Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-02
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WIRY WEBB.
ms Fatal Attempt to Pass the Rapids as Des-
cribed By an Eye Witness.


Through the courtesy of Prof. Beck
nov in this city conducting the teach
er's institute, The HERALD is placed
in possession of the following letter
from Mr.. W c. Beck of Niagara Falls,
n. T., containing graphic description
OF the recent attempt of Capt. Webb TO
pass the rapids below the falls. As
will be seen Mr.. Beck was an eye-wit-
ness of the i'll fated attempt and uses
his pen fully as we'll as he did his eyes.
After reference to private matters the
letter continues as follows:
The great excitement here just now,
is that caused by Capt. Webb's at
tempt to swim the whirlpool rapids
last Tuesday. You have been down to
the edge of the water there and know
something of what a fearful place it is
Tor anyone to attempt to go through.
Although every little while we would
see in papers published in other places
that Capt. Webb was to swim the rap
ids and some even saying that he was
going over the Falls in rubber ball
the people here did not pay much at
tentlon to these rumors. On Tuesday
morning the Buffalo Courier published
| an interview with Webb in which he
stated that he would swim the rapids
on that day. Even then we did not
place much coniidencein the statement
but about one O'Clock we received a
telephone message that Webb had ar
rived at the Falls and was at the
Clifton House and would start from
there for the river at 4 O'Clock. The
fact of his presence was soon verified
and then some little stir began among
the people and soon crowds began TO
gather on the bridge and along the
bank. Mr.. Nichols and Pomroy of the
Suspension Bridge Journal drove up to
the Clifton House and saw and talked
with Webb. He was asked why he had
not advertised that the attempt was to
be made at this time so that excursions
might have been arranged and quite a
nice sum realized for the risk he was to
run. He said that he had early in the
season tried to make arrangements
with the railroads and hotels so that
he should be guaranteed specified
sum, but having failed in accomplish
ing anything in that direction he made
up his mind that he would make the
attempt without adve rising so that the
railroads should not make a profit out
of it. If he succeeded in passing
through all right he might then per-
haps repeat the performance and realize
something handsome from it, As it
was, he made the attempt and lost his
lite without the prospect of gaining u
dollar. send paper with an account
of the performance. | was with Mr.
Pomroy ut the DeveauX College whirl-
pool grounds when Webb came down,
and saw him for a moment just before
he went under the water for the last
time, since which time no one has seen
him. Where we stood was about one
third the way down the bank, perhaps
one hundred and fifty feet above the
water, and as soon rs | saw the man
| started down the bank Us fast as /
could run, hoping to see him make a
landing. Those who were waiting be-
low had seen nothing of him, and
remained there upwards of half an
hour while parties were searching along
the shores for Webb or khis body, but
without success. From the time Webb
entered the water above the railway
bridge to where he was last seen was
thirteen minutes and from the bridge
to the same point, little more than
three minutes. This will probably end
for some time all serious thoughts of
any one trying to perform the feat
which proied fatal in this case.