DANGERS OF THE TIGHT ROPE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1198, 16 December 1880, Page 2

DANGERS OF THE TIGHT ROPE.

Amoncj / recent! Außtr'aliah news ■> there came to hand a brief" telegram relating to the narrow .escape, from death of a tight rope performer in Melbourne. The Argus gives fuller particulars thus :— iMr. Alfred RoweV of Ballarat, ; known 'as ■ -'■' OnialoH' 1 the - ; Australian Blondin, appeared On a wire rope, about half an inch in : diameter; stretched: a distance" of about ; 2oft. from the ground on a vacant lot at tHe corner of Roden and Spencer-sfcreets. There ? were abpafc 6000 spectators, and the first part of the performance, which included many feats, such as Walking in baskets,, the-chair-and-table ■ performance^ and other dangerous passed off successfully. Mr.-Ro'wethen essayed. to carry, iover ; -a; boy ; ;npon his back.-^ : ; tjnfortunately^rthe' boy upon whom he relies, and who is trained ■ tp> tlie; business, was not? in attendance, and he therefore selected a lad from among those present. The boy was strapped to his.back, and^the journey had almost.beeii accpmplighedrin safety when the boy began, tp'feeineryous and clutched tHeSropeT^valker .■fcy^the neck. Hb also twisted Ma foot round that of the man carrying liim.i and xiltimately' threw his foot off the rope. As a cbiisequence, the performer fell ; but, preserving his presence > ; 'of" mind, ,he caught the rope, with his leg,, and, after wards regaining hold by one hand, he preserved himself from falling. Byigreat exertions he passed j with the boy . upon his . back ,l along: the; rope to the stage, ; where the boy was taken off by a policeman.. Onzalo then ; vaulted; on; to: the stage himself. After the boy had been removed in safety to the ground the performer, again : crossed the rope and descended on the other side amidst great applause. In, view of the .danger involved, a " dummy ." will in : future' take, the i>lace. o£ the boy carried over the. rope.