New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-29
THE BTRBLE REPUTA7IDN.

| This would appear to be the golden age oil
| the person who cndcavois to ascend the win
ming heights of fame by descending INTO fresh
or salt water. His is the paradoxcal art oil
rising by falling few weeks ago that gifted
| jumper, our own townsman, Mr.. Steve BrOlr,
woke up one morning to find himself in dur
alice vile but at the same time with his feet
pressing one OF the ghttcling SUBMITS of no
toriety. As Minerva sprang fully equipped
| from the brain of Jupiter, so BIodie sprang
| into popular recognition from the waves OF
| the East River The seal of popular lccogni-
| ton was at once placed upon him. The cele
nlony took place at one Of the delightful
Bowery theatres and assumed the agreeable
shape of paying engagement. We believe
that Brodie still lends his presence to this ten
Die of refined recreation at all events his pic
tmcs grace sundIy clgar-storc windows.
But let him look to his laurels For yester-
day still another of our fellow tOwnsmen, scorn-
ing Joseph Addison's proposition that " the
post of honor Is the private station proved as
daring a diver as he.
After Brodle came an obscure satellite of in
adequate ambition who jumped into the water
fiosn a bridge near Amsterdam. 1t il known
that he got wet II is not known that he Sc
cured any appreciate Immortality. No paper
has yet published his photograph, and if any
place in the Bowciy has made ovcrturcs to HIM
the American people arc ignorant of the fact.
However, one of the local papers did record
what he had done, and doubtless he felt as he
read and icrcad the item that OhscIIity no
longer marked him for its own. Turning our
eyes TO the western part of the State We find
al 1nmop IN 10
into the good graccs of fame and become pub
lie characters by jumping into or floating
through the rapids of Niagara. The water at
this point being not so Tranquil as it is at
Amsterdam, this interesting group takes the
prccaution to shelter itself in barrels or in
jackets of cork
The vaulting ambition of onc member of the
gIoup has already rather ovcrlcapcd itsclf. In
attempting to shoot the Rapids he was HURLED
into the still moe awful vortex of the Styx-
emphatic example of traslsfcrcnce from fry
ing pan to fire. His companions survive, at
least they were still tempting Providence when
we went TO press. but it is understood that the
Niagara col oner confidently expects to sit upon
each and every one Of them before the season
Is over in case the bodies are recovered
But it is doubtful il he will have the pensiye
pleasure of sitting upon that Boston policeman.
This BostOnian knows when he has had euouch
and has given out that nothing would induce
him again to try conclusions with the Rapids
The latest of the seekers for fame by the
water route is a daring Rochester youth. His
name is George Hook. Hook proposes to wiz
place among the great of all ages by iumuine
over the bank of Gencscc Falls at the MONT
where the late lamcntcd Sam Patch iumped
into eternity. The Rochestcr Democrat rcpre
sents Mr.. Hook as remarking: 81 mean TO
show that l can successfully pcifo m the act.
although it killed Sam Patch. | inmpcd from
the cantlcvcr bridge and can jump over the
falls here How am ! going to make money
out Of it l expect to do that aftclwarI
1t would seem fIom this that Hook is not mere
ly q sentimental jumper He is not only yearn
ing for the recognition of his fellows, but for
pccuniary rewards. That sort of a jlunpcr can
never hope to become favorite. His motives
are sordid. His ideal Is not high and delicate
enough. True, our own Brodie did accept an
engagement In Bowsry theatre and consented