The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-02-20
CAPTAIN BOYTON's TRIP.
voyage in His Rubber Suit on the Allc-
ghcny River, from OIL City to Pitts
burGh.

voyage in His Rubber Suit on the Allc
shcny River, from OIL City to Pitts
| bWrGh.
Captain Boyton, the celebrated swim.
mer, SWAN from Oil City, Pa, to Pitts.
burgh, starting on Thursday morning
and reaching his destination the follow.
| ing Sunday. He had expected to make
the trip of 1872 miles with only one stop,
but the weather was 30 severe that he
had to stop several times. He was
in the water altogether about forty.
one hours, and the trip from Freepor!
to Pittsburgh-the last OF his journey
lis described by the New York Herald
in Pittsburgh dispatch as follows:
At ten minutes past five Boyton took
his paddle, and, with wave of his
hand, plunged into the water, which
was seething with the ice. He was fol.
lowed by cheers that went ringing down
the river and were echoed back by the
ravines. The lonely swimmer made
rapid time, although surrounded by ice,
and reached Tarentum, about six miles
distant, at twenty-five minutes past
seven o'clock. Here it was found that
the water had CONCEALED over him in the
chill early morning and he was frozen
almost solid. The sun rose soon after
ward, and though its glare was unpleas-
ant to the navigator's eyes, it thawed
the ice considerably and gave Boyton a
chance for life. Pucketty was passed at
twenty minutes past nine, and the
Buckwheats ran along the waters
edge and roared out their welcomes in
tones that carried conviction of their
earnestnsss. The people are now be-
ginning to appreciate the sufferings
that their water hero" is undergoing,
in 2" it is now, "God bless you, cap'in;
I'd like to die for you" No pen can
describe the intensity of feeling as it ex-
lists here; and old residents affirm that
Pennsylvania has not been 80 much ex-
cited since the war.
At Hutton Boyton was sighted at half
past eleven, making two miles in over two
hours. When the swimmer came oppo-
site the village a perfect fleet of small
boats came out to meet him, as he was
observed to be painfully struggling to
make landing. When he reached the
shore reporter of the Oil City Derrick
discovered that the captains forehead
was frozen white, and thereupon rubbed
it with ice until circulation was restored.
Boyton then said he was almost famish-
ed. A short distance below Pucketty he
struck into a dead water, known as Lo-
gan's Eddy, where the river was frozen
from shore to shore. In order to con-
tinue his voyage he was compelled to
break through about two miles OF young
ice with his paddles; while terrific
mountain wind drove the spray into his
eyes in binding showers, where it froze
fast. Added to this it began to snow,
and the agony endured by the brave
voyageur is only known to himself
just before he padded from shore again
dispatch was handed to him in the
river signed by Nine. Anderson, who
invited the half-dead man to 60 at once
to the place she is walking in upon his
landing. Boyton's answer to this cool
request was more forcible than elegant.
At twenty minutes past twelve Montrose
was reached, and an ovation was given
in honor of the floating man as he pass
ed by rapidly in order to reach Pitts.
burgh early in the afternoon. But the
| village was soon left behind, and the
ceaseless paddles carried Paul Boytor
on through the ice to Sharpsburg, which
was reached at two o'clock. The Amer
ican flag was here placed in the bras
socket on his foot, and then began re
ception that lasted for four and bal
miles to Pittsburgh. The firing of can
mons and ringing of whistles made tn,
air hideous with sound, and soon tn
voyager came in sight of Pittsburgh
There are three bridges over the ALE
gheny at Pittsburgh, and these wer
packed to suffocation, while the roar O
murmurs coming from the vast Assem-
blage on either shore sounded like al
ocean in the distance. Hundreds O
small boats surrounded the captain, an,
for time nothing could be seen but tn
swaying silken flag.
Finally, the steamtug Caldwell swung
out beside the captain to take him o
board. 1t was seen that to land anon
the multitude would likely cause ca
tastrophe and loss OF life. Boyton re
fused to get on board until he ha
reached Duquesne point, where th
Allegheny river ends. Here he got o
board at twenty minutes to four an
was taken to the ferry landing at Sout
Pittsburgh under full head of steam
A carriage was in waiting, surrounded b
the police, and Boyton was ferried acroi
in the Manchester ferryboat to th
Allegheny side, from which he crosse
the bridge to the Robinson house in
close carriage. The police were com
PEELED to handle the crowds very rough
ly in order to clear a passage from th
carriage to the hotel door for the feebl
and exhausted man, who walked u
the stairs to bis room glittering wit
ice. In few minutes Boyton WI
stripped and laid upon the bed, whel
he reclined at full length, but little Ii
left in him. His fingers were found
be frozen and his face was badly fros
bitten. Besides this, his feet and wris
| were very painful