The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-07
WALKS NIAGARA'S CABLE
A PLUoKY IRIsHMAN oUTDoRs
BLONDIN's FEAT.

The Perilous Trip Thirty-Four Minutes
in Consummation--The Daring Walk
er Stands on One Foot and Lies Flat
on the Wire-Who He Is and Why He
Did II.
NIAGARA, Sept 6.-The great Blondin
tight air rope walkers were outdone this
afternoon by plucky resident Of Toronto.
who walked a cable seven-eighths of an
inch in diameter stretched across Niagara
gorge between the suspension and Can't
lever bridges. True to his promise, he ap
peared at the Canadian end of the cable at
3:oS o'clock. Dixon, as he stood on the
narrow wire with his balance-pole in his
hands, looked pale and anxious. He whis-
pered some words of instruction to his at
tendant, and started on his perilous trip.
EIGHT THOUSAND SPECTATORS.
At least eight thousand spectators lined
both banks OF the river. People held their
breath and seemed to be petrified at the
antics Of the man as he scampered down
the wire hundreds of feet above Niagara's
roaring waters and rugged cliffs. On be went
till about quarter Of the distance had
been traversed, when a halt was made He
stood on one foot, holding out the other
almost horizontally and waving his hand to
the spectators.
LYING DOWN ON THE WIRE.
Then he continued on his perllous journey
until the center was reached, when he sat
down and threw both legs over his balance
pole, which was resting on the wire, aud
stretched out at full length on his back on
the wire. crossing his feet and folding his
arms on his breast. A shrek of horror
went up from the female spectators, many
OF whom walked away TO Keep from faint
ing. Dixon calmly unfolded his arms and
waved first his right and then his left hand
at the spectators.
RESUMPTION OF HIS JOURNEY.
He then arose, and as he did SO, the wire
vibrated 30 much that ne had to lean over a
good deal to get his equilibrium. Then he
went on until thrse-quarters of the distance
had been passed. Then he again stood on
one leg, and went through a
number of other maneuvers' after
which he ran up the incline. reaching ths
American side at 3:4216 o'clock. He
sprang from the wire three feet over the
edge of the cliff, much to the relief Of the
thousands of spectators, who applauded and
oheered him vociferously.
EXHIBITION PRANKs.
After a rest of five minutes on the Amer
ican side, Dixon returned to the wire with
hoop on his ankles and walked out to
where the stars and stripes foated in the
breeze, about $50 feet from the elf and
went through several mapeuvers, winding
the flag about bis shoulders, after which
he drove 10 the Canadian side, walked out
about the same distance as he had done on
the American side and wound the union
jack about his shoulders.
HOW HE CAME TO DO IT.
To an Associated Press reporter he said
he had no motive In making tho perilous
trip other than that while crossing the slIs-
pension bridge about a month ago with
some friends to attend the photograph
or's convention at Philadelphia
he noticed the cable and re-
marked that he could walk across IL.
He said he had done rope walking in his
youth and for the past few weeks, prepara-
tory to to-day's feat, he had walked several
times on rope 200 feet long, stretched sixty
feet above the ground on "Hamlin's Points
Toronto.
Dixon is 3S years OF age, 5 feet @ inches
high, and weighs 1873 pounds He is of SAL
low complexion, and wears a heavy dark
mustache and chin whiskers. He
was dressed in terra Gotta colored
tights. black silk trunks and cap,
and wore moccasins The balance
Poio no oai iiou "elsneu snirty pouhus, "as
twenty-two feet six inches long and was
tipped with iron at either end.
Dixon was born in New York city. and
is or Irish parentage. He has lived iu
Toronto for the past fifteen years.
OTHER MEN WHO HAVE TRIED IT.
The wire on which Dixon crossed to-day
Is the one on which Stephen Peer, while in.
toxicated, walked on the night of June %,
1887, and below which his lifeless body was
found a week later. Later Prof. DeLaon
started to walk across, but quickly gave ID
up, and hurriedly skipped out Of town.