Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-08-18
Going Over Niagara.

| washington RepuD!lcdn: LIP. Rlcn.
ardson, Canadian gentleman OF means,
scientific at'ainments and inventive
mind. resident in Washington, has in
vented machine or device by the aid
OF which he proposes to go over Niagara
Falls He is enthusiastic and expects to
accomplish the undertaking without
personal injury to himself
"Have you really decided upon max
ing the attempt" inquired the reporter
Of the doctor upor meeting him last
evening.
i have made up my mind and shall
make the trial within q month. re-
turned from Niagara Yesterday, and am
more than ever convinced that l can go
over the cataract unhurt. fyou have
ever Eeen at the falls you will remember
that about half mile above Goat is
land there is a prominent bluff on the
Canadian side. 1t is about $50 feet high
and is very nearly perpendicular. One
day last week adjusted my apparatus
and jumped Off My position in descend
ing was like this (the doctor took hold
Of his little boy midway between his
head and his heels and lftcd him from
the ground, by way Of illustration). /
descended in direct line as steadily
and at about the same speed as an or
dinary hotel elevator moves. The water
was only four feet deep at the base of
the bluff, and | had no trouble in max
ing safe landing"
Describe this wonderful machine, by
whose aid you expect to accomplish this
great feat"
81 use slken bag, Of illiptical form,
7 feet long and four feet through. This
bag will retain gas like balloon, and,
in fact ii is species Of balloon. by ex-
pertinent have ascertained how many
cubic feet Of gas it takes to allow me to
sink through the air at u moderate velo-
city and have made my balloon just
large enough to serve the purpose. On
the day ! make the attempt will initiate
the bag with gas, continc it in strong
netting, which will be gathered as u
balloon netting is gathered at the ring.
The bag will be attached to heavy
leather belt four inches wide, which
will be fastened around my waist, large
pieces Of cork resting against either
side, and held into place 10y the same
belt, The ring by which the balloon
will be fastened to me, or by which |
will be fastened to the balloon, will be
just over the base Of the spine. When
the connection is made will be ready
to make the trial Everything in readi-
ness, will be rowcd TO a point in the
river near Goat island, where i will
Jump overheard and float towards the
falls"
"You have made that clear enough.
Now tell Ne what your flying medium
will amout to when you are in the iron
embrace Of the falling wall of water that
leaps from the brink Of the precipice to
the depths below"
"When reach the edge of the rocks
over which the waters fall, / will be
moving AS rapidly AS the water, and AS
my body will be very much lighter it
will shoot right out into the air, and will
descend five or six yards beyond the
wall Of water as you describe it. When
reach the water below, ! will float
down to the spot where Capt. Webb
jumped in the other day, and strike out
for the Canadian shore"
"IIave you any notion that you will
be alive when you reach the spot where
Capt. Webb jumped in?"
"If / had much doubt on that score ]
would not make the attempt. / have
no wish to commit suicide, or take what
| consider serious risks. l do not in
tend to make public announcement Of
the dote Of my trial, but will know in
a day or two when it will be. think 1t
can be done, and will demonstrate the
practicability of my scheme before the
setting Of August's last SUM-"
That DIR. Richardson is in dead earn
eat there is little doubt, and he is bent
on trying what will appear to the great
Of people as foolhardy experiment.
His movements from now until the lst
of September will be watched with great
interest