National Republican., 1883-08-28
WEBB'S LAST SWIM.
A Claim that He Passed Both the Rapids and
the Whirlpool Alive,
And that He was Killed by an Accident
After Leaving tho Whirlpool.

Mr. Kyle, capt. webb said to mo as he was
mounting the stand at the beach This is the
last dive that l shall ever make. 1t is dan
gerous work.
"Then he appreciated tho fact that there
was danger in his exhibitionsg
No one else could have been so fully con-
scious oil il, but it was because he knew the
danger that he took measures to avert it. He
estimated carefully the angle at which he
would strike tho water, and he was fully
aware OF how to best enter the water so as to
receive the least possible shock"
You accompanied him to Niagara, did you
not2"
ayes. He was anxious TO have me go with
him, and at his request l accompanied him."
did he express any opinion of the place
previous to his attempt"
"Yes. AS we stood overlooking the roar
ing rapids and the fierce and threatening
looking whirlpool, he seemed lost in deep
thought His quick eye took in every detail.
He scanned the rocks, mentally traced the
geological formation Of the place, descended
and tested the water with his hydrometer, and
then turning to me with CHEEKY smile said
This is the best advertised humbug in the
world. My good wife has swan in worse
places than this. Shakespeare says "What
fools these mortals be-" but he should have
said what towards these mortals be-"
"Did you ask him what his idea was as to
the prevalence of rocks in the whirlnool2"
"Oh, yes. He then drew for me diagram
and entered into scientific discourse upon
the present formation and the past and future
of this river and its surroundings. l regret
that cannot give you that discourse, but 1t
was a clear and convincing argument to him
that there were no rocks where he intended to
SWIM He discussed also the force and the
quantity of the water, the pressure and influ-
ence it would have upon the body, and the
velocity of the current"
"What is the velocity of the current at that
point?"
1T is estimated at from thirty i've to thirty
nine miles an hour, but Capt Webb was GER
tain, and so stated, that it did not exceed
fifteen miles an hour. also asked him how
he was going to get his breath, and he then
explained to me the course he was going to
pursue, which was stated as follows Il
will swim upon my breast until reach the
first breaker below the suspension bridge; /
will then dive, turn upon my side, progress
with my overland stroke and keep my eyes
wide open for the smooth places, where shall
rise for fresh air and then go under the next
breaker, and so on. You see in between the
brakers there are what call blowing places,
patches OF smooth water."'
Glow was he certain that he could see where
these smooth places were from below?"
He explained that by saying that there
are certain kinds of waters which intensity
the vision and magnify objects. Tho water
there was of that nature. 1t would make
the smooth, or blowing places, look q good
deal larger than they really were, but he
would not be deceived by that"
But how did he propose to pass the neck
the whirlpool" ?"
"Alluding to that, he said, at the neck of
the whirlpool you will notice about sixty
'ards Of bad water. 1t is dirty bit of water,
and there 1 shall have to use some strength
end save my breath. Once / pass that all
dauper is Oyer' ~
"But the whirlpool was yet to be passed,
was it notY'
"Yes; and called his attention to that
fact His answer was: The whirlpool is
fraud, and noisy one, at that. If tho people
about here will make it worth my while, l
will give exhibitions in it daily"
What was his opinion about the eddies?"
=" He thought they would bother him some,
but he did not consider them dangerous"
Have you seen the statement of several
physicians that the waters there would not
support human life, and that any living thing
would he speedily choked by the air bubbles?"
spoke of that also to the captain, and he
was almost annoyed at the stupidity of the
statement, so far as it related to him. He
said, What nonsense. l am not going TO
swim in those bubbles but at least ten feet
under them. If this water was salt water
would not do this thing as would be con-
tinually brought up to the surface, but in this
water l can remain just where | want to, at
least ten feet down. There is very little
saline matter in this water To illustrate
how little of danger Capt Webb thought was
lurking in the whirlpool, he wanted TO go in
it at once and take bath, and would have
done so had we not boon compelled to hurry
to catch train"
"Was there much interest taken in the
event?"
'At first Capt. Webb was a little chagrined
to think that there were so few people pres
Ant. md that Onlv the nrnvinpial
represented, but two representatives of tho
Herald finally arrived, and the crowd in
creased rapidly, and Capt. Webb felt that his
great feat would not be attempted in vain. At
O'Clock he said: by the way they are talk
ing they must think this great undertaking.
He talked business up to the last minute
Being asked If he would have dinner before
he started he said: No, ] will need all nv
wind. We will dine when come back He
never said good by to me or any one else.
After finding that his wife could be easily
reached by telegraph, he left the Clifton
house and proceeded to the little ferry at
the foot of the cliff. He was rowed down
the river to short distance below the Clifton
house, and here he dove Off and swan
with the breast stroke under the suspen-
sion bridge, which is TWO miles from the
great falls. He then swan in close to the
Canadian shore, dove under the first rapid,
swan on one side with the overland stroke
under water, and followed his programme as
stated in a preceding paragraph. When he
reached the Whirlpool MS the press represent
atives on the bridge saw, he struck out still
with his famous overland stroke, with the
fingers bent, forming cup, and with the
head at every stroke going alternately in ad-
vance of the arm and hand. He sought to
reach the outer circle of the whirlpool on the
American side. This point he soon reached,
and it was evident that he was exerting his
strength. He cleared the whirlpool, and, in
stead of attempting to circle il to the Cana
dian shore, struck out for the comparatively
placid waters of the Niagara river"
ut has been claimed that Capt. Webb
never left the whirlpool alive. It is admit
ted that he performed the marvellous feat of
clearing the rapids, but that he met his death
in the maelstrom. In contradiction of this
we have the testimony of seven persons,
ladies and gentlemen, who were standing on
the Canada shore directly in line with tho
lower part of the whirlpool"
g Have YOU the names of the party ?"
Unfortunately, no. | learned only one,
that was Mr.. Dan Mitchell, of Clifton, but
another was the agent of the steamboat line
running from Lewiston and Queenstown to
Niagara. The members of this party declare
positively that Capt Webb came out of the
whirlpool using what is known as the dog
paddle stroke. They waved their handker-
chiefs to him and he wiped the water from
his face aud waved his hand toward them |
When entering the clear watcr of the Niagara
river below the whirlpool he dove, and that
was the last that was seen of him until he
81, L., 1.tn. L., Oh