The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-17
ON BLONDIN'S BACK.
r WAS ! Thus HENRY coLcoRo
= CROSSED NIAGARA FALLS.

Oh tno GrooS 8opo WoAk0r-hOW No
Lost His Balance When Man Who Bet
He Would rsil Pulled Guy Rope.
Henry M. Colcord, the artist, has stu.
dio in the Auditorium tower He has
weakness for high places. Colcord Is the
man whom Blondin carried upon his back
ON slender MANILA rope across Niagara
falls. This Chicago artist knows what it is
TO look downward 260 feet and to feel tho
peculiar sensation incident to such q haz-
ardous feat.
II crossed with Blondin three times. :"
said Mr.. Coloord, "but now not a deed to
the wholS city Of Chicago could tempt me
to go out foot over that fearful gulf.
Why i did 1t In my youth cannot explain,
save through implicit confidence in Blond
In or utter failure to realize the attending
danger.
"Blondin and were with the Ravell
pantomime troop for long while. Aft
erward they were succeeded by the Marti.
netti troop. We played at Niblo's every
winter and travelled the rest Of the year.
When we were Mt Cincinnati, the thought
Of crossing Niagara falls on tight rope
came to Blondin. He asked me to go with
him, and consented. The rope was made
in New York and was 2, 500 feet long. The
actual walking distance across the river
was 2, 100 feet, and the height above the
water was 26O feet
"The rope was stretched in the summer
of 1858 and was left out all winter with
out injury. Blondin made his first cross
ing in the summer of 1869, and subsequent
ay went over blindfolded. His crowning
piece of daring was walking on stills How
he did 1t Is something that have never
been able to explain, and doubt IL Blond
In himself could give satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION. 1t required a masterful nerve.
lone day he said to me, I want to carry
you across ON my back. thought he was
joking and turned of the subject. he
urged, and ] finally consented. There were
SOC, 900 people present on the afternoon
that put my arms around Blondin's neck
and placed my legs in two barrel hoop iron
hooks which he attached on either side OF
his belt. will not attempt to tell all
felt as we went out over that abyss / can
not tell 1t. ] know that kept my eyes
open and looked down without feeling diz-
zy. 1t was u supreme moment, and perhaps
the situation gave me the nerve that car
ried me through the ordeal. looked to
the farther shore and could see the tense
forms of the multitude. They stood silent
and fearful. do not believe one person in
that throng enjoyed the perilous scene.
"In order that Blondin's limbs might
not be hampered in action all my weight
was thrown upon his shoulders, my legs
resting very lightly in the hooks. For this
reason my arms became so tired that be-
fore we got out 40 feet was compelled to
dismount three times to rest myself. The
first time 1 did this / heard a hoarse mur
mur from the crowd. When dismounted,
placed my hands lightly on Blondin's
shoulders and stood with my right foot on
the rope, the left leg pointing outward and
downward to be used as "a balancing medi-
um. Reaching the last guy rope on the
Canadian side, from which we had started,
Z ere were ahead of us 40 feet of line un'
protected by lines. With his foot resting
on the last guy rope Blondin said to me:
Harry, whatever you do as we cross this
unsupported place, do not attempt to bal
,ance yourself. BE perfectly passive, as
though you were part of my own body.
If lean, lean with me. On you depends
the safety of our passage Then he step.
ped out toward the swaying center. In q
moment he had lost his equilibrium. He
leaned away over to the right. To me it
earth. l ncrved myself, however. In a mo-
ment he regained his equilibrium and then
leaned as far to the left. Blondin could
no. regain his balance readily.
His movements were not unlike those
of boy who attempts to walk on rail Of
a track. He started and ran, his object be-
ing to reach the first guy rope on the op
posite side, where he knew that he could
secure steady foothold and regain his
poise. He reached the place. At that in
slant felt something shake beneath me-
There was a momcntary but violent Oscil
lation of the rope, and Blondin had start
ed to run again. He made the knot of the
next guy line and there secured firm
footing.
"'Get off, he said. dismounted and
stood as had done before. This time II
was he who was exhausted. He stood there
like q statue. Beads of sweat were on his
face. His veins stood out like cords.
"We reached land in safety. AS we drew
near the American shore every man, WON
an and child within 100 feet of the lines
end had arms outstretched to receive U.S.
Their lips were parted and their eyes had
somethipS of almost agony in them. ]
have beiieved To this day that there were
people in that crowd undergoing greater
nervous strain than either Blondin or my.
self
There had been an enormous amount
OF betting ON the result of the crossing.
Many did not believe that the feat would
be accomplished. 1t was one of these who,
seeing success probable, had gone to the
shore end Of one of the guy lines and pull.
ed it hard enough to break it at the main
cable just as Blondin had placed his foot
upon the knot. Nothing but the magnifl
cent nerve of the rope walker saved him
and me from being hurled to our death il
the river below.
"At the time of our first crossing to.
gether the Washington Grays, a New York
military organization, were present. A
woman had seen the man who attempted
to break the guy rope. The Washington
Grays sent out description Of him and
offered 81 900 reward for his capture, but
he was never found. Chicago Times
Herald.
a National Song Written Under Hot Fire
"The Star Spanglcd Banner was writ
ten by Francis Scott Key mt the time OF the