Open Road — Guides - - Railroads — Canals — Bridges 



merits. His idea of the boat seems to have been a misnomer. 1902 

 Several people have also safely passed through the rapids in strong B,sho P 

 casks built specially for the purpose. 



In July, 1883, Captain Matthew Webb, who had previously 

 swum across the English channel, lost his life while attempting 

 to swim the Rapids. His body was recovered a few days later 

 at Lewiston. A Bostonian named Kendall, in 1886, managed 

 by the aid of a life preserver, to get though alive, though much 

 exhausted. 



Blondin came to Niagara in 1859 with his business manager, 

 Harry Calcourt. He gave his first performances on a wire cable 

 which was stretched across the Gorge from White's Pleasure 

 Ground, about where the car-sheds of the Gorge Road now 

 stand. At a subsequent exhibition, the cable was stretched across 

 the Whirlpool Rapids, just north of the present Lower Arch 

 Bridge. Among some of his feats were walking across the rope, 

 chained hand and foot ; making the passage in the evening ; cross- 

 ing with his feet encased in butter tubs; crossing without a 

 balancing pole; carrying a cooking stove to the middle of the 

 rope, where he stopped and cooked an omelette; turning hand- 

 springs, standing on his head, or sitting down sideways on the rope 

 two hundred feet above the water, and many other equally 

 daring acts. His greatest exploit was performed in 1860, when 

 he carried Calcourt across the Whirlpool Rapids on his back, 

 in the presence of the Prince of Wales. Four times in the course 

 of the trip Blondin stopped to rest, each time setting his burden 

 down upon the rope and resuming it to continue his journey. 



Since Blondin's day other rope-walkers have imitated his feats 

 with more or less success. In 1873 Bellini crossed on a rope 

 stretched from Prospect Park to the opposite side near the Ferry 

 Road. Stephen successfully crossed on a wire rope above the old 

 Suspension Bridge, in 1878, and also jumped from the wire to 

 the water. Samuel Dixon also crossed on the same wire. 

 Madame Spellerini and others have made the passage safely at 



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