The Eddy current., 1899-04-15

Ths Adventures niendln nae nsd
Many fruitatoru

Ths Adventures nicndin nas ma
Many fmiiators.
Wire walking exploits form a con
siderable feature In the history Of adj
ventures at Niagara Falls. They be-
gan with the feat OF Blondin, the fam
Gus French rope-walker, who threw
cable across the chasm IN the aumnler
OF 1869 and made his frst trip across
on June 30th of that year. He had
been refused permission 10 stretch the
wire from Goat Island 10 the Cannd-
Tan side-the newspapers denouncing
him AZ a fool and fraud-and was
compelled 10 run II to q private pleas
ure ground on the Canadian side, the
work. moreover. having TO be done dur
ing the night to avoid interference
from the cautious residents.
Not many people witnessed Bion-
dln's FIRST crossing. the impression
having been general that the man was
insane or would fail at the last mo-
ment. When he had accomplished the
feat. the utmost amazement was ox-
pressed, which. however. WAS again
turned &c incredulily when he an
nounced that he would cross the wire
again. and this time with n man on
bis back-Darry Colcourt, Blondin's
business manager, man Weighing one
hundred and ffty-hye pounds. The
feat was successfully accomplished on
the afternoon Of August ~, 1859, amid
roars Of applause from the multitude
that looked on.
On August gath IN the same year.
Blondin crossed on the rope chained
hand and foot, and on his return car
, ried with him a cooking stove on
which ho made an omelette.
In the summer OF the following yeaT
he had the - removed TO a point
below the su uslon bridge, and Inn
mediateiy ov the whirlpool rapids,
whore he gavS several further exhibit
tiona, one being on August 2, 1890,
when the Prime OF Wales and the
governor-general OF Canada looked on.
Before Blondin started, the Prince.
having looked at the wire and the
rapids, became nervous, went 20 Blon-
din and begged him not TO make the
attempt. But the rope-walker smiled,
said II was NJ, 30 dangerous as IL
looked, aud soon went across With
Colcourt on his back.
There have been many imltators OF
Blondin. In 1878 an Italian named
Belllni stretched wire from opposite
the ferry landing to Prospect Park.
and three times he jumped from the
middle OF the cable into the river and
swan TO shore.
Steve Peer, celebrated American
wlre-walker, repeated Blondins feat
on June 20. 1887 In connection with the
Queens Jubilee celebration on the
Canadian side. He crossed IN nineteen
minutes A few nights afterward
Peer. while intoxicated, determined, so
II Is supposed. 10 repeat the perform
ance. and unknown 10 any one went
out and climbed on the wire with the
result that next morning he was found
lying dead IN the rocks below.
, An exhibition OF wire walking that
attracted considerable attention at that
time was that OF s. J. Dixon, Toronto
photographer, who used the same cable
that had been used by Peer. This
amateur Iupt~WhthNTf NHWAA A~tlkHA
, years OF age. had practlced almost
: daily for some weeks on a wire
Z stretched sixty feet above the water
!, OF Toronto Bay, before he essayed the
(; tremendous adventure which made
Blendln 90 famous. This he under
took dressed In tights and moccasins
and carrying a pole twenty-five and q
= half feet long, Weighing thirty pounds
lie showed no uneaslness or nervous
less, although slight unsteadlness o
the long cable caused him 70 pause fire
!. uuentiy 20 regain the balance that h'
momentarily lost.
When ne reached the center OF th'
gorge, this amateur lay down on hii
: back on the wire, with his balancing
: pole under him. Two hundred an'
4 nifty feet below ran the furious rapids
A ready to devour him should he maxi
J. n misstep.
=. He did number Of other darlnl
7 foats as he neared the other end OF III,
wire. and finally touched soil on IN
American side thirteen minutes afte
, he started. A few minutes later he re
appeared with hoop around hi
ankles, and In this way walked out Of
the wire about two hundred yards.