St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-30
Obscure Points in His Career
His Taste for Jump
ing.
His Exploits at Paterson. Nj
agara, Rochester and Sew
eral Other Points.
Copy of the Poster Announce
ing the Last Jump OF
His Life.

l. II
never been written. The sketches OF
his feats of jumping in New jersey at
Niagara Falls and at Genesee Falls may
be substantially correct. but only the
merest mention has been made OF MS
early life. Some of the cyclopedias
say he was born in Rhode Island In
1907, which is true neither as to place
nor date. Some of the sketches nave
called him sailor, wharf raj" ana
such pet names, and have conveyed tine
impression that he was anything Dut
what he was. The sketches OF MS carry
life have all been misleading. as well
as meager, and have been allowed to go
without contradiction.
Miss Emily Jones, who, with her sister,
Mary Jones NOW dead), for years taugnt
school in what was known as the "Old
Jones Schoolhouse," is niece OF Sam
Patch and thoroughly conversant with
his history up to the time he left here.
The following story of Sam Patch, SO
far as it relates to his life here, is, In
the main, as told by her:
'sSam Patch was born in South Read
ing, Mass. The date of his birth IS I'M
known, but it must have been before
1907, as he was more than twenty-five
years of age at the time OF his deatn IN
1929.
..When boy Sam worked in mill on
the east side Of the river, just above the
falls, which was run by Samuel Slater
and others. Like his companions In
this mill and the other mills, he was
fond of the water. and bathing was an
amusement often practiced. The river
at the foot Of the falls is of great depth.
especially on the east side. and 1t was a
common amusement, not only Sixty
wears ago, but recently, for boys, and
men, too, for that matter, to Jump from
the top rail of the bridge into the
river. A few Of the more venture
some jumped from the peak OF
the roof of this mill, distance OF nearly
100 feet, but their number was not SO
great as that of those who jumped from
the bridge. jerks Maxwell and Gard
ner Bucklin were among the first to
make this jump, and many others IN
Guiding Sam Patch, followed their OAR
| ing example. AS Sans ambition grew
| upon him he was not satisfied with
jumping from the Yellow mill, but
Eclimbed to the roof of the stone mill.
and Jumped from there. This Jump
| was made by Samuel and Columbia
| Young and others, but by only few.
| When the pitched roof was put on the
stone mill that put a stop to this sort OF
| fun.
4 $50 far as is known, then, Sam Patch
| while here made no greater jumps than
| did many of his fellows, and very likely
/ thought little of the eats-certainly did
| not think of ever jumping for money or
| fame. He was a daring young man.
| and proud of 1t, but no more daring
than a few Of his fellows. When he
grew to manhood, having become ac-
9uainted with the mysteries OF the cot
ton manufacture, he entered Into
/ named Kennedy. This arrange
ment did not prove good thing for
Sam. In short time Kennedy
Skipped OUT taking with him, it is
said, what funds he could get. Poor
/ Sam was now in bad shape. He sold
| out to the best advantage and went to
| New Jersey. While here accident
/ brought about some conversation In
which he told of the heights from which
he had Jumped at Pawtucket Falls. His
statement was disputed, and the result
| was he made two or three jumps there.
From this point dates his real Jumping
career.
1T was about 1927 that he was seized
with the jumping mania. a Drldge
| had been built at Paterson. He made
| his first wonderful jump from the foot
of the rocks at the foot OF the bridge on
the southwestern side OF the chasm.
1 After that he jumped second time
from the bridge. a distance of eighty or
ninety feet. and arose from the waters
of the Passaic the hero of the day. He
then went about the country jumping
from yard-arms and bowsprits, diving
from the dizzy heights of topmasts,
until attracted to Niagara Falls
In 1929 with the crowd who went there
Ito see the condemned brig Michigan
and it's crew of living animals go over
the cat aract. He jumped from shelly
ing rock, midway between the highest
noint of Goat island and the water. more
than half the height of the falls Ia dis
lance of ninety-seven feet. His, name
rang through the land. Sam then went
to Rochester and gave his friends
fright by jumping from Fitzhugh stree
bridge and swimming under water to
hiding place.
made raft below the falls and ascer
tanned with pole how much wats
there was in the spot where he intended
to lump. He seemed perfectly satisfied
with the surroundings, and the mex
morning early he made trip to tn
falls long before the town was astir
He was accompanied by Joe Coch
rane. This time Sam led the wa.
to the spot from which the jump wa
to be made and began taking off hi
clothes in the most unconcerned man
ner. handing his bulPs-eye watch to tin
bow for safe keeping. He was going t
practice bit. wait until ] can ge
where 1 can see you,' said the boy. III
had hardly time to get in position Whel
| Sam shot down the height and disaE
peared. The boy stood paralyzed wit
fear. believing himself to be tn
Fl solitary spectator of the day-daw
+ snicide. Then Sans voice rang GU
|. above the roar of the falls, as tn
how was running away. Say, boy
: where are you going with my watch
Z And there the daring man was frOlicE
= ing like dolphin in the seething water
!. When he emerged from the water h
Twas welcomed by crowd which ha
!, gathered, and he was carried up th
steep bank.
racily told fifty years afterward by
who saw his fatal jump. Il
Esays:
1.-THE success of the leaps at Magyar
: gave Sam sporting notOrlety. and b
: was invited by that fraternity to Rocf
ester. who took charge of him. Th
Genesee fall at Rochester is ninety-fy
feet in height, and it was announce
that he would leap from the precipic
into the river below. A large crow
assembled, and Patch appeared. leat
. ing his bear. Hats were passed aroun
y to collect money for the poor fellow
It About o'clock on the 9th of Novembe