The Colfax chronicle. (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-03-31
.Gbs Golfax Chronicle.
SATURDAY, MARCH 81, 1877
Our New York Letter.
New YoRK. March Is. '76.

s1t,eIf Rather biChuOA OHo, Wv
tween the piers of the great
Rrooklyn bridge, marks an impor-
tsnt era in the progress Of this
; ; work. For months past
there have been quite a number OF
ANAL cables dropping from one to
The other and lying like graceful
.n;der threads against the sky;
but now they have completed a
foot bridge the whole distance
from the New York anchorage to
that of Brooklyn. This bridge is
an unenclosed pathway of oak
Stats, in all some three or four
feet wide, and slung along two
thread like wire ropes, which serve
as hand-rails during the passage.
From below, the bridge with a
man travelling on it has very much
the effect Of a fly crawling along
A narrow ribbon, and merely to
look up at it and realize the stretch
Of vacancy between its frail struc-
ture and the river is enough to
make any ordinary stomach turn
a complete somersault. What
then must be the sensations in the
digestive apparatus of the human
ay away up there as be glances
from his swaying, sideless foot
hold, down through the yawning
gulf to the black waters below, is
something that l don't care to
imagine.
Tho foot bridge of course is only
intended Cor the use,f he work
men employed upon the perma-
nent structure, but on its compile
ton there were the usual numbe,
Of reporters and of the adventur-
Gus spirits who are always f;,scina-
ted by danger, importuning the
authorities for permission to make
the perllous trip. Such applicants
at first were uniformly refused.
But who can permanently with
stand the all-c)nquering newspa.
per man when, IN full war paint
and feathers, be gets fairly on the
scout Of his prey? The unfortu
nate superintendent stood the
strain for a few days and then
"caved" with the remark "that lac
supposed some half dozen of those
blank idiots had got to kill them,
selves before the rest would lei
him alone" Permits were there
lore issued to several men, and,
believe, to one woman, who made
the passage and have recorded
their impressions in the various
journals to which they belong.
myself became somewhat fired
oy emulation and u sense Of my
duty to your readers, and for .
snort time entertained q seriou.
4, idea Of distinguishing myself IL
IKE manner. / even went to til.
spot and surveyed the prospect
and see how 1 thought / should
IKE the trip. One glance
was sufficient. The acrobatic ten.
aencles Of my interior, above re.
lerred to, were warming reminder
o. avow 1 made some years ago
xnen cllnging to the stone WORK
s.tne very apex of the spire of the
NfssoarS Cathedral, four hundred
sad odd feet above the ground, to
'ne effect that if l were only Der.
mltted to get safely to mother
sAf'n once more, l never would
.eaSe her again. The unpleasantIy
suggestive words of the superin.
enoent about "idiots" came bach
70 me, and 1 gave it up. The
World | felt, could hardly spare
me yet, aud even if the reverse
Fere true, l certainly could not
spare the world. Besides, if
should chance to take my tumble
aom the bridge at point where
erryboat or other craft was pass.
aae below, | might knock IA hole IL
~ %ot DO some other damage. Sc
va the whole l decided / would
:; 10. take any trapeze performance
- @ine' preferring to forego the
opportunity of making sensation
81 ,s'ner than risk having my caree,
~ ..s Usefulness brought to sudden
ana untlmely end.
! must therefore leave youl
leaders to imagine the thrilling
s0OCunt they would have bad, 4
y. y mead had been little steadier
@S glowing description of the