The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-08-19
THRoUGHTHE WHIRLPOOL.
Two Daring Buffalo CoOpers Make the rerilOus
Trim.

A few days ago George Hazlett and William
Potts, the adventurous Buffalo coopers, made a
pcrlous trip through the Whirlpool Rapids at
Niagara Falls in their torpedo-shaped barrel
The craft is built of oak slaves an inch and a
half thick. lt is 10 feet long, with a round
rrow covered with sheet iron. A keel runs the
whole length The stern is fat aud about two
feet in diameter. A l2-inch propeller wheel
worked by hand inside the barrel aud small
iron rudder, worked with wires, project from
the stern. The greatest diameter of the
craft Is three feet and the length inside
available for the occupants is six feet the front
being headed of. SO that If stove in by the rocks
the occupants would be safe. The turret COW
cred an opening Just large enough for one man
10 get into the craft at one time. In il were
two thick glass bulls-eyes, and an-inch- and-a-
quarter iron pipe, through which air was taken.
The whole cOntrivance was bound with p inch
iron bands, and the wheel was protected by
iron rods. Preparations for the trip were COM
peted by carefully ballasting the boat with
200 pounds Of sand, and putting large piece of
ice in il 10 keep the air cool.
At s:30 Potts and Hazlett stripped and, put
ding on canvas coats and belts, jumped into
the craft and fastened themselves 10 the bottom
So securely that they could not be thrown
Eruuud inside by the action of the waves The
crs,tt was towed out into the river by Hamilton
Hazlett and two other men. They stayed with
THE craft as long as they safely could, and cast
OF near the Cantilcver Bridge. The Captain of
Tie Maid OF the Mist had arranged TO tow the
adventures down, but at the last moment de-
cined TO do so, because he felt sure they were
going 10 their death. Potts laughed about il,
and said that he was not ready TO die yet.
At ass the torpedo was carried down the
surge OF tho first breaker and hurled stem fore
most over the swell on toward the next big
wave. The surgng currents, coming together
in the center of the gorge in a vortex, turned
the craft over. When she righted for a moment
before being caught in the next breaker, il was
seen that the American flag which had been
fastened TO the stern had not been torn away.
The craft dashed on in the surf, being twirled
around, pitched first forward then downward,
aud finally the last wave tossed il into the whirl
pool. Ii had been in the rapids a few seconds
less than four minutes. The craft was carried
SO near the shore in the outer swirl Of the
maelstrom that Potts put out his head and
hand. They had escaped the worst Of the
whirlpool, and said afterward that they could
have gone ashore. In two minutes they were
close TO the second series of rapids and Just got
the opening closed as they were caught by the
waves and tossed along. Several rocks were
grazed, aud the craft got worse shaking up
than before. Some water poured through the
air pipe as they were sucked under a swell near
Devils Hole, aud the passage was longer and
harder. lasting 10 minutes.
AT $40 comparatively smooth water was
reached, and a hotilla of rowboats met the yoy-
ayers. Potts and Hazlett threw open the man.
hole, climbed ont on the craft, and sat there
while the boats towed them 10 the landing at
Queenstown, which was reached at $50, just an
hour after they had embarked. While the men
were dressing, they said they had experienced
a terrible shaking mp, but were unhurt. The
craft was not damaged, and the flag was still
hying.