The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-26
4 THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Tho aInm Who wa, Carried Across Mag
mr." "a Iiiondin's lack Describes Ill.
Feelings During tito ptrliu,I. .Iuurn,r,

vi hlh early adventures Ut stu, that !
became tired Of sailor life ami went 10
Boston to look for something to Ito ON
shore.
Shortly after my arrival In that city |
made the acquaintance OF Blondln the
tIglFt'rorc walker who waa member Of
the hrnncona troupe. which Included
MhrtIRettl and the famous Rlycls llav-
lng come natural tulcnt, became,
lhdduBh The Influence OF Blondln, their
scenic painter, and Wc Travelled about
the country with carylnt success until
the beginning ut February, 1860, when
the troupe reached Cincinnati nnd dis
| banded
"lt waa then that BlandIn, who had
seen and been greatly Impressed with
| The beauties OF Niagara. conceived tho
idea OF crossing the great cataract on II
tight rope. lie asked me what Thought
OF making. the Journey across the falls
on his back.
"At flrSt thought he was Joking, but
IN lila assuring me that he waa In ear
nest consented 10 accompany him, and
together We started FOR Niagara to com.
plete arrangements FOR the proposcd
feat.
I'VE experienced NO little trouble In
obtaining the necessary. permits TO cS-
tend the ropes But finally we succeed
ed IN getting them from a man named
Porter on the American side, ana went
10 work. BlOndlu wanted to carry the
rope from TerrNpIn Tower aud across
TO DaYld's hotel. which would have lot
w over the Horseshoe Falls through
| the mist and spray or the great cataract.
These arrangements were strongly
condemned, because people said the
| spray would keep the rope damp and
| Blondln wa9 sufc 10 fall So we stretch
cd the rope from Whites Pleasure
| Ground scrnss 20 the Clifton house.
THE rope was 1000 feet long. 1t was
nf MANILA, three inches In diameter.
made IN II New York ropcwalk in two
\ pieces. Blondn Joined them with long
| splice. which, when the rope was cx-
tended. was In the center OF the span.
II took US nearly five months 10 stretch
the rope and get the guy lines In place.
The rope was 30 feet above water at
Its lowest point. which was nifty feet
| below the hlghest-in other words. there
was a grade OF Nifty feet IN each 1000
feet, There was $4,000 feet OF guy line
attached 10 the rope. Each guy was
weighted with tcn-pound sarIbls. to
Y
| balance pole, and In putting them up,
| the ropewalker crossed the span store
| of times.
| "At last We We're ready 10 make the
| pcrIous Journey. and II having been
| advertised through the newspapers that
| was 20 ride on Blondin's back. | be-
| came Thr subject OF all kinds OF adverse
| criticism. Indeed, l waa ready TO back
| out OF my agreement when Blondtn be-
| gan 10 tnunt me to such an extent that
1 finally decided that nothing could de-
ter me from making the Journey.
Meantime Blondin had coached ne
as 10 what should do. | was 20 put
my weight on his shoulders only with
my arms, AID clasp his body about with
my legs. But | could not put my
weight on his legI as that would encum-
Der his movements. had to keep all my
weight IN his shoulders.
''In July, 1860. everything being ready.
I took my place on Blondin's back, and
| we started 10 cross the rope
I'VE began the descent from the Cana
dian side NJ Ihe rope. and BY reason Of
| the fact that had TO bear my weight
on BlondInS shoulders, and could only
| use my arms 10 support myself. fire.
| Quent rests were necessary. | told BlOn-
| din when | wanted TO rest and then
dropped down on the rope with one foot,
| and waited Ill my arms vera relieved.
when would spring up again. using
my arms to lIft and hold myselr IN place.
There was great crowd present, bat
! did not sec 1; at first. From my place
| on Rlondin'S back l could look out 10
the American side. and zee below :hc
HtuDted pines, thrustinS ThsIr sharp
points UP from the edge OF the foam!ng,
| -rN L.
II we FELL l remember that l was
anxious to get over and recall, too.
that the great rope before us SWUNG
| alarm!ngly from side TO side, We after
ward aSccrtaITed that the rope had been
| swinging forty feet at the center.
The swing was caused by there being
| a length OF forty feet between tAe gu. !
on one side. and those on the other. II
was the middle span. Below US 80 feet
roarcd the river, and over II we swung
from side 10 side SIN moving on stead
lly. BlOndIn never trcmblcd.
When we had gone uhout ten feet on
| this middle span some on the American
side pulled the outer guy line. We after
ward found out that It was done in
ten;ionally, and the rope was stopped in
It's swing.
"BlondIE stopped and hIs pole went
/ Il
enable him to secure his balance. At
one time his pole was up and down on
| the right side. at another W. and down
on the lef: and recall now with Won
der that | was only curious TO know
whether he would succeed in gaining
control OF himself or not,
Failing TO gat his balance he started
to run across tho horrible span. AMI In
safety reached the point where the guy
rop" came from the American shore.
Then. to steady himself. BlGndin put
HIS foot on the guy rope and tried to
atop. but the guy snapped. and With Il
dash Of speed hc ran swiftly for twenty
five or thirty feet further, and said,
'Drsccndc2 vous!'
The perspratIon now stood out on
his mock and shoulders In great beads,
and We balanced ourselves. on the
swayINE rope, Presently h" said
'Allons.' and raised myself to his Shonl-
dnrs, and we went on sIf"ly and without
accident toward the shore
at was not. however, until We landed
that appreciated what we had done
Then Il occurred 10 me that the man who
pulled the guy lin" waN one OF those who
had bet that the feat could never b. nc
ComplIShrA and my Indignation mas
,crrh any rcnGtIdnary feeling OF fear.
"Y0n gee, many thou-ands OF dollars
we're bet upon the ability OF Blondln
TO carry Il man over. and human cupid
lily stops nj no sacrifice.
Then came the congratulations and
praises Of pluck and the rest Ot 1t, 81
That IN my foolish b0yl.h clatl0n soon
forgot everything else
II shah never forget the wonderful
tablcau which the 1907 pcaplc present
1 .yI,,sV nj a 1t I d.
nppr0n Ched the shore. Thousands OF
them turned their fncea away, or. halt
turning, east anxious chances over their
Shoulders az ny us We drew near the
bank. Then the crowd became very
much excited. surgcd toward us, aud