The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-09-21
Maid Of the Mist.

The following is an account of tbe
voyage down the rapids last weeek
Inc largest crowd that has ever assem-
bied at Niagara falls was present to
witness the much talked of experiment
OF sending fac smile of the lannon's
Maid of the Mist on trim through
the same angry waters and turbulent
currents of the rapids which the ori-
glnal made in safety twenty years
ago.
The interest felt in this test was
shown by the fact that over 10000
persons were cougregated along the
banks OF the river, every available
point OF sight being thronged by eager
spectators. The new "Maid" is fifty
two feet long, sixteen feet beam, eieht
feet hold and only draws foot of
water She has tall SIN mokestack, two
masts, fore and aft, rugged with flags !;
green oolored rail enoircled the deck.
on the forepart of which was the
wheelhouse, in which stood figure
with the face of King William of Ger
many, wearing black silk skull cap
tied on with a band of scarlet, check
shirt, dark pants, held by long strap
OF leather around the waist, and high
boots. This figure was lashed to the
wheel. The "Maid" was well built,
but not of very extraordinary strength.
The original idea of simply having her
name, "The Maid of the Mist" painted
on her paddle boxes was departed from,
and the advertisement of gargling
oil was painted in large sized letters.
This caused great deal of dissatisfac-
tion among the eight partners in the
undertaking, one of whom, o. G. Hert.
zog, is a Campbellite minister and
friend of Garfield. He was the origina-
tor of the scheme.
AT 3:40 the craft was towed out
from her moorings above the old "Maid
OF the Mist landing by men in a cou-
pie OF boats, and FIVE minutes were set
adrift. She foated rapidly down the
current. Veering over to the shore
and turning across the stream, she
drifted very close to rock just above
the old suspension bridge, but escap-
ing it by foot only, was hurried
under the bridge and swept into the
first rapids. She was stern foremost
and rose high on the top of the first
big mountain of water. She kept an
even keel to the next big wave, when
she was whirled around and shot for
ward at tremendous pace She con-
tinued with her bow in front for
short distance, when she slowly turned
as she was being carried with great
swittness along the rushing torrent.
When half way through the rapids she
was going stem first, keeping this po-
sition all the way into what is known
as the whirlpool. Here she was car
ried over towards the Canadian shore,
making five complete turns in the ed
dies of the big pool. When about five
rods from the shore she came to dead
stop, as though anchored. After re-
naming in this position for about
minute, she was slowly carried, bow
forward, to the Canada shore, where
several persons go. aboard. These
soon landed and pushed her off again
She sluggishly drifted to the outlet
of the whirlpool, going towards Lewis
ton and passing into the cnrrent close
to the Canadian side, swept gracefully
and steadily down, breasting the lower
rapids without any trouble. She con-
tinued on her course, undisturbed, ar
irving at Lewiston where she was Sc
cured and found to be in almost the
same condition as when she was started.
The time she made from the start to
the first rapid was eight minutes,
thence to the neck of the whirlpool
two and half minutes, it was seven.
teen minutes after the start when she
struck the Canada shore. Passing
Butterie's elevator she went at the rate
of twenty miles an hour. The aver
age time was fifteen miles an hour.
Before she started large cigar sign
of Punch, lashed to large, fiat pack
ing box, was sent through the rapids,
and beyond being turned over several
times it got through all right. A dunn
my was thrown from the railroad
bridge into the river and being mis-
taken for man caused much excite
ment. 1t disappeared in the rapids. A
patent medicine raft was also sent
through, but was badly demoralized in
the transit. Thelario Balsatt, the
young French swimmer, has written
private letter to correspondent assur-
ing him that he will make the attempt
to swim the rapids.