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Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
News of the week
Still another aeronaut has had a narrow escape. He made an ascension at Augusta, Ky. recently, and the balloon fell into the river, he became entangled in the ropes, and was rescued by a passing boat just as he was sinking for the third time.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
News of the week
Weston succeeded Friday the 10th on his second attempt at the New Haven ball grounds, to walk 100 miles inside of 22 hours, and had half an hour, lacking only 15 seconds to spare.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
The horrors of idolatry
The horrors of idolatry - Miss Harriet Brittan is writing some interesting letters depicting life in India, to the "Christian at Work". From a recent one we make the following extract in which she describes a religious gathering: "And now to turn to a sad sight witnessed during my visit to Allahabad...".
[Long article discusses diseased beggars, religious pilgrims who come once a year to bathe and shave at this spot. She describes one street "which appeared to be entirely devoted to fakirs...men who are supposed by self-inflicted tortures to have become very holy...They were about the vilest creatures that it is possible to describe; it made you shudder to think that humanity could be so degraded...These men were almost all of them almost entirely nude - none of them had any covering but one filthy little piece of rag, not more than a fig leaf...
Their hair and beards were all long and matted with filth, their bodies smeared with a mixture of cow dung and ashes; some of them had a thick mixture of whitewash or white plaster, with 1, 2 or 3 broad stripes, like, blood, down the forehead...One man...sat in a bed of ashes, with 4 fires built around him on either side; not of course close enough to burn him, but close enough to scorch him and cause great suffering...
There was another, a miserable looking creature, who for many years had held his arms up over his head with his hands crossed. At first when he began to do this, he was obliged to have his hands bound to poles, to keep them up until they stiffened in that position...
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Foreign
Victoria Anderson, a rope dancer [tightrope walker], 23 years old, who once performed in Barnum's hippodrome, fell from a velocipede on a rope 80 ft. high during a performance at Berlin recently, and was killed.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
A balloon in a thunder storm
A balloon in a thunder storm - Prof. Samuel A. King, the Cleveland aeronaut, who succeeded Donaldson as the balloonist of Barnum's hippodrome, made an ascension alone in the Cloud Nymph at Burlington, Ia. the other day, and had quite an exciting time up in the clouds....[Long article follows].
[See Google Books' "The balloon: noteworthy aerial voyages, with a narrative by Samuel A. King" for a description of this voyage.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
News of the week
They have a successor to Sam Patch in Shelbyville, Ind., John Berry by name. A few days ago, he jumped from the top of the Shelbyville railroad bridge into the river, a distance of 75 ft., for a $10 purse made up among the admiring spectators, and he offered for $20 to make the same leap with a double back somersault, but the money was not forthcoming.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 9, 1875
A swim of 20 miles at sea
[See Wikipedia for the story of Captain Matthew Webb. He turned out to be one of those unfortunate souls who lost their lives performing stunts at Niagara Falls].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 9, 1875
News of the week
A bottle has been found on the shore of Lake Michigan containing a card purporting to have been written by Donaldson. The card states that the gas is rapidly escaping and the balloon will not stay up over an hour.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Swimming match
The great swimming match for $1000 a side and the championship of the world, between the English champion, Johnson, and the American, Coyle, came off Thurs. on the Delaware River between Chester, Pa. and Gloucester, N.J., and resulted in a victory for the Englishman, and may result in the death of Coyle.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The committee to provide amusements for our coming fair have before them a proposition from James Allen, an aeronaut of Providence, R.I., to make a balloon ascension, using a balloon containing 35,000 cubic feet of gas, and capable of taking up 3 persons. His price is $200; that of the Kings last year, was $300. there is no doubt but it would be a good investment for the society, as there is nothing else that will draw out so many people, and the proposition is likely to be favorably entertained.
[Read about James Allen in Wikipedia's "Union Army Balloon Corps"].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
News of the week
William H. Dutcher, [possibly William Henry Dutcher], who began on his attempt to walk 500 miles in 6 consecutive days in Martin’s Hall at North Adams, the 12th, accomplished the feat, and found on Sat. the 17th that he had 35 minutes to spare; and he must have been brighter than the pedestrian usually is after such feats, for he walked the last mile in 10 minutes.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Centennnial circus
[Illustration of a daredevil lying atop the back of a racing horse under a bigtop tent]. A genuine, old-fashioned circus is coming! Melville, Maginley & Cooke’s Centennial Circus and Thespian Company, will give 2 of their unique and pleasing entertainments at Greenfield, Wed., July 28. Doors open at 1 and at 7. Performances 2 and 8. A galaxy of stars will appear at each entertainment, among whom will be many artists well known to the amusement loving public. For description of entertainment see posters and small bills.
At 10 a.m. the elegant Band Chariot, drawn by 10 beautiful dappled gray horses, magnificently caparisoned, and bearing thereon Joseph Wither’s Celebrated Brass Band, followed by the Ring, Trick and Manege Horses, ponys [sic] and mules, will enter the town, passing through the principle streets, and discoursing the popular airs of the day.
In the eve. will be produced the Grand Military and Historic drama of "Putnam, the Iron Son of ’76". In this great equestrian drama there will appear 100 men, women, Indians and horses. The battlefield will be a most exciting scene, and the Sword Combats on Horseback, the hand-to-hand fights, the escape of Putnam, the rescue of Kate Putnam, and Grand Tableaux, brilliantly illuminated by colored fires, will be the grandest scene ever beheld in this country.
Admission 50 cents; children under 10 years of age, 25 cents.
Remember the dates: Greenfield, July 28; Shelburne Falls, July 27; Northampton, July 29. A.M. Nathans, General Agent.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Centennial Circus
Melville, Maginley & Cooke’s Circus [James Melville, Ben Maginley and James M. Cooke] is to exhibit in Greenfield on the 28th. We clip the following from the Ogdensburg Daily Journal: "Everything about it as clean and trim as can be, and the ring-show is the best that can be presented in a given time. the stars are the Melvilles, Kate Keys, Mr. Rowland, Mr. Donald, Mr. Robinson, and Messrs. Cooke and [Tec-valla?] the clown...Miss Keys is the most dashing and fearless lady rider in the profession. But the stupendous feats of all are performed by Rowland on the flying trapeze... http://www.circusina...dies/public_show/747
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Donaldson the aeronaut, who came down in our village a few weeks since, after a successful journey from Springfield, ascended in his balloon from Chicago on Thurs., accompanied by a journalist, and it is feared has been lost in Lake Michigan.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Dragged in a balloon through a night on Lake Ontario
This article has it that Prof. Donaldson had a harrowing experience with his balloon and was rescued. The truth, though, is that Washington If. Donaldson, the famous aeronaut, drowned in Lake Michigan on July 15, 1875. See the whole story at http://www.famousame...shingtonifdonaldson/
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
There was a smart runaway on School Street Tues. Joseph D. Newman stopped at Wait's livery stable to leave some meal, and while carrying it into the barn, left his four years old boy sitting in the wagon, with the horse unhitched. The horse was young and spirited, and two ladies driving up behind startled him. Mr. Newton sprung for him, caught his bridle, but could not hold the horse, who soon got into a smart run.
/ Things looked desperate, but Mr. Newton clung to the bridle, sometimes keeping his feet and at others dragged along. After running 20 or 30 rods, the horse stumbled and fell, throwing Mr. Newton and the boy into the road, but no one was found to be hurt, and no damage done beyond badly breaking the harness. Mr. Newton will not probably leave that horse unhitched again with his little son in the wagon.
Paul Boynton [also known as the Fearless Frogman. See Wikipedia] succeeded in swimming or floating across the English Channel in his patent life saving dress during Friday and Sat. night, after being in the water 23 hours and 38 minutes.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
Murray's Circus
John H. Murray's Great Railroad Circus will perform in this town on Mon. aft. and eve. Mr. Murray, who always brings us a good show, seems to have outdone himself this time. His troupe is larger and better than ever before, and the performance embraces a multiplicity of attractions. Among the list of performers are enrolled the names of Hubert Cooke, who makes his first appearance in this country in his specialty of "The English Jockey"; Mlle.. Adelaide, equestrian; Whimsical Walker http://www.peoplepla...ct.php?object_id=471 trick clown; Mlle. Eva, tight rope performer; Professor Leon and his three sons, Edward, Alfred and Joseph; Horace and Fanny, Gymnasts; Wooda Cook, somersault rider; Mlle. Louise Cottrell, equestrian; Tom Barry, clown and vocalist; Mlle. Turnour, equestrian; Signor Cottrell, clown; James E. Cooke, rider of 6 horses; Eugene Leech and Clifford Leopold. Mentor's Band will furnish music at each entertainment.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
News of the week
The pedestrian Weston failed by 140 miles in his attempt last week to walk 515 miles in six consecutive days, but has performed the wonderful feat of walking 117 miles in 24 hours, and also of walking 100 miles without resting. [Darn tootin' that's amazing!].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 10, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Prof. W.H. Donaldson's balloon, the "P.T. Barnum" went up from the Hippodrome in Springfield Sat. aft., made a landing in Greenfield about half past 5, just an hour from the start. The Professor was accompanied by two ladies and two little girls. They came down just in the rear of J.M. Munson's house, C.M. Munson being the man to catch the drag rope. The party spent Sat. night at the Mansion House, and took the Sun. morning train to Springfield.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 10, 1875
A horrible experience high above the clouds
Recounts the adventures and death of M. Croce Spinelli and M. Sivel, Frenchmen who recently lost their lives in the balloon Zenith. They suffocated from lack of oxygen. See the New York Times article for May 2, 1975]. http://farm4.static....5_27bdb1d1a1.jpg?v=0 .
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News of the week
Weston is outdone in the feat of walking 100 miles in 24 hours. Daniel O'Leary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiday_race , the Chicago pedestrian, walked 116 miles in 23 hours 8 minutes at Philadelphia Sat., the best time for the distance on record. [And both were still at it 10 years later. Check out the New York Times article of Dec. 8, 1885].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, April 19, 1875
Foreign
Paul Boynton, who attempted the feat of swimming and paddling across the English Channel in his patent rubber life saving dress [;-)] got within 5 miles of the French coast when he was obliged to give up on account of the darkness and was taken on board the accompanying steamer. He was 15 hours in the water and emerged in excellent health and spirits, and apparently by no means exhausted. Boynton has determined to repeat his attempt.
- Mon, Jan 18, 2010
