St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-12
STEMMED THE RAPIDS.
A Philadelphia Cooper Goes Through the
Whirlpool at Niagara, Unin-
jured, in Oask.
de Asserts That When he Struck the
Eddies It Was a Continual
Round of Jerks.
Ai'er RAISING the Danger Point He
f1oats Five Miles and is Res
cued at Lewiston.
very Few of the Thousands at Mag
ara See or Know of the HUI
man-Laden Barrel.


Through the Whirlpool.
spec1al to the Globe
BUFFALO, n. Y, July livery few
OF the thousands of people who visited Nj
agara Fails to-day had any idea that
announcer adventurous man would attempt to
SWIM Inc Whirlpool rapids in which Capt.
Weoo lost his life. For some time past G.
ID. Graham had been making his prepare
tlors 1or the attempt, but few people, if
any, really believed that his courage would
hold out long enough for him to make it.
Such, however. was not the case, and
about O'Clock this afternoon Graham
started on his perilous voyage. which he
successfully accomplished. Graham had
told GLOBE reporter all about his plans.
and stated that he would carry them out
at the time he did, but requested that tn e
time benot given in publishing the article for
fear that the authorities would prevent him
III his purpose. Accordingly, few were
aware OF the fact, and the banks of the
river, which would have contained several
thousands more people than watched Capt.
Webb in his suicidal attempt, contained but
few hundred, and most of these were at
tracted there only by the
CURIOSITY AND ANXIETY
with which those who knew of Graham's
intentions We're watching different points
of the river. Graham kept the cask in
which he intended to make his trip in a
saloon in this city. About II O'clock last
night he loaded it on a wagon, and, accom-
panied by several friends, started for the
falls. They arrived there about 4 o'clock
this morning and unloaded the caSk at
point on the American side Of the
river below the falls and 800 rods above the
cantilever bridge. A policeman noticed
him after he had unloaded his barrel ar
ranging matters around his horse and
wagon. Graham looked somewhat anX-
iOusly around at every approaching person.
and, being afraid of arrest, his looks did
not add much to his good actions. The
officer took him for one of the T0nawanda
horse thieves and promptly arrested him on
suspicion. His Buffalo friends. however
managed to get him clear, with the promise
that he would appear before the
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
Monday morning at 10 o'clock. When
everything was in readiness Graham got
into the barrel and closed the manhole on
top from within. At this point of the river
the current is very slight. A small boat
pulled the tank into the river to where the
current could catch it and then Graham was
started on what might have turned out to
be his trip to eternity. 1t took hut a few
minutes, and then the stream caught the
| cask and started it on towards the rapids
and whirlpool. At first it moved slowly
along, then faster and faster until the mad
current dashed it on with its full force.
The cask bounded up and down
over the great waves and several times
turned complete somerSaultS, but more gen
orally the wider portion remained upper
most, although it twirled around like top.
The cask kept pretty well in the center of
the river until it
REACHED THE WHIRLPOOL,
when it struck strong side current and
was carried swiftly through. reaching the
waters beyond in safety. From here the
journey was comparatively. quiet. The
cask floated on towards Lewiston right side
up, and all danger was passed 1t was
picked up at Lewiston, about FIVE miles be-
low the starting point.an Graham crawled
out or the barrel uninjured. with
the exception of a slight bruiSe
on one arm, which he received
when passing through the whirlpool
He remarked: ''When | struck the eddies
it was one continual round of jerks. but |
am not hurt bit" Graham is native
of Philadelphia, 30 years of age and a
cooper by trade. He is a poor man and
compelled to work every day for his living.
About two months ago he came to Buffalo.
obtaining employment in cooper shop
here. He has travelled pretty extensively
and for long time had some scheme of this
sort on the brain. Being cooper, barrel
naturally suggested itself to him as the best
means with which to swim the rapids.
ALL HIS POSSESSIONS
were put into the barrel, which he con-
structed himself. The barrel was made of
inch and quarter oak slaves, wide at the
| top and narrow at the bottom, and shaped
like buoy. A sand ballast was so fixed
as to keep the side of the barrel which
Graham faced, uppermost. Graham hung.
made like suit of clothes. and held on to
| two iron handles fixed at the side. He
| could live for at least half an hour without
requiring any fresh air, and by the time
the air was exhausted he would be beyond
the whirlpool, and could pull out the plug
| from the little air hole about three-quar
| tiers of an inch in diameter. aud get all
the fresh air he required. He did not
make cent by the operation. He received
mo pay and bore all the expenses himself,
being glad OF the privilege of being al
lowed to make the great attempt.
| THE CASK
is Z feet long and SO inches in diameter at
the widest portion, % inches at the top, and
! IS inches at the bottom. 1t is bound around
with iron hoops, which weigh $50 pounds.
| The ballast which was attached to the cask
to keep it in position weighs $40 pounds.
Graham will probably repeat the trip. He
says he will yet go over Horshoe falls.
|