Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-16
A DARE DEVIL CARRIED ACROSS NIAGARA.

Chicago, ran away from home aud
went to sea. Before he got through
with his adventures he rode across
Niagara Falls three times on the
back Of BlOndin on a tight rope.
lie says he would not do it again,
but that he did not suffer from fear.
One can readily believe him. In
his deep gray eye there is a sug-
gestiOn of selfcontrol, and in his
slight, 1.-the figure Of strength and
reservepbysca force which his gen
tie voice and his easy, courteous
manner fails to entirely conceal.
He is an artist as artists go, aud
paints tolelable pictures. To a
representative ofthe Chicago News
be said:
in tue year 1858 | joined Blondin
in Boston. He was of the Fran
coma troupe, including Martinetti
and the famous Ravels. | was their
scenic artist and painted scenes
with n whitewash brush. We dis
banded in Cincinattl, and there it
occurred 10 BlOndin to cross Mag
ara on Il tight rope, and | went to
the Fall with him. We had no end
OF trouble getting the necessary
permits toextend the ropes. Plond-
in only spoke 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. Blond
in wanted to carry the rope from
/ Terrapin Tower and across TO
/ Davis's hotel, which would have
led over to Horseshoe Falls,
/ thrcu Il the mist and spray of tbs
great cataract. They objected, be-
cause Blondin was sure to fall,
they said. The spray would keep
the rope damp, and /, who had en-
gagged to go on his back, was very
glad Of il. Finally we stretched
the rope from Whites pleasure
ground across to the Clifton House.
/ Not far away from the place there
I is now a suspension bridge. There
was 1000 feet of the rope. 1t was
of Manila, three inches in diameter,
made in New York rOpewalk, in
two pieces. Blondin joined them
with a long splick which, when the
rome was extended, was in the cen
tire OF the span. II took us nearly
five months to stretch the rope and
to get the guy lines in place.
1T was go feet above water at
its lowest point, which was 90 feet
below the highest-in other words,
there was a grade of fifty feet IN
each 1000 feet. There were 10000
feet OF guy line altogether. Each
of them was weighted with a ten
podnd sand.bag to drop them ont
Of the way of his balance pole,
and in putting them up Blondln
crossed score Of times. At last
we were ready to make the first
ascension that was what we called
il. Before | went over lie made sew
eral public ascensiOns. IL was adj
vertiscd through the papers that !
was to ride on his back and | was
the subject Of all kinds Of attacks
and criticisms. was ready to
back out. but Blondin began to
taunt me, ana | got into that cor
ner Of pride aud vaingloriousness
which nothing could escape from.
Meantime Blondin had coached me
as to what / should do. was to
put my weight on bis shoulders by
my arms and clasp bis body about
with my legs. But could not
put my weight on his legs that
would cucumber bis movements.
had to keep all the weight on his
shoulders.
in July, 1850, we went across.
took my place on BlOndin's back,
and he began the decent from the
Canadian side on the rope. By
reason of toe 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. l
told Blondin when | wanted to rest,
and l dropped down cn the rope
on one foot and waited till my arms
we're relieved, when wonld spring
up again, using only my arms to
lift and hold myselfin place. There
was a great crowd there. | did
not see them at first. | do not re-
member what | thought. From my
place on BlOn6iu'S back ! could
look out to the other shOre and see
below me the stunted pines thrust
ing their sharp points up from the
edge of the foaming water, ready to
split us if we fell. ] remember,
100, that was anxious to get over,
aud | recall, too, that the great
rope before us made swings from
side to side. We afterwards knew
that the rope swung forty feet at
the centre, aud | felt the necessity
of preserving my self-possessiOn,
and | did it.
There was a forty feet length
between the guy on one side and
those of the other that it was I'M
possible to make steady. 1t was
the middle span. Below us $50 feet
roared the river, and over it we
f... 80. a., o., .,1o Cttll ,,.nr