Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-11
NO. 24O.
miscellaneous.
EATING rOOD UNDER WATER.

THE WONDERFUL DIVING rEATs OF JOHN
FRY OF READING. IA.
Mention has already been made in the
Ea0.e's columns of the wonderful diving
feats of John Fry OF this city. He lives
on South Seventh street, near Pine. and
for the past three years has applied HIM
self assiduously to the task of bringing
them to greater perfection. He is about
25 wears old, clean shaven, and only or
dinarily built. He SAYS that by long prac-
tice person can do an almost improbable
feat. An Eagle reporter. among about
dozen others, yesterday saw him eat two
hard d-boiled eggs. two pretzels and drink
bottle of lemonade under the water, and
all before he came up to take breath. lie
says il all depends upon the quantity OF
wind one takes into his stomach. and the
edurancc person is capable of. fester-
day afternoon he was attired in light
pair of breeches, when he got into the
water. He let himself down gently into
the icy Schuykill. and sat on stone. with
head immersed about foot. The event
took place behind Independence Island.
One Young man was stationed in boat
near where Fry went down, aud handed
over the articles one by one.
| He was rowed into the middle of the
stream. separating the island from the
canal towpath He gently dropped into
the water. and sat at the bottom with his
feet stretched out. The eggs were handed
over one by one with their shells on.
These were removed in less time than 1t
takes to tell it, and the eggs quickly dis
appeared down the throat of the young
man. The water was perfectly clear. and
every movement OF Fry under the water
could be seen perfectly. lie next reached
up tor a cracker pre,zel, which was hand
ed to him, and suddenly gulped down.
| followed by the other. Not the vestige OF
a crumb was left floating on the water.
For the last time his hand appeared
above the water. clutchcd the pint bottle
of lemonade, which swiftly flew to his
mouth lie leaned back in the water, al
most lying down. The lemonade CUR
gled down his throat and disappeared like
magic The bottle had wide neck and
the liquid easily ran out. Fry then gave
a triumphant wave of his hand and arose
in the water His companions cheered
him. lie was under the water two min
utes and iorty-tive seconds.
The feat accomplished by Fry is con-
sdered wonderful In the extreme when
IL is cOIslueTcu tnat lnt tiIilc Hiauc W
Charles Fish, champion diver ofthe world,
is only three minutes and half. Fry's
longest time is three minutes and seven
seconds. He says he will undertake to
walk across the Schuylkill nj the widest
spot, the entire distance under the water,
without once rising to take breath. He
has also smoked under the water. This
is accomplished in the following manner:
After he is once seated he reaches Tor the
clay pipe already filed and lit in the
hands of some person near by. and put
ting his palm firmly across the bowl to
prevent the possibility of any water get
ting into it, he takes it under and puts it
into his mouth, complacently putting
away The tobacco smoke can then be
seen arising from the water. Another
feat which Fry delights to do is to shave
himself while under the water. This, it
is said, he can do very successfully. ply
ing the razor with avidity, and making a
first-class job of it. lie says he feels all
right when underneath the water, and it
hasn't harmed him bit yet.