Across Niagara on a Bicycle.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 6, 15 December 1869, Page 7

Across Niagara on a Bicycle.

This feat was announced by Professor Jenkins to bo accomplished on the 25ih of August, and accomplished it was, in the presence of a vast crowd, a thousand feet of good two-inch rope being stretched across the stream below Suspension-bridge, and where Blondin crossed with a man on his back. The New York Times says :—“ The machine used by Professor Jenkins is not in any sense a velocipede. It is, however, a bicycle, and, turned upside down, would in some degree resemble a modern velocipede. The wheels, three inches wide, arc nude heavy, and of wood, without tires, but in their places are grooves an inch ami three quarters deep. The front wheel is 3ft. 2in. and the hind wheel 2ft. lOin. in diameter. The connecting rods are iron, so also the balance-pole, which is Bft. long, and tipped with 101b. balls, and weighs 281b. The whole thing, with the man thrown in, weighs 2081b. The prop-dim power is a pinion cog-wheel made of brass, about nine inches in diameter, which is made to gear to cogs which surround the front wheel at the bottom of the groove, t At 2.30 p.m, the Professor made his ap- s pearance on the Canada side with the 5 -pieces of his machine, and at once proceeded to put them together— a task of no i small labour. With the aid of his men, he first placed the fore wheel on the rope just at the edge of the precipice, and while a man balanced it, another braced on the standard from the under side, thus bringing two strong birs of iron on either side of the rope. All the joints were securely fastened with bolts. The braces, or connecting rods, extending from the standard to the rear shaft in the form of the letter 0, made the connection very complete, and 5 very strong. The Professor then got outside of the*rope, arranged the pinion- wheel, and fastened the balance-pole across the 6 1 part of the braces. This done, the seat, a : strip of leather, was secured to the rear axle by means of straps. This arrangement, which it was seen at once would ; throw the entire-weight of the machine and the rider under the rope, was a source of disappointment, if not of relief, to many ot the spectators, who, not consulting the inventive genius of the Canadian Blondin, rather expected to see him mounted on a Green wood velocipede, which, of course would give a good chance for ground and lofty tumbling. All being in readiness, , the bicycle was fastened by a rope to the bank, and Jenkins prepared to start, lie , wore white tights, black velvet knee j breeches, shoulder straps and cross bells ■ of the same material, and on his head was ' placed a crown-shaped hat, and all were profusely bedecked with tinsel and beads. II is feet were covered with buff moccasins. . He took his position astride the rope, and proceeded to.arrange the leather strap or seat, which, as it was allowed to touch tl e ■ rope, seemed more for the purpose of , protecting the velvet pants from damage i bv attrition than to sit upon. In fact he ■ did not sit, but stood up, with his feet about 18 inches apart, resting on the i balance-pole. In a moment he grasped i the handles of the pinion wheel, and turned 1 them, moving slowly from the bank, the ■ crowd preserving a death-like, stillness. 1 After passing ou. a few yards, a halt was made, and the photographers were allowed 1 to take his picture. He then returned and ! waited five or ten minutes, and resumed 1 his seat. Three pistol shots were then fired from the Canadian sida, and it was ' a “ go.” The machine moved slowly forward, the rope swaying gently from side to sile until lie had passed out about 50ft, when another opportunity was given the artist, after which he crawled along at a snail’s pace to the middle of the abyss, where he raised and waved his hat, and received a faint cheer in response. From the centre to the American shore, it was evidently hard work to propel the bicycle, but at last the edge of the cliff was reached, and then the welkin did ring with the applause of the people. The time occupied in passing over the rope was just eleven minutes.