Leaping the Chasm

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7979, 16 November 1905, Page 2

Leaping the Chasm

A PUKKOUMKIi COMK.S TO 1(1101''. The feat of '''leaping the chasm" al IVince's 1 Court ) culniinateiH a few niglUs ago (says the Melbourne -Ac BUS) in an accident of the niosl (sensational character to tile performer, Dastro. Kortuua'tely. it had mi serious ending, bill not one of those who witnessed the feat expected to hear that the daring c.vclis) had escaped death. The feat consists of i idiug a bicycle down an inclined plane HO feet long- and So I'eet big-h at one cud. Then, with the impetus thus gained, the machine am! rider rise in a curve Jiff feet or 10 feet, long, dash Mhcoiigh a' sheet of petrol llanie, land on another inclinwl staging, and run on to a track laid with saw-dust, which/quickly stops he bicycle. I titil tlie day before tile accident 1 In- curve traversed in the leap through space was lit) feet long but Dastro that day had the height ol the first platform raised, the inclined track made steeper, and the leap increased to II feel. If;. formed I he'feat successful!v in ilie aft.Tnoo". but at night 'he started thnlliug lasliion as he commended badly, and his miaehinf wobbled in : dou nward descent. The leap, however, was accomplished 'in nnparsafety, imt the hack wlieel of the bicycle struck below the edge, of the second staging, [iicycle and inaii were thrown high in the air, turned a complete somersault, ami fell in a taughil heap :it> feet along the tan track. There was a large crowd watching the feat, during the performance of which all the lights, except. those that line, the track down which Dastro rides,,are switched oIT "omen and children screaimd and several fainted at the alarmin»- conclusion of ll,e feat. Dastro was re- .«» unconscious condit ion o the oil,re of Prince's Court. 'Pl,ere tic. ('Oiild attended him, and after a 'ptarter ot an hour succeeded in restoung him to consciousness. Dastro got up. and declared that he was all right, "T|,ars nothing." he ■'"'id ; Ive had fad worse' spills training j,, America/ 1