The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-21
A DAREDEVIL FEAT.
Captain Webb Proposes to Swim the Niagara
Rapids.

New York, June 20-Captain Webb,
who proposes to swim the Niagara rapids,
was interviewed to-day in regrrd to the
feat.
Yes, he said.~ am going to swim
the whirlpool rapids, and will say that
it is about the angriest bit of water in
the world, | came over from England
two weeks ago to make the trial and
went to the rapids last week and made
critical examination. They are rough, |
tell you, and the whirlpool is a grand
one. but think I am strong enough and
skilled enough TO get through alive The
people at Niagara Falls tell me that
will simply be committing suidcide
You ought TO hear the blood-curdling
stories that were related for my benefit
A year or two ago boy who was pad
ding around in the shoal water was
drawn into the rapids and had his. head
cut off. A girl fell into the river last
summer from the suspension bridge, and
| when her dead body was picked up at
the other end of the rapids it was bereft
of all clothing but pair of stockings.
In twenty-three years they say that
eighty persons have lost their lives in
| the rapids"
But what is your object in attempting
such terrible feat?'
Ten thousand dollars.
How do you propose to pass through
the rapids?"
IN explain my plan. The current,
they say, is thirty-nine miles an hour,
and the river is ninety-five feet deep.
1t is wide just below the falls and mar
rows at the rapids. am only afraid of
two awful lodges of pointed rocks which
just QUIT from the shores into whirlpool
The water fairly shrieks and whistles as
it boils over them. Now, l want to
avoid the sides, and yet dare not 90
into the middle, for there lies the vortex,
and that means death. | will go into the
middle of the river IN a small boat lust
above the Suspension Bridge The only
clothing / shall wear will be the silk
| trunks had on whenI swan the English
Channel. AT the time appointed will
leap into the river and float into the rap
sds, OF course / will make no attempt
10 90 forward, for the fearful speed of
| the water will carry me through When
the water gets very bad | will go under
the surface, and remain beneath until ]
am compelled to come up for breath
| That will be pretty often, I'll wager
When | strike the whirlpool, will strike
out with all my strength. and try TO keeu
away from the suck-holes in the center
] will begin with the breast strokes and
then use overland strokes. Ny life will
then depend upon my muscles and nv
breath, with little touch of science be
hind them. 1t may take two of three
hours to get out of the whirlpool, which
is about quarter of mile long. When
do get through | will try to land on
the Canada side but if the current is toe
swift. as | think it is, l will keep or
down to Lewiston on the American
side"
The feat will probably be performed Oh
the 21st of July. The various railway
companies which run to Niagara Falls
have subscribed $4,000 for Capt
Webb, and it is excepted that hundred
thousand persons will witness the
undertaking. Preparations are being
made to have special excursions from
every town and city within reach of thu
railway.
Capt. Webb was born in Shropshire
England, and is the son of a physician
He took to the sea early, and became tn
captain of merchantmen Mann year
ago he jumped from the deck of TIN
Cunard steamer, Russia during
storm to save sailor who fell oyerboart
For this act he received from the hands
of the Duke of Edinburgh the first golt
medal ever giver by the Royal Human,
; Society So daring was he as ship cap
; tain that he never got crew to go to SCI
with him the second time. After hi
thrilling swim across the channel, tn
Gath regiment, which was afterwards al
} most annihilated in Zululand, gave hin
Burmese cup taken in battle. H
has trunk full of decorations ant
trophies.