Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-31
NIAGARA FAILS DRlDGEs.
The Boy Whose Kite First Crossed
the Chasm.

| The Boy Whose Kite First Crossed
/ the Chasm.
| orrin E. Dunlap in Leslie's Weekly.
The second steel arch bridge across the
| Niagara gorge is in course Of construction,
| to replace the upper suspension bridge close
to the falls
The signing of the contracts for the new
| arch was practically an order for the de-
struction of the last of the famous great
suspension bridges at Niagara. so far as
| their original location Is concerned, and the
| last OF the structures traversed by thou
sands of tourists in an admiring mood will
| live In memory only. All arrangements
for the building of the first bridge over the
| gorge were completed early in 1913, and
| the contractors set about finding means
OF establishing communication between the
| cnlts at the narrowest point near the whirl-
| poor RAPIDS The idea of overcoming the
d1nculty by a powerful rocket was con-
! ceived. But this did not work, and some
school boys flying their kites on the river
! bank gave the suggestion that the desired
connection might be made by allowing a
kite to settle on the opposite bank
The most adept of the boys in flying their
| kites was little Holman Walsh, and the con-
| tractors invited him to try his skill The
prevailing wind at the falls is from the
southwest, and after waiting some days
TOT favorable wind. young Walsh walked
| upstream two miles to the ferry and cross
ed to the Canadian side, reaching which he
proceeded downstream to the site of the
prioge. Inc wind was blowing strong, and
ne soon had his Kite. named the Union,
nylng heavenward. The cord went out
rapidly, but the gale was too strong to
allow the kite to settle Night came on
and Walsh and boys who had gathered
| quit fire on the bank to keep warm
awaiting luH in the wind towards mid
night. The anxious watchers on the oppo-
Sue sue snore also built fire. Walsh knew
| then that his program was understood
and that there would be a close watch
kept for the kite.
the wind went down as expected. and
ABOUT Il O'Clock increased tension and jerk
ing on the kite string told him that his
KITE had landed and that the cord was
safely across the gorge. The distance and
roar of the rapids prevented verbal com
| munication, therefore they were uncertain
as TO each others movements. Suddenly
there came heavy jerk on the cord and
tnen II fell loose in Walshs hands. So
much sag had been given it that it had
reached the river below. in which a vast
amount of ice was flowing, and the cord
was broken in two. Disappointed, Walsh
wound up his end of the cord and started
for the ferry. Reaching there he was told
the river was full of ice that the boats
dared not venture out. For eight days he
was ice-bound on the Canadian shore
When finally he arrived home he found
his kite uninjured, and after waiting again
for favorable wind to fly it from the
New York state bank, he again crossed to
the Canadian side. The wind was fayora-
pie and in thirty minutes he had landed his
kite, and the desired connection between
the cliffs was established. The cord was
USED TO draw a heavier cord across the
river. and this was followed by a rope and
| wire cable Other cables followed and a
galloway on which an iron basket ran
now in possession of the Buffalo Histori-
cal society, was operated in building the
bridge Walsh received $50 for his work
He Is still alive and resides in Lincoln,
Nebraska.
Other cables were strung and placed on
| towers. FROM these cables
TWO bridges each about three feet wide
ana forty feet apart Between them the
,able-way was operated. The second of
these bridges had been carried out about
90 rect from the New York state bank
and about $50 feet from the Canadian
Dank' when terrible tornado swept down
tne gorge from the southwest The unfin-
lshed bridge was parted near the towers
and the cables were displaced Far ont
over midstream. 200 feet above the water.
six men were at work. For a short time
all seemed about to be lost. Back and
forth the bridges swung at the mercy of
the gale. Two of the men made their way
TO the bank. but four were left on a broken
extremity. The rain came down in tor
rents AS soon as the storm subsidized a
niue, the iron basket was let out on the
ape with one man in it. He carried a
RAIDER with him, and when he reached the
wreck ne used it to make bridge over
which the men passed into the basket and
were pulled ashore safely
-, me steel arch now being built will be
the iourth bridge erected on the site Con-
nectlon at this point was made between
the GIFTS by carrying a rope across the
river on an ice bridge. The first bridge
was wooden structure opened to the pub
nc January 2, 1869. In 1SS7-SS it was re-
puiIt IN steel On the night of January
S-lo 1889, the new structure was wrecked
ny wind and turned bottom I'D in the
gorge portion of this bridge still lies
beneath the waters Of the river The last
nan TO cross 1t was DR.. John Hodge of
NIAGARA faiis, who went to the Canadian
slae 10 visit very sick patient. On his
return ne mad a frightful experience, and
narrowly escaped being blown into the
gorge. The suspension bridge was rebuilt
IN 1897 and 1t is this bridge that Is now to
give way to the latest steel arch
win tire building of the arch the pres
emf suspension bridge will be taken down
anu carried down stream seven miles,
Wnere It Is to be rebuilt on the site of the
OLD Lewiston bridge. which was wrecked
by wind on April 49, 1864 under remark-
able circumstances. In March and early
In April Of the year mentioned the ice
came down the river from Lake Erie in
great ana unusal quantities. An immense
gorge was formed below the bridge and
the Ice piled up about the anchorages Of
the guys to such an extent that II created
alarm that when it moved it would carry
the guys away. The gorge broke and the
owners OF the bridge congratulated Them
selves that their care had resulted in say
Ing the structure. Nice weather followed
out the bridge men did not think to re-
place the guys. A fierce storm came down
the gorge and the bridge was swept away.
today, from cliff to cliff, the cables swing.
attracting much attention from passers
through the now popular route of travel.
ana a1rording, 1t is said, in the past a
means OF criminals escaping from the
United States into the dominion.