The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-11-18
Donoyan's Drop at Niagara.

BUFFALO, N. Y, November 7.-Dono-
vans Jump from the suspension bridge
to day has created sensation here. he
is at the Broezel House with broken
rib, and is attended by Drs. Palmer and
Clark. In an interview regarding the
feat be says: ,.
"They say the bridge is 1876 feet high,
and after they took me out Of the water
I found out that the water is lower now
than it ever was, and the distance from
the bridge must be 2l5 feet. 1t was q
terrible Jump, and / wouldn't make it
again for the whole United States. We
drove on the bridge about quarter to Z
o'clock I guess it was. We had to wake
no the man at the gate and get him to
unlock it for US, and l was afraid ne
would be suspicious ndstop us. When we
got to the place that picked out last
Sunday we stopped the horse and got out.
T. was on the Canada end of the bridge,
but pretty near the middle of the river:
ri took off rubber coat I had on, and
then I was all ready. / had on my
jumping suit, the same jumped from the
Brooklyn Bridge in. My pants were tied
tight around my legs with twine to keep
the water from getting in, and ! had my
coat unbuttoned, so that If it bothered
me in the water l could get out of it easi'
". I'm sorry for that now, for if the
coat had not spread out in the alr as
was going down I would have struck the
water square, and wouldn't have broken
nv rib. Professor Haley..says it waoted
three minutes of seven o'clock when l
Jumped. He had his watch in one hand
and a pistol in the other when | climbed
on the rail and balanced myself with one
hand. was facing the rapids. All the
bridge guy ropes are on the other SIDE
and 1 did not want to get tangled up IN
them. l Icouldn't see The boat from where
I was. and when Mr.. Haley asked me ii
| l was all ready, said, Is the boat
there p She's there all right said he,
and I told him to Let her CO.
"He fred the pistol and l stood up
straight end jumped little forward and
down. How did feel? Well, it's hard
to tell. closed my eyes when jumped
but opened them right away again, but
I didn't seem to see anything. My
elbows were close to my sides and kept
nv feet together. When struck the
water it seemed as though | would burst
to pieces. ;, W,
1.-THE shock was terrible, and | kept
right on going down till it seemed as it
I'd never stop. When came to the sur
face struck out with my arms and legs,
hnt was dazed and don't know which
way swan. The current kept carrying
me down, but the boat got to me pretty
soon. As soon as they pulled me in !
spit up lot of blood and then tainted
dead away"
The physicians who examined Donovan
on his arrival in the city found him SUI
fering from considerable excitement,
several bruises and an abrasion on each
of his elbows made when he struck the
water. The fourth rit on the left side
was found to be separated from the breast
bone, and was at once bandaged Both
physicians express the opinion that the
jumper will be around in couple of days,
and that his escape from more serious
injury is very lucky one.
The Jump was for wager of $500.
The weather was cold and clear, the
ground and bridge covered with snow.
| 1t is reported that the necessity for win
ming the $500 caused him to make the
attempt, as he was compelled a short
time ago to raise money on the champion
Jumping gold badge presented to him for
jumping from the Brooklyn bridge.