The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1879-06-14
Jsnpi,e ffsa Niagara Driags.

JunpinG lfs0 Niagara Dsilge.
The Buffalo Courier gives soue
interesting particulars Of the leap
pf II. p. Peer fron the new 6us-
pension Bridge over the Niagara
River last Wednesday. The many
spectators, Il says. saw before
them . neat looking man attired In
meriuo hose and . suit Of tights
with blue trunks. Fitting tightly
about his hips and close to his
body aud passing up just under his
srmpits was . fuunel-shapea, iM-
Aatec rubber life preservcr, con-
structed after an arrangement
known only to himself. Stripes
Of cotton cloth were tightly oand.
aged around his hips aud loins. A
broad spongo covered his mouth
aud nostrils, and bis cars were
filled with the same material, the
sponge being 6rst moistened with
spirits. Over his shoulders was
u leather sling or brace, which
passed behind beneath IL the form
Of . loop, having . small brass
ring in the centre. When oil was
In readiness the signal Was given
to the boatsmen IN tho river below
10 get ready, and then Peer adjust
cd his sponge protectors, and crept
over the rail upon his scaAold,
where he sat down for . bricl
time.
The object Of the wiudlass aud
wire cable which had been prepar.
ed was now learned, and tho cable
being attached to the ring In the
sling that he wore 70 mako suro Of
HE maintaining . perpendicular
position, while the use OF . brake
upon tho cyiindcr would enable
those above IL . measure to con.
troll HE descent. The end Of the
cable was not fastened % that q
hc descended Il would unwind,
Whcm the wire had been attached
he stood up cross.leggod and fast
cned his limbs In this position
with q stiff elastic band about two
inches wide slipped over his thigh,
and another 10 cover his foot ai
the instcp,
After paper bag had boon flung
tn tho breeze TO tcst its force,
Peer lowered himself between lllc
two boards Of his scailol,liny and
hung frat by both hands aud thon
BY one. Tho suspense probably
will never he forgotten by those
who were waiting for lhc drop
After Il moments delay Peer again
took hold Of both hands, s'raigh.
tened himself out, and will.
goodbye" let his hands drol
close 10 his sides, and went dowu
like an arrow. Tho people who
had beech reclining on the ground
jumped 10 their feet, aud stood
fairly transnxed with mingled
feeling Of dread and suspense. Peel
shot directly down with almost
lightning. like velocity. and looking
likc a small boy 10 those above.
iisa ppeared with . great splasf
feet foremost beneath tho Rive
Niagar6, sending the water thre'
or four feet into the air abovc th'
line where hc entered. The fea
was gracefully performed. Will
al the strain on ones nerve Il va
a pretty sigh, and immcnsely In
teresting. lie did notreappcar O
quickly as It was expected, and III
people exclaimed "lle's gono! He
| killed." However. within four o
five seconds his head and uppe
part..of HE body appeared aOov
the water, and with bis hand h
fiunr oil the balance wire whic
had become ontangled about hi
face. He came up about fifty foe
below the place where he entered
and starting to swing, went dow
4 short distance below the bridge
was picked up bv Thomas Conro
the guide, aud swo other mon VII
were IN a bost.
When asked what sensations i
experienced he said: "None
particular as I went down, no. hin
more than If I Ind Jumped ten Il
stead Of q hundred and niudty.tw
feet, I think [ must have got
down about eleven feet into q
water when l encountered Il
under current, but I did not 80 In
TO Il.
A. II caught md. II threw me IL
on my back, and IN that positio
I was carried very swiftly abo,
twenty-five feet betwoen tho IN
currents, and the feeling TO q
back was just AZ though | had bee
drawn quickly over arough boa'
table but no evil effects fOllowc'
rh.a snv ovos imam. aane1 1o0kle