The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-26
THE WHIRLPOOL RAPIDS.
The PeriIous Feat Which Captain Matthew
Webb Proposes to Accomplish.
New York Herald.

Webb Proposes to Accomplish.
New York Herald.
Captain Matthew Webb, who swan the
English Channel in 1875, and now proposes
to swim through the terrible whirlpool
rapids below Niagara Falls was met on
broadway by Herald reporter yesterday
Yes" he said, ~ am going to swim the
whirlpool rapids and will say 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 whirl-
pool is grand one, but | think | am
strong enough and skillful enough
to get through alive. The people
of Niagara Falls tell me that l will be
simply committing suicide. You ought to
hear the blood-curding stories that were re-
tailed for my benefit A year or two ago a
boy who was padding around in the shore
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 except pair of stockings. In TWEEN
ty-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
rapds?"
'TH explain my plan. The current, they
say, is thirty-ive miles an hour and the
river is ninety-five feet deep. 1t is wide lust
below the falls, and narrows at the rapids
l am only afraid of two awful Lodges of point
ed rocks which jut out from the shores into
the whirlpool. The water fairly shrieks and
Misses as it boils over them. Now, ] want to
avoid the Sides and yet l dare not go into
the middle, for there lies the vortex, and
hat At
middle of the river in a small boat Just above
the suspension bridge The only clothing l
shall wear will be the silk trunks | had
on when | swan the English chan
mel. At the time appointed | will
leap into the river and float into the
rapids. OF course j will make no attempt to
go forward, for the fearful speed of the water
will carry me through. When the water
gets very bad l will go under the surface and
remain beneath until l am compelled to
come up for breath. That will be pretty
often, I'll wager. When l strike the whiri-
pool will strike out with all my strength
and try to keep away from the suck-hole in
the center. | will begin with the breast
strokes and then use the overland strokes.
My life will then depend upon my muscles
and my breath, with a little touch of science
behind them. 1t may take me two or
three hours to get out OF the whirl-
pool. which is about three-quarters of a
mile long. When L do get through | will
try to land on the Canadian SIDE but if
the current is too swift, as think it is, will
keep on down to Lewiston on the American
side"
The feat will probably be performed on
the 21st of July. The various railway COM
panies which run to Niagara falls have sub
scribed $40 900 for Captain Webb, and it is
expected that a hundred thousand persons
will witness the undertaking. Preparations
are being made to have special excursions
from every town and city within reach of the
railways.
Captain Webb was born in Shropshire,
England, and is the son of physician. He
took to the sea early, and became captain
of a merchantmen. Many years ago he
jumped from the deck of the Cunard mail
steamer Russia during a storm to save a sea-
man who fell overheard. For this act he re-
ceived from the hands of the Duke of Edin-
burg the first gold medal ever given by the
Royal Humane Society. So daring was he as
a ship captain that he could never get crew
10 go to sea with him the second time After
MS thrilling swim across the Channel the
TweHtyfourth regiment which was after
ward almost annihiiated in Zululand. gave
him a Burmese cup taken in battle. He has
a trunk full of decorations and trophies