The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-25
ACROSS NIAGARA ON A ROPE.
"Reminiscences of the Man Carried by the
Great Tight-Rope Walker, Blondin.


Great Tight-Rope Walker, Blondin.
Chicago News.
Harry Colcord, artist, now of Chicago, ran
away from home and went to sea. Before he got
through with his adventures he rode across Mag
ara falls three times on the back OF Blondln on a
tightrope. He says he would not do it again,
but that he did not suffer from fear. Mr.. Col
cord said:
"In the year 1858 I joined Blondin in Boston.
He was Of the Francona troupe, including Mar
tinetti and the famous Ravels. l was their scenic
artist, and painted scenes with a whitewash
brush. We disbanded in Cincinnati, and there
it occurred TO Blondin to cross Niagara on a tight
rope, and / went to the falls with him.. We had
10 end of trouble in getting the necessary per-
mits to extend the ropes. Blondin only spoke a
little English, that was one difficulty, but finally
we succeeded in getting them from Porter, who
owned the American side, and the rest was
easy. Blondin wanted to carry the rope
from Terrapin tower and across to Daviss
hotel, which would have led over Horseshoe
falls, through the mist and spray of the great
cataract. They objected because Blordin was
sure to fall, they said. The spray would keep
his rope damp, and |, who had engaged to go on
his back, was very glad of it. Finally we
stretched the rope from Whites pleasure ground
across to the Clifton House. Not far away from
the place there is now a suspension bridge.
There were 1000 feet Of rope. 1t was of MANILA,
three inches in diameter, made IN IA New York
rope walk, in two pieces. BlondOn joined them
with a long splice, which, when the rope was
extended was in the center Of the span. 1t took
us nearly five months to stretch the rope and to
get guy lines in place. To begin with, a small
line was carried across in a boat, and, although
the current used to sweep it away from US, we
at last got it over, and by means of a windlass
and carefully paying out the big coil, we got the
big rope in position. 1t was $50 feet above water
at its lowest point, which was fifty feet below the
highest-in other words. there was grade of fifty
feet in each |, 900 feet. Blondin then rugged u car
to cross the rope and proceeded TO rig the guy
lines. There were 70, 600 feet of guy lire alto
gether. Each of them was weighted with u ten
pound sand bag to drop them out of the way of
his balance pole, and in putting them up Blondin
crossed a score of times. At last we We're ready
to make the first ASCENSION; that was what we
called it. Before l went over he made several
public ascensions. 1t was advertised through
the papers that ! was to ride on his back, and |
was the subject of all sorts of attacks and crit
cisms. People said to me: You are a Sheol of
a fool and was ready to back ont. except
Blondin began to taunt me-, and | got into that
corner of pride and vainglOriousnes which |
could not escape from. Meantime Blondin had
coached me as to what | should do. l was to put
my weight on his shoulders by my arms and
clasp his body about with my legs. But / could
not put my weight on his legs; that would in
cumber his movement. l had to keep all the
weight on his shoulders. In July, 1860, we went
across. | took my place on Blondin's back, and
he began the descent from the Canadian side on
the rope. By reason of the fact that had to
bear my weight on his shoulders and had to
use my arms, and with main strength to support
myself, frequent rests were necessary. | told
Blondin when L wanted TO rest, and then [ drop
ped down on the rope on one foot, and waited I'M
til my arms were relieved, when | would spring
up again, using only my arms olift and hold my
self in place. There was a great crowd there. |
did not see them at first. do not remember what
L thought. From my place on Blondins back |
could look out to the other shore and see below
me the stunted pines thrusting their sharp points
up from the edge Of the foaming water ready to
CnlIt no If we fall rpmnn1hpp foo th9t was
anxious to get over, and | recall, too, that the
great rope before US made swings from side to
side. We afterward knew that the rope swung
forty feet at the center, and | felt the necessity
of preserving my self possession, and | did it.
There was a fOrty-feet length between the guys
on one side and those of the other that il was
impossible to make steady. 1t was the middle
span. Below us, 250 feet, roared the river, and
over 1t we swung from side to side. still
moving on steadily. however. Blondin
never trembled. When we had gone
about ten feet on this middle span somebody on
the American side pulled the outer guy-line.
We afterward found out it was done intention
ally, and the rope was stopped in its swing.
Blondin stopped, and his pole went from side to
side in a vain effort to enable him to secure his
balance. At one time it was up and down on
the right side, at another, up and down on the
left, and | recall now, with wonder, that | was
only curious to know whether ne would succeed
in getting control of himself or not. | didn't
feel any fear. Failing Of getting his balance he
star - TO run across tn9 HOrTlDie span, anu we
safely reached the point where the guy-rope
came out from the American shore. Then, to
steady himself, Blondin put his foot on the guy
rope and tried TO stop, but the guy-line broke,
and, with a dash of speed, ne ran swiftly TWEEN
ty-tive feet further, to the next point, where the
guys met the main rope. There he recovered
his balance, and whispered, rather than said:
'Descendre, vous.' The perspiration stood
out on his neck and shoulders i'll great beads,
and we balanced ourselves on the swaying rope.
Presently he said, 'Allons,' and iraised myself to
his shoulders, and we went In safety and without
incident toward the shore.
ut was not until we landed that | appreciated
what had been done. Then 1t occurred to me
that the man who pulled the guy line was one Of
those who bet that the feat could never be &C
complished, and my indignation mastered any
reactiOnary feeling Of fear. You see, many
thousand dollars were bet upon the ability of
Blondin TO carry a man over, and human cupid
ity stops at no sacrifice. Then there were the
congratulations and the praise of pluck, and the
rest of it, so that in my foolish, boyish citation |
forgot everything else. | 10 remember that as
we approached the shore the wonderful tableau
of the 100, 900 people who stood gazing at us.
Thousands of them turned their faces away, or,
half turning, cast glances over their shoulders at
us. | remember their white faces, their strained
positions of anXietv-wOmen who stared, white
and motionless, and men who wept, and as we
drew near the bank the crowd surged toward us,
and Blondin stopped, fearing they would push
each other over the precipice. Then the crowd
was still again, and with a quick run we came to
the shore and sprang to the ground. l remem-
Der one man Selling me in his arms and lifting
me high in air, saying: Thank God, this thing
is overt From the other side there was a cheer.
and then we were thrown into a carriage and
drawn to the International Hotel by the people.
Il crossed again, twice, the last time under
the patronage of the Prince of Wales. He con-
graduated us personally. and gave us each a
: purse OF tlOO. n. Z. Willis was present an