Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-12-10
SAM PATCH'S LEAP.
A Name az Immortal a. that of Rip
Van Winkle.

Sam Patch was of obscure origin,
and was born in Providence, r. in
1900. His childhood and boyhood
years were passed as wharf rat, spend
ling his days in picking up whatever
unconsidrred trifles he coull find with
out an immediate claimant, and his
nights wherever nightfall found him.
He then became a sailor, and being y
skillful swimmer, amused himself by
jumping from yard-arms,a and bowsprits
into the sea. He led rowing life on
land, and about the time he reached
his twentieth year found himself at
Paterson, n. j. Here he was employed
for time in cotton mill, and here,
also, he commenced the career that
led to ultimate immortality.
Besides the falls of the Passaic,
which Frank Stockton, in "Radder
Grange" has immortalized as "dry
falls" Patterson has, or had in th:
days Of Patch, famous chasm bridge,
suspended some eight feet over the
Passaic river. From this bridge in
1927 SIM made his first daring leap
and became the hero of the hour. AT.
ter this he went about the country
jumping from yard arms and main tops
and all SORTS Of dizzy heights. In this
same year Of 1927 the eye of the whole
counts, we're attracted to Niagara Falls
by widely sdverti.ed scheme that .
vessel, or as it Was called, the Pirate
Michigan, would be sent down the rap
iis and over the cataract with q crew Of
furious animals on board. Thousands
of people from all parts of the country
journeyed TO Niagara to see the spec
tacle. aud on the 9Th day of September,
1927, the brig Michigan, comde mn
ed vessel, was seen over the Cataract.
On board was . crew in eff ~, IN old
buffalo. and old and young bear, = fox,
raccoon, an eagle, two geese and dog
The young bear escaped from the yes
,el before the falls were reached, and
succeeded in swimming ashore; the
rest were carried OF with the vessel
over the falls. One goose VA. recov-
cred below, the only survivor Of those
that made the descent. The exhibi
tiou created 90 great an excitement
that Sam Patch determined t. outdo
it.
Proclsiming ss his motto that "some
things can be done a. we'll - others
he svowed his intention to make leap
from the top Of Niagara Falls into the
river below. On his way to Nisgars
Sam gave exhibitions wherever be
could find q suitable place, and com,
ing to Rochester he there undertook
to leap the falls Of the Genesee, .
height Of one hundred feet AS part
OF the show Sam had pet bear which
be invariably caused to make the fir.t
leap. His FIRST exhibition at Rochester
was gwen in the presence Of large
number Of spectators, the banks of the
river bring crowded. Ascending the
heights at the place selected, dragging
bis bear after him he calmly surveyed
the crowd below him and then showed
reluctant bruin of the ledge into the
depth below. The animals descent
was successful, and be swan ashore.
Then Sam followed him. Lesping
straight down, his feet together and
his hands pressed to his side, he shot
like an arrow into the pool beneath.
When the crowd saw him emerge from
the water great cheer resounded, and
the people rushed to the waters edge
and carried him triumphantly up the
bank.
The report Of this feat with that of
the others which had preceded it, at.
trscted great crowds to Niagara to
witness the leap to be made there.
The place whence it was made is call
ed "Sam Patch's Leap" and is pointed
out to the visitor to this day. 1t is on
the west side Of Goat Island, near the
Biddls stairs. 1t is about ninety-seven
feet, not the full heights of the falls.
A ladder was raised, the bottom rest.
ing on the edge Of the river. the top
Of the ladder inclining over the water,
stayed by ropes fastened to the trees
on the bank. A small platform reach
cd from . ledge of rocks to the top OF
the ladder. From this elevation Sam
made two successful leaps IN the pre-
sence of vast crowds of people.
Sam was now invited back to Roch.
ester, to repeat and even excel his for.
mer performances. In the early days
of November, 1929, the newspapers Of
that village contained an advertise
ment like this:
HIGHER YET!
SANS LAST JUMP!
'SoME THINGS CAN BE DONE AS WELL
AS OTHERS"
THERE IS NO MISTAKE IN
SAM PATCH.
Then followed the announcement
that on Friday. November l3, 1T two
o'clock P. NJ, he would leap from .
scaffold twenty FIVE feet in height,
erected on the brink Of the Genesee
Falls. into the abyss below distance
of one hundred and twenty. five feet.
On that chill November day every
available SPOT on the river bank was
crowded with people, who hsd come
from Canada, from Oswego, from Buff
falo, and from all the surrounding
towns and villages, to witness the
crowning achievement Of the great
jumper. 1t was to be his last great
feat in the United States. Already he
had signed all agreement to 60 abroad,
and it was his ambition to leap from
London Bridge.
At the appointed time, with light