New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-09
BACK TO THE CLIFFS.

lie sank to about thirty feet above the
water and continued down the gorge to the
Whirlpool Rapids There the uneven and
peculiar air currents tipped his biplane.
lie swayed. and 10 the watchers it seemed
as IL ne must be sucked down into the
deep pocket. But he elevated his machine,
and, clearing the Canadian bank by mar
row margin flew away in safety, 50
scoring success in a new field.
The next day the new trick was tried
over and couple Of tricks that have been
worn threadbare. hut which still soom 10
have a charm were tried. Beschey made
| an ascent at the Fair Grounds and stoered
q low course across the gorge. In1medi-
ately his craft was caught in tho air cur
+ rents over which he had scored a Victory
| the day before and rolled and rocked and
swung to such degree that he had To
abandon his fight and return to the Amer
lean side. However. later on. after nyins
20 Lewiston. he zigzagged across the gorge
q number Of times.
His performance was preceded by rush
through the gorge rapids in barrel by
Bobby" Leach, who has now made the
trip i've times Each time he has started
from the Maid Of the Mist landing and
hand TO pull his barrel out With graphing
hooks when the gorge rapids had been
passed. Tie other day his barrel gained
such momentum that he was carried be-
yopd reach Of his men and on into the
Whirlpool Rapids There he was tossed
erd turned and flung about fearfully. To
make matters worse, his barrel weight
.hifted. 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 70 land it, Leach still lived, al
though he was taken to hospital
Then came another deed of daring Uhicf
reminded many of the years now dead
There is nothing orisinal in riding the
rapids i'm a barrel; nor is there in tryinf
TO walk across the gorge on tightrope
as did oscar Wagner. Wagner was SEIZED
uled 10 make the trip, and began to DO II
His wire was placed To his satisfaction
but he seemed 20 set cold feet az the
psychological moment. When he was
few feet from the shore ne stopped stil
and, instead Of using his feet dropped &c
his hands and held on for dear life. Bioch
and tackle were passed out TO him, and no
was lowered into the water lie missed
the ovation given to Beachey and Leach.
Now remains the question: In what new
way will this mammoth wonder Of nature
be conquered? For II Is unreasonable to
suppose that man will desist from endeav-
ors TO tempt fate either at the cataract
or the gorge or the whirlpool
These attempts TO display a superiority
over nature have been many and varied.
Perhaps the first man who ever travelled
10 Niagara Falls with the avowed purpose
pf performing feat hitherto never at
tempted was Sam Patch a mill hand en-
ployed in a factory above Pawtucket Falls,
Rhode Island. He may have been inspired
10 his act by the beautiful legend current
hmonG 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
his god the most beautiful maiden I'm the
tribe was sent over the falls as sacri-
ice. or his inspiration may have come
from his presence in Niagara Falls in Sep
ember, 1929, at which time the condemned
brig Michigan was sent over the cataract
lfter being loaded with panic-stricken wild
hnimals