The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-09
AREDEV|L DIVE
into THE TANK
Jumped 81 Feet Into S Feet
of Water.
A BIG DAY YESTERDAY
More Strangers Than on Any Day This Wet k
so Fat---Fres Cycle WhirI Opened
---!he Big Snake Was
Fed

And still they come. Yesterdays trains
kept pouring loads of people into
the city from all the neighboring towns
and some that were not so neighboring
too. The Carnival surely brings them
1t was generally considered that there
were more ut-of-town folks on the
streets yesterday than on any other day
of the week, and the fakirs were happy.
The big snake got his tri-nionthly meal.
He was served yesterday with number
OF live chickens. which he proceeded 10
squeeze into a pulp and draw into MS
Intervals. A big crowd watched the IN
teresting process, while the Dutch hay
seed" made a few appropriate remarks.
This gentleman is apt upon all SUBJECTS
But the event of the day on the streets
was the High Dive undertaken by
James j. Grant, known as the
DAREDEVIL He don't look like
daredevil because he's short and fat,
but he acts like one, and no mistake.
Yesterday morning curious looking
eontraption was noticed rapidly taking
shape on Salisbury street just back OF
the Postoffice. 1t consisted of an upright
ladder running straight up in the air for
what was declared to be 81 feet. At the
foot of this great ladder was a big
wooden box, 8 feet wide and II feet
long Inside OF this was a canvas bag
fitting closely around the sides of the
box and hung apparently from the edges.
This was about five feet In depth, or
POSSIBLY only four and a half. This bag
was being filled with water.
it must be the High Dive apparatus.
So The word got around in less than no
time that the expected act was going
to come of in the afternoon just after
Prince Youturkey should have finished his
toboggan stunts on the slack rope and
the handsome w. H. Hill should have
completed his bed-chamber specialties on
the high wire.
So the crowd came and took all sorts
OF chance shots at guessing the height OF
the ladder from the ground. The guesses.
ran all the way from 35 feet to 100 feet.
But the announcer said it was 81 feet,
and he ought to know.
Anyhow the daredevil finally completed
his change of costume in a little tent
near by and came prancing out as nimbly
as his 200 plus of avoirdupois would per-
MI. men he ran up the tail idOuSls yes
ran, and stood on the little platform at
The top blowing and putting just like any
other fat man who has run upstairs.
It made people dizzy to look at him. He
gave a few directions, waved his hand
in different directions TO people on the
roofs of tall buildings, and then squat
ted.
Look, he's saying his prayers said
a girl. Maybe he was. Some people
would in his position.
Finally everything was ready, and he
commenced to lean forward as he stopped
Just as his feet left the platform he cried
out: "Im of" He surely was. And he
came down like a squirrel jumps, arms
and legs out in front of him. AS he
neared the water, his head got lower
and he struck at a considerable angle.
Instantly his head bobbed up and he
leaped out of the tank while the people
applauded and cheered.
The splash was prodigious and the
thunderous noise Of the impact with the
water was heard in the court house.
The act was to have been repeated last
night, but the management would not
remit 1t, as there was not sufficient
light, although Grant was perfectly will
ing to dive 1t will be seen again this
afternoon between $3.50 and o'clock.
The cycle whirl at Wilmington and
HaTgett streets was given yesterday af-
ternoon.