New-York tribune., 1886-08-09
THROUGH NIAGARA RAPIDS.
THRILLING VOYAGE OF THE TWO COoPERS.
TOSSED ABOUT IN DEVILS H0LE-THE STARS AND |
STRIPES WAVING PROUDLY.
rrr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIsuSE.l

rEr TELEGRAPH TRIsUSE.1
NIAGARA FALLS, Aug. S.-FOr the third time
in tho history OF the whirlpool gorge its errors nave
been braved by men, William Potts and George haA'
lett the two venturesome cooper OF Buffalo, mauo tno
voyage late this afternoon and came out alive. Inc
water was unusually low and the rocks In tho rapos
more dangerous than they generally are 1t had peen
arranged that the steamer Maid OF the Mist shouu 10"
the torpedoshaped barrel down to the head OF tho
rapids but the captain refused have anything 10 40
with the trip which he thought would result In deah
to the coopers Potts said that he was certain TO
go through alive.
Il am not ready to die yet" he added. "and my WHO
is hero to bid mo God.spced on the trip"
azctt described his dangerous trip down the niagara
River from Black Rock last night, as follows we
started about o'clock and drifted with the current
most Ofth way. The night was dark and chilly, the
water was blue and cold and our quarters cramped we
got near Chippewa about $3.50 this morning Tho cur
rent s so strong that might havo been swept over
,ne falls II there had not been rowbost to help u.s.
"Could you have safelr gone over the cataracti'
"CertaIny not for we not prepared for It, Tho
best we could do would be to try and swim ashore our
propeller wheel did not give us power enough"
Tho landing at Chippewa was made after considerapie
trouble, and the craft taken In wagon around tho
falls 10 the Maid OF tho Mist landing just below the
Horseshoe Falls the Canada slic There 1t vas IN
spectci by curious crowd this afternoon. The craft
shaped like cigar, and has urret just large enough
let through In IL two glass bulls eyes and
iron pipe, through which air Is admitted. IL con-
sists OF double barrel. ton feet long. with an iron
covered PROV foot IN diameter headedup stern two
feet IN diameter ani bulge OF three feet Inside tho
space for the occupants six feet long by three III d.
ametcr. There is keel, and at tho stern propeller
wheel twelve inches In diameter operated by II hand
wheel inside ruddcr of sheet iron worked by wires.
The slaves OF aud half inch OAK, and are bound
with strips OF iron. Tho craft weighed l,oOo
pounds, with 300 pounds OF sand ballast
In
leaked and IIa1lctt filed up the hole with wooden
plug Soon after no and Potts crawled In through tho
manholc. Tncy had on trunks nlnnol shirts and cam
vas j1ckets Hamilton Ifazict two other oarsmen
the craft into tho river and at J1 let 80 OF IL
little distance from the Whirlpool Rapids and about
under the cantllcvcr bridge The two aiycnturers
closed tho manAole aud IN three minutes struck the
first breaker. stern
Thousands OF people who wore watching On tho bank
tho craft drawn down and then tossed on end Ihc
next took the torpedo and hurled 1t aons Then
tho currents buried 1t In mass Of foam from
which 1t emerged completely turned around. Ihls WAS
repeated ani for four tho craft tossed along
in the surl until the .ast wave thrcwr into the hrl
pool. uulooscl tho turrct looked ont aud waved
his hand.
"Georgc and are all right, he sholtcl, ana we arc
going clear through"
lie sail afrcrwarI that they within fifteen feet OF
tie shore AMI could have got there all right Ia two
minutes however they reached the DsyiFs. or lower
whirlpool rapids where the rough treatment OF tho upper
rapids was repeated with yehcmcncc Tho torpedo wa'
thrown asalus, tho rocks and tw!rei around by the
counter currents until cupants Thought they were
standlu: on their heads Sixteen minutes occupied
IN the ip through lower rapids and the v"yagers
breathcl \ ai.a OF rccf when they reached
the ca IN water \ itto distance above Queenstown
half dozen IN waiting. There at D. 20
Potts AMI Tazlci a,iguoi bu. unhurt. crawci ont OF
the craft and .at ON the top. aud were tower 20 the
Queenstown wharf. They reached there ~ o3o having
occupied hour IN getting There from the loot OF
4 falls a OF over seven miles Ihe Two men
wero wet through water having como In through
tho air pipe and the Ice used to
cool tho air In tho craft nsylns m.toa ,i,...
they escaped grasng Tho wheel AMI rnddrr were
uuiuurrd and American as which had been securely
tackled To the craft nosted prouly At Qurensio"n rug
men the Monument House, where they chahsNl
their clothing and later brought the barrel 10 suspen
Sion Bridge II H! DC placed on exhibition III bNi''o
tO.m0rr.
! IIazleit said tonight THE trip moro hazardous
| than most people imagine. and whlc kur" II WAS
practc,blc. the chances largely IN favor of our
| being dashed 10 plrce, on tho rockt A,ter EctNlhs
through thc nrst rapids alive concluded 70 chance
the others, although we could nave got ashore once
whe I'm the Whirlpool Tho Devils Hoe Is a terrible
place and handled worse there than anywhere
cise. Tho boat thrown on cnl. twlrlci around
tossed ui, and down aud then pitched violently ahcai
While Potts hal his head out In the whirlpool We cold
hear peopc yelling the bank. Nobody can describe
such trip We had
| Uazlett has seven brothers who all helped In the
pre operations through the rapids fptts
has .e and baby. Mrs. Potts willing that her
husband should risk his .Ifr. There were ully lo"Vo
persons present, but the ady"nturers made no money
Of because the rairOais rNfh.rl 10 nave any
thing 10 with tho scheme Cooper Carlisle Hrah"i
proposes 10 20 through next time with his heai out o
Inc barrel lie expects to jump from the bridge about
August -.