Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1899-10-07
HOW NIAGARA WAS SPAWNED.
The First Bridge Was started by Means
of Boys Kite.

The First Bridge Was started by Means
of soy's Kite.
The second steel arch bridge across
the Niagara gorge is in course of con-
struction to replace the upper suspen-
sion bridge close to- the falls. The
signing of the contract for the new
arch was practically an order for the
destruction of the last of the famous
great suspension bridges at Niagara,
so far as their original location is con-
cerned. and the last of the structures
traversed by thousands of tourists in
an admiring mood will live in memory
only. All arrangements for the build
ing of the first bridge over the gorge
was completed, writes Orrin e. Dunlap
in Leslie's Weekly, early in 1S48, and
the contractors set about finding a
means of establishing communication
between the cliffs at the narrowest
point near the whirlpool rapids The
idea of overcoming the difficulty by a
powerful rocket was conceived. But
this did not work, and some school
boys flying their kites on the river
bank gave the suggestion that the de-
sired connection might be made by
allowing a kite to settle on the OPP
poslte bank
The most adept of the boys in flying
their kites was little Holman Walsh,
and the contractors invited him to try
his skill. The prevailing wind at the
falls is from the southwest, and after
waiting some days for a favorable
wind, young Walsh walked up stream
two miles to the ferry and crossed to !
the Canadian side reaching which he |
down stream to the site Of |
the bridge. The wind was blowing |
strong, and he soon had his kite, |
named the Union, flying heavenward.
The cord went out rapidly, but the
gale was too strong to allow the kite
to settle. Night came on, and Walsh
and the boys who had gathered built
/ fire on the bank to keep warm,
waiting a lull in the wind toward mid
light. The anxious watchers on the
opposite shore also built fire. Walsh
Knew then that his program was
understood and that there would be a
lose watch kept for the kite.
The wind went down as expected and
bout u O'Clock increased tension and
erking on the kite string told him
hat his kite had landed and that the
ord was safely across the gorge. The
isrance and roar of the rapids pre-
ented verbal communication, there
ore they were uncertain as to- each /
theirs movements. Suddenly there
ame a. heavy jerk on the cord, and
hen it fell loose in Walsh's hands So
luch sag had been given it that il
cached the river below, in which a
asst amount Of ice was flowing, and
he cord was broken in two. Disap-
ointed, Walsh wQrnd up his end of
he cord and started for the ferry.
teaching there he was told the river
'as so full of ice that the boats dared !
OF venture out. For eight days he
as iceboand on the Canadian shore.
When finally he arrived home he
ound his kite uninjured, and after
1aitfng again for a favorable wind
, lily it from the New York state bank
e again crossed to the Canadian side.
he wind was favorable, and in thirty
ninutes he had landed his kite and the
Iesired connection between the cliffs
vas established. The cord was used
o draw a heavier cord across the river
md this was followed by rope and
wire cable Other cables followed,
md cable way, on which an iron
basket ran, now in possession of the
Buffalo Historical Society, was oper-
lted in building the bridge. Walsh re-
,eived $50 for his work. He is still
alive, and resides at Lincoln, Neb.-
San Francisco Chronicle.