it tried the best efforts of the police of
the Broadway squad to keep passage-way
clear on the sidewalks.
Many staid old gentlemen stood on the
high steps of the offices nearly opposite
old Trinity, and frequently consulted their
watches with evident anxiety, and then
turned their eyes toward the cross on
Trinity Church spire. Many a gentle
man quit his business earlier than usual,
and, wandering up Wall street, to Broad
way, turned his eyes upward, and point
ing to a lofty roof informed the friend with
him that the Professor would probably
soon make start from that point.
As the appointed hour was announced
by Trinity's bells numerous groups stood
on the house tops, awaiting the Professor S
flight. Many faces were recognized in the
street as being those who at that hour are
usually promenading upper Broadway. 1t
was astonishing how many had deserted
their favorite tramping ground. A throng
of men on the roof of the building on the
southwest corner of Broadway and Rector
street attracted much attention from the
immense multitude that had gathered in
front of that building. One old gentleman,
a director of one of the down town insur-
ance companies, thought he saw piece OF
canvas fluttering in the breeze, and told
the bystanders that the Professor was
about to start. The multitude began to
surge to and fro to get a nearer view.
just then newsboy shouted, Say, old
fellow l guess you be near sighted; that
or is white apron" and it subsequently
proved to be one of Delmonco's French
cooks in full uniform on the roof.
Two men were standing at the corner
of Wall street. One said to the other
| Bob you are a pretty follow to bring me
down from Fordham to see this SELL"
"Well, came as far as you did," replied
the other man.
| About this time Officer Robert j. Wal.
lace of the Broadway squad called the at
tention of those near him to the second
line on the circular, and then read it as
follows: Prof. Can-tell-A-Big-lie. Every
body in that multitude soon had business
elsewhere.-N. Y. iSun.