Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-23
DARVDVVTLS OF NIAGARA
Tumbling Waters the Scene Of Many
Thrilling Feats.
pEATH RIDES PALS AND GORGE
some Of the Hair Raising stunts that
Have Been TRIED ON the Mad
waters and what Happened
20 the Performers.

Niagara Falls, itself most wonderful
sight has been the scene Of some Of the
most marvellous acts-especially OF daring
ever known TO man, but never was so
unique a conquering OF nature by man as
took place at the falls on June q. when
Lincoln Beachey crcled over the Horse
shoe swooped under the arches OF the up
per steel bridge and down the gorge to the
whirlpool in the latest contrivanct OF sci
ence. a bipane
Beachey Is no amateur flyer Some OF
his flights have been hair-raising Yet ut
was the most exciting trip OF my life he
said after landing at Niagara Falls ont.
Two hundred thousand persons were
gathered at the falls to see the bird-man
in a heretofore untried feat. The occasion
reminded many OF the days when fool
hardy adventures tempted fate by going
over the falls, by trying to swim the rap
ids. or through the whirlpool or, in years
way back in time, men and women walked,
ran, danced or skipped across the open
mouthed chasm on tightrope The inter
est shown by the crowd was tile same;
the palpitation lest the daring aviator be
sucked downward by treacherous and un-
known air currents were as throbbing as
when thousands of eyes watched an in
trepid swimmer battering head and body
against the raging waves of the whirlpool.
Beachey's performance was preceded by a
rush through the gorge rapids in barrel
by Bobby" Leach. who has now made
the trip five times. Each time he has
started from the Maid OF the Mist landing
and heretofore his assistants have been on
hand to pull his barrel out with graphing
hooks when the gorge rapids had been
passed. The other day his barrel gained
such q momentum that he was carried be-
You'd reach OF his men and on into the
Whirlpool Rapids. There he was tossed
and turned and flung about fearfully. To
make matters worse, his barrel weight
shifted throwing the air vent out OF gear,
and leaving a small hole through which
the water rushed. When the barrel
emerged from the vortex graphing hooks
were used to land II. Leach stin lived,
although he was taken to a hospital.
These attempts to display superiority
over nature have been many and varied.
Perhaps the first man who ever travelled
to Niagara Falls with the avowed purpose
Of performing a feat hitherto never at
tempted was Sam Patch. a mill hand en-
ployed in factory above Pawtucket Falls,
Rhode Island. He may have been inspired
to his act by the beautiful legend current
among the Indians Of the day that the
god of the falls demanded at least one life
a year, and that. to enjoy the favor of
this god, the most beautiful maiden in the
tribe was sent over the falls as a sacrifice.
Or his inspiration may have come from
his presence in Niagara Falls in September,
1923, at which time the condemned brig
Michigan was sent over the cataract after
mails.
Diving Into the River.
At home Sam Patch, used to battle with
companions and engage in high jumping.
First he dove from bridge into deep
pool: then, not satisfied with such daring,
sought greater heights on the roofs OF
nearby mills. in this manner Patch de-
veloped ability and ambition. Noticing the
enormous crowd which the destruction of
the Michigan took to the falls, he resolved
to profit by the excitement lie built q
wooden tower ninety feet high at the
waters edge. at the foot OF the Biddle
staircase on Goat island. From platform
on top of this he ieaped into the waters
Of the lower Niagara river His act was
safely performed, but he lost his life soon
afterward by a high dive in Rochester
History does not show that anyone
thought of Niagara Fails as a scene OF
notoriety or advertisement for thirty years
after Patch made his dive. Then, in June,
1852 NJ. Blondin. a Frenchman, appeared
with HIS business manager, Harry Colcord
and arranged for the falls as a background
or underground. as II were-for his special
line of endeavor. Ho announced his in.
tentlon OF stretching tight rope across the
Il
bank. At first he found few believers in
his feat. II was said he would never do IT,
But he inspired confidence by daily walking
up and down the guys of the old railway
suspension bridge, smoking a cigar. In
June he stretched his rope at a place
known as Whites Pleasure Grounds. His
cable was about 1880 feet long. and with
It came fully 5000 feet of rope Tor guys
At first a en-eighths inch rope was car
ried across the gorge and it was thought
when the cable had been drawn to within
200 feet OF the Canadian bank, that thi.
rope would not be strong enough to lanC
1t. Blondin tied a rope about his body ant
walked out on the small. rope and attached
another rope to the cable.
BIOndIn on the Wire.
Blondin established a reputation for him
SELF even before he walked across the gorge
For days he gave exhibitions at the pleas
ure grounds, performing wonderfully on
wire. Finally, at O'Clock on the afternoon
OF June 30. 1854 he started out on the cabl
from the American side. When about 10
feet out he sat down. lay on his back
stood on one foot, and then resumed hi
trip. He repeated this by-play man.
times. At one time the Maid of the Mis-
came up the river, loaded with passengers
Blondin dropped a cord TO the deck an,
pulled up bottle, from which he drank
Then. leaping 10 his feet, without touchini
his hands to the cable, he continued hi
walk to the Canadian. cliff. He was o.
the rope eighteen minutes. Half an hou
after finishing this trip he walked on tn
cable back to the American side, makin
this journew In seven minutes. He the
took up q collection.
He made a second trip on July 4 OF tn
same year. this time walking with sac
over his head and body. This he did agai
on July a. Willard Fillmore then being on
OF the spectators. When he reached Canad
he dressed as a monkey. and trundled
wheelbarrow over the rope. Another tri
was made on August 3. at which tim
Blondin stood on his head. At another tim
he carried his manager on his back acros
the gorge.
An these trips had been made by day