Several other individuals attempted to walk across the gorge in an effort to emulate the great Blondin. But it was Stephen Peer, a 47 year old Niagara Falls native who wanted to out do him. Peer had admired Blondins technique and ambition, and on June 22, 1887 he successfully walked across the Niagara River on a five-eighths inch thick wire cable strung between two railway bridges. This feat brought him much acclaim as the wire cable was much thinner than the thicker ropes of past daredevils. Peer’s acclaim was short lived however, as he was found dead in the gorge only three days later. Many individuals speculated that Peer had fallen to his death while attempting to cross the river in the dark. More fantastical stories began circulating in the area which claimed that Peer was shot to death by rivals who dumped his body into the gorge. His death, however, still remains a mystery.
RSS