Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-10-14
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA,

Carried Across the Gorge at Niagara
Falls-A Narrow Escape From Death,
Owing to Interference with the Rope.
1T was IN the year 1858, and while
still mere boy" said Harry Colcord,
an artist who was recently relating to
party of New York friends some of
his early adventures Mt sea, that I
became tired OF sailor life and went to
Boston to look for something to do on
shore. Shortly after my arrival in
that city 1 made the acquaintance of
Blondin, the tight rope walker, who
was a member of the Francona troupe,
which included Martinetti and the
Ravals. Having some natural artistic
talent became, through the influence
of Blondin, their scenic painter, and
we travelled about the country with
varying success until the beginning of
February, 1860, when the troupe
reached Cincinnati and disbanded
ut was then that Blondin, who had
seen and been greatly impressed with
the beauties of Niagara, conceived the
idea of crossing the great cataract on
q tight rope. He asked me what
thought OF making the journey across
the falls on his back At first |
thought he was joking, but on his as
suring ME that he was in earnest |
consented to accompany him, aud to-
gether we started for Niagara to com
plete arrangements for the proposed
feat.
''We experienced no little trouble
in obtaining the necessary permits to
extend the ropes. But finally we sue
ceeded in getting them from man
named Porter on the American side,
and went to work. Blondin wanted
to carry the rope from Terrapin tower
and across to Davids Hotel, which
would have led us over the Horseshoe
falls through the mist and spray of the
cataract.
'These arrangements were strongly
condemned, because people said the
spray would keep the rope damp and
Blondin was sure to fall. So we
stretched the rope from Whites pleas
ure ground across to the Clifton
House. The rope was 20O0 feet long.
1t was of manila, three inches in di-
ameter, made in New York ropewalk
in two pieces. Blondin joined them
with long splice, which, when the
rope was extended, was in the centre
of the span. 1t took us nearly five
months to stretch the rope and get the
guy lines in place.
The rope was $50 feet above water
at its lowest point, which was fifty feet
below the highest-in other words,
there was grade of fifty feet in each
1000 feet. There was $4,000 feet of
guy line attached to the rope. Each
guy was weighted with ten pound
sandbag to drop them out of the way
of Blondin's balance pole, and in put
ting them up the rope walker crossed
the span score of times.
"At last we were ready to make the
perilous journey, and, it having been
advertised through the newspapers
that L was to ride On Blondin's back, 1
became the subject of all kinds of ad-
verse criticisms. Indeed, 1 was ready
to back out of my agreement, when
Blondin began to taunt me to such an
extent that l finally decided that moth
ing could deter me from making the
journey.
Meantime Blondin had coached me
as to what / should do I was to put
my weight ON his shoulders only with
my arms and clasp his body about with
my legs. But 1 should not put my
weight on his legs, as that would en-
cumber his movements. L had to keep
all my weight on his shoulders.
'In July, 1869, everything being
ready, 1 took my place on Blondin' S
back and we started to cross the rope.
We began the descent from the Can
adian side of the rope, and by reason
of the fact that had to bear my weight
on Blondin's shoulders and could only
use my arm to support myself, fire.
quent rests were necessary. 1 told
Blondin when | wanted to rest and
then dropped down on the rope on one
foot and waited till my arms were re-
lieved, when L would spring up again,
using mp arms to lift and help myself
in place. There was a great crowd
present, but | did not see it at first.
From my place on Blondin's back l
could look out to the American side,
and see below the stunted pines throw
ing their sharp points up from the
edge of the foaming, roaring waters,
ready to split us in two if we fell. /
remember that 1 was anxious to get
over, and l recall, too, that the great
rope before us swung alarmingly from
side to side. We afterward ascer-
tanned that the rope had been swing
ing forty feet at the centre. The
swing was caused by there being a
length of forty feet between the guys
ON one side and those on the other.
1t was the middle span. Below us go
feet roared the river, and over it we
swung from side to side. Still moving
on steadily Blondin never trembled.
When he had gone about ten feet on
this middle span, some one on the
American side pulled the outer guy
| line We afterWard found ont +hot Il