The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-29
To Swim the whirlpool RAPIDS.
THE PRRILOrs PEAT WHICH CAPTAIN MAT.
THEW WEBB PROPOSES TO ACCOMPLISH.


THEW WEBB PROPOSES TO ACCOMPLISH.
lTierald.l
Captain Matthew Webb, who swan the
| English channel IN 1875, and now pro-
/ poses 10 swim through the terrible whlrl-
pool rapids below Niagara Falls. was met
on Broadway by Herald reporter yestcr-
day.
YES" he said. AZ am going TO swim
the whirlpool rapids, and | will say that it
| is about the angriest bit OF water in the
world. i came over from England two
weeks ago 10 make the trial, and went TO
the rapids last week and made n critical
examination. They are rough, | tell you,
and the whirlpool Is a grand one. but
| think | am strong enough and skilled
enough TO get through alive. The people
at Niagara Falls tell me that | will be
simply committing suicide. You ought TO
hear the blood-curdllng stories that were
retailed for my benefit. A year or two ago
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 il was
bercit OF all clothing but pair Of stock
ings. In twenty-three years they say that
eighty persons have lost their lives in the
rapids"
HIS OBJECT AND HIS PLAN.
"But what is your object IN attempting
such a terrible featg"
Ten thousand dollars"
How do YOU propose to pass through
the rapids"
''Pll explain my plan. The current,
they say, is thrty-nine miles an hour and
the river is 9j feet deep. II is wide just
below the falls and narrows at the rapids. ]
am only afraid OF two awful lodges Of
pointed rocks which iut out from the
shores into the whirlpool. The water fairly
shrieks and Kisses rs it boils over them.
Now, want TO avoid the sides, and yet !
dare not 90 into the middle. for there
lies the vortex, and that means
death. | will 20 out into the middle
Of the river i'm a small boat Just about
the suspension bridge. The only clothing
| shall wear will be the silk trunks had
on when | swan the English channel. At
the time appointed | will leap into the
river and float into the rapids. OF course
| will make no attempt TO 20 forward, for
the fearful speed Of the water will carry me
through. When the water gers very bad
will 20 under the surface. and remain be-
meath until | am compelled to come up
for breath. That will be pretty often,
III wager. When / strike the whirl
pool will strike out with all my strength,
and try to keep away from the suck
hole i'm the centre. ] VIII begin with the
breast-strOkes and then Use overland
strokes. My life will then depend upon
my muscles and my breath. with a little
touch OF science behind them. II may
take me two or three hours 10 get ont Of the
whirlpool. which is about quarter Of
mile long. When | do get through will
try to land on the Canadian side. but II the
current is too swift, A. | think il j.. will
keep on down to Lewiston on the Ameri-
can side
PUBLIC INTEREST II THE PROPOSED FEAT.
The feat Will probably De performed on
the 2l,t OF July. The various railway
companies which run TO Niagara Fall, have
subscribed $4,000 for Captain Webb. and
IL Is expected that a hundred thousand
persons will witness the undertaking.
Preparations are being made to have spe-
cial excursions from every town and city
within reach OF the railways.
Captain webb was bern in Shropshire,
England. and Is the son OF a physician.
He took to the sea early and became the
captain OF a merchantmen. Many years
ago he jumped from the deck Of the Gun
ard mail steamer Russia during a storm to
save a sailor who fell overheard. For this
act he received fromthe hands OF the Duke
u Edinburg the first gold medal ever
given by the Royal Humane Society. 30
daring was he as 4 ship captain that he
could never get crew TO 20 to sea with him
the second time. After his thrilling swim
across the channel. the Twenty-fourth regi-
ment, which was afterward almost ami
hlated in Zuuland, gave him Burmese
cup taken in battle. He has trunk full OF
decorations and trophies.