The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-08-02

solved to profit by the excitement. He
built wooden tower ninety feet high
at the waters edge, at the foot of the
Biddle staircase or Goat island. From
a platform on top of this he leaped
into the waters of the lower Niagara
river. His act was safely performed,
a high dive in Rochester.
History does not show that anyone
thought of Niagara Falls as scene
OF notoriety or advertisement for thir-
ty years after Patch made his dive.
len, in June, 1859, Blondin, a French.
man, appeared with his business man
ager, Harry Colcord, and arranged for
the falls as a background-or under
ground as it were--for his special
line of endeavor. He announced his
intention OF stretching tight rope
across the gorge from Goat island to
The Canadian bank. At first he found
few believers in his feat. 1t was said
The would never do it. But he inspired
con fidence by daily walking up and
down the guys OF the old railway sus-
pension bridge, smoking a cigar In
June he stretched his rope at a place
known as Whites Pleasure Grounds.
His cable was about 1900 feet long,
and with it came fully 10000 feet of
rope for guys. At first seven-eighths
inch rope was carried across the gorge
and it was thought when the cable
had been drawn to within 200 feet of
1.-THE Canadian bank that this rope
would not be strong enough to land it.
Blondin tied a rope about his body
and walked cut on the small rope and
attached another rope to the cable.
i BIondin on the Wire.
j Blondin established reputation for
himself even before he walked across
the gorge. For days he gave exhibit
tons at the pleasure grounds, per-
forming wonderfully ON wire. Fin
ally, at o'clock on the afternoon Of
June 80, 1859, he started out on the
cable from the American side. When
, about 100 feet out he sat down, lay
on his back, stood on one foot, and
then resumed his trip. He repeated
this by-play many times. At one time
the Maid of the Mist came up the
river loaded with passengers. Blondin
dropped a cord to the deck and pulled
up a bottle. from which he drank.
Then, leaping to his feet, without
touching his hands to the cable, he
continued his walk to the Canadian
minutes. Half an hour after finish
ing this trip he walked OH the cable
, back to the American side, making
F.. this journey in seven minutes. He
then took up collection.
He made a second trip on July 4th
of the same year, this time walking
with a sack over his head and body.
This he did again on July 14th. Mil
/ lard Fillmore then being one of the
spectators When he reached Canada
, he dressed as monkey, and trundled
| a wheelbarrow over the rope. An
other trip was made on August 3rd,
at which time Blondin stood on his
head. At another time he carried his
manager on his back across the gorge.
All these trips had been made by
daylight. On August 31st, however,
Blondin made night trip. At the
!; ENDS of the rope searchlights were
placed, and colored lanterns were put
on the ends of his balancing pole.
: When he reached the middle of the
rope the lights on his pole went out,
and it was only by feeling the rope
flor vibrations that his attendants were
able to tell whether he was,still walk
ing or had fallen into the depths be-
, low. At another time, in the same
year, the daring performer walked
: with his legs shackled and baskets
on his feet Shortly after this he ate
a meal while. in the middle of the
cable
I In the following year Blondin walked
across the whirlpool rapids with the