Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-03-01
AMPHIBI0US ANTICS.
PAUL B0YTOES PeRlLoUS SWIM
Down Inc OHIO to the 6uIf-His Arrival in
the Nail City Yesterday, and His
Lecture Last Night.

Paul BOyton's great feat OF swimming
from Pittsburgh to the Gull Of Mexico,
distance OF :, $50 miles, has been fairly
begun, and 96 miles Of the great distance
accomplished. Captain Boyton started
from Stcubenyille at $40 o'clock yester-
day morning, and reached this city at
so o'clOck r. NJ, having made the dis
tance in five hours and forty minutes.
At Rush run, the Captain was caught in
gorge, the river being full OF ice, and
was compelled To walk npOn the ice for
the distance OF fully two miles before he
could again enter the water. After get
ting out OF the gorge, he proceeded
without much difficulty until about
five miles above this city, where he
broke his oar. The rest OF the trip was
rendered difficult by this accident.
Atthc time OF his arrival at the wharf,
there were not less than seven thousand
people standing along the bank OF the
river, from the suspension bridge to the
foot OF Fourteenth street, where he
landed probably unintentiOnaly, as il
was understood that he would come
ashore al the foot of Twelfth street
However, the Captain did not strike
for shore until hc had passed
under the bridge, and as lac had
To- battle with river filled with
Ice he landed at the place mentioned,
where hc climbed from the water 10 the
deck Of the towbOat llcatheringtOn.
Upon reaching shore he was taken into
a hack and driven tu the II. James
Hotel, where Il REGISTER reporter found
him in his room, No. ~, with his life
saving suit piled up in one corner.
The suit, composed OF two parts, is
made of tho finest rubber run on heavy
drilling, and 80 arranged ~ to be in
ilatcd when desired. The Captain is
gentleman Of fine physique and pleasing
address, and is about thlrty-threc years
Ot age.
At THE OPERA HOUSE.
An audience oi lair proportions as
semblcd at the Opera House last night
in view vi the tact that Captain Paul
BOvtOn would deliver lecture. That
famous man-iiSh was on hand, and at :
O'Clock was presented IL the audience
which hc entertained lur lull two hours
with u most interesting narrative of al
venture. Considering tine lact that
speaking i Il new business to the Cap
tain, the lecture was we'll delivered, and
it may be- added that it was we'll re-
ccivcd. Alter very briefly referring Ia
his early love of the water and tu his in-
trolurtiOn To the suit which hc wears,
the lecturer proceeded at once TO give
the solution tu what is with many pco-
pie something oi Conundrum, and also
10 tell tho first Oi his eXploits-as it was
the most icariul-un the ocean. The
question he propOundcd was: Why MAS
il that an american went 10 Europe to
make his great experiments with his
invention? The answer was
that it was the
RESULT uF ACCIDENT.
IIr intended to 70 upon some out
bound steamer about 80 miles from
New York and then take flight from the
vessel and return by the aid Of his suit
and paddle. But upon making applica-
ton to numerous captains Tor pcrmiS-
sion to carry out his plan, he met uni
iornlly with refusal, and tiually-leter-
mined upon CSSaylng the Icat - hc
shipped without specifying his purpose,
as passenger on board the Queen,
bound iur Queenstown When the YES
sol had, as he supposed, reached the dis
tance already mentioned, he donned his
dress and was preparing Tor departure
when he was compelled 10y the officers
oi the steamer to desist, and with re-
luctanyc accepted the situation.
lie obtained promise, however,
that as soon rs the Irish coast was
sighted, ne might leave the steamer,
and when fifty miles from land put oil.
He encountered more peril on this trip
than on any other Ol equal length IN
his experience. Landing in n storm IN
which iiity-six vessels were lost, he
looked back upon the horrible aspect OF
old Ocean, and wondered how man
could have lived on such a sea. Then
perCeiyiug in his safety the hand OF
greater Pilot than man, he went down
upon his knees-though never a pray
ing man-aud thanked God. lie soon
found the coast guards little cabin,
where he presented himself IN his FAM
ished and suffering condition. Attired
in his singular suit il was not wonderful
that he was regarded by the unlettcred
man a,
A SUPERNATURAL REING.
"Whcre dill ycz come from said the
man.
''From New York" replied Boyton,
What ship
The Queen
where il she this night oi fearH'
Il don't know where she ~ now.
and how many Is drowndjd besides
Vourseh"'
All attempts at explanation were
futile. but a. the true Irish lldpercclvcd
the condition of the vUyagcr, torgcttul
OF his iears, With genuine Irish hos
pitalitv, hc took on his own warm coat
and threw il around the Vuyascr. When
the latter lay down tu - some sleep The
guard went ont AMI walked The people,
and Bpytuu was awakened altyTwsri 10y
the bulziug noise caused hy all the
town assembled to ~,.v the man who
had shwum nom New York lnr that
vas wha; the SuarI had told them.
His tss-sire WAS now 10 get % the nearest
telegraph station. That was SNlbber-
rccn, Six miles away The speaker
graphaally narratei the difficulty in OBJ
tiamg dinner AMONG thc suPCrstitiouS
pthp.S, At l6st one
"NNu,'
consented to take him in his aunting
ear. ~ thcy Travelled. seated back %
back. HE lcciurer askci Andy Ii he va
going the right rual We'll, yer honor.
the Others the highest mad, hUt a yys
plaze thought I would ~ this way. for
Il gus ~ lrJat oi the chapel. The
Stlr,t ~as now inlsnd, and o. protect
himself BOyton drew the ruhbeT tunic
about his heal The shape OF the dress
Is such as 20 give the face the appear
ance Of a huge mouth. and turning n
speak q Andy, aS the latter ,ururi at
tic sSme moment, BoytOn suddenly let
his Sde ~ down and there was Andy'S
seat vacant snd he ten teet away cross
ing himself vita all MS might AZ lat
the Captain sucCeeied in convincing the