The Van Buren press., 1873-09-16
BALLENI AT NIAGARA.
A Magnificent Funambalistic Exhibition
- Fourteen Hundred Feet on
Rope Deer Tie Gorge of
Niagara Hiesr.
Daring Drop from he Rope Into tie
Abyss an Haadred Feet Belo,e.
From the Buffalo Courier Aug. q.

From the Buffalo Courier Aug. Isl
1t had been advertised for some tim,
that Signor Balleni, noted funambulist
would yesterday inauguratc series o
exhibitions ON a tight rope stretches
across Niagara river, Immediately below
the falls, and that he would perform sun
dry remarkable feats, including terrii,
jump or drop from the centre Of the rop'
into the river, an adventure which woul'
first appear as nothing less than fool
hardy and suicidal The residents o
the ncighborhood Of the falls were II
general, We believe, inclined to take bu
little stock In the signors announcement
probably for the reason that other cx
hibitors had at previous times failed tc
perform what they contracted TO do.
The distance between the two banks al
the point where the rope is stretched
across is fourteen hundsed feet, one end
OF the rope being anchored directly op
posite the Clifton house, and the other
end IN Prospect park, about a quarter Of
the distance from tho railway incline to
the new suspension bridge. This is the
widest point Of the river at which a rope
could be got across The rope used by
tie famous Biondin was stretched furth-
er down tue river where the banks are
only eight hundred feet apart The en-
tire length of Balleni's rope is fifteen
hundred feet II is n three strand ma
nilla line, two aud quarter inches in di
ameter. The banks Of the river ut the
points where the ends are anchored are
said to be about one hundred and ninety
feet high When We first saw the rope
it sagsed down fully half the distance,
but subsequently it was somewhat tight
cncd by capstan turned by horse pow.
er at the American side. Still, however.
the sag was as much ~ sixty or seventy
feet, and il seemed impossible that any
human being could walk up or down the
inclines. At the centre the rope was bal
lasted with sand bags, and 1t was braced
at either side by great number Of guy
ropes. Signor BaIlini claims that his
rope is the longest ever used by a tight
rope performer.
Yesterday was gloomy day. Daring
the entire forenoon rain fell, and the
weather was decidedly unpromising, so
much SO that few would care to venture
any considerable distance to view the cx
hibition with probability that ii would
not come o.l
not wait In vain. FOR at twenty mnugcs
past fonr O'Clock Signor Balleni appear
ed on the little platform at the end OF
the rope on tho Canada side, costumcd
with white tights and harlequin collar
aud tunic lIe covered HE feet with
pair Of canvass shoes, rubbed the solcs
energstically upon quantity OF pound.
ed resin, and then indicated clearly that
he meant business by taking up his bal
ance pole. The pole was OF white ask,
iron shod at either end, with ring in
the centre; it was twenty-five feet long
and weighed upwards Of forty pounds.
At q signal tho band struck up an inspir-
ing tune, and wiihc the first notes Bal
lcni, witheut the quver OF muscle or
shadow OF apprehension, stepped from
the brink out upon the rope and over tue
terrible chasm. lie began with strong.
firm step, keeping time to tho music, and
steadily proceeding down the great sag
Of the rope until he reached the centre,
far down below The spectators, who were
on the top Of the banks. There he stood
still for n moment, apparently resting,
with the green waters aud white foam un.
der him and the thunder Of the cataract
filling the gorge. Then he proceeded on
again and commenced the ascent at the
park side, but here the work was more
serious than II had been before, for. while
the rope n. the Canadian end had been
nearly as steady as al iron bar, 1t was
now loosely guycd and yibra,cd so much
as to cause the spcct tors considerable
alarm.
Upward the intrepid fanamhulist toll
ed, however, at intervals standing SUI
for q moment on one foot TO rest, until
at length lie reached the American bank
and amid the cheers ard congratulations
OF The throns stepped safe on terra .frmo
once more, having made The passage i,
fourteen minutes. The walk was indeed
long and difficult one, no matter no"
experienced the daring adventurer might
be- and when the siguvr landed upon th'
bank he was somewhat exhausted as ono
might naturally suppose. lie rested lol
abou. half an hour, then made ready fol
a still more terrific performance.
INTO THE ABYSS.
Ballcni stepped again upon Che rop'
and came down the ;Gclno 10 the centre
with rapid steps, almost on a run. ~
he started boat occupied by three ex
perienccd men pulled out from the shor'
to the centre OF the river. Arriving q
the middle Of the rope the signor stop
ped and prepared for bis awful jump IL
doing so no lost his balance pole whlci
he had intended to attach to guy rop'
so as to slide down where it could be re
gained. The pole fell into the river ant
sunk. Sgnor Balleni unrolled line II
feet long, composed OF thin strips OF In
dia rubber, about an inch in width On
end Of this line he attached to the man
rope. Holding the other end IN his han'
he allowed himself to drop bodily dewn
and the crowds on tho hanks with bate
breath saw him fall straight down ful
one hundred feet into the rushing Hood
striking the water with splash tina
could be heard above the noise aud roa
OF the falls. AS he struckhe released
his hold Of the rubber line, which whip
p,d back in,c the air high above him. u
The water the sipnor found himself equal