Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-12
OVER THE RAPIDS.
c. D. Graham, a Philadelphia Cooper,
Swlms the Whirlpool Rapids
In the Niagara River.
lie shuts Himself Up In Barrel,
Which is rowed to MId.Sream
and There Set Free.
y Five Miles Ride Made W III Only Few
scra'chen-The Great swimmer
webb 0utdone.
rnr KING or roots.

BrFfAro, N, Y, July ll--Yery few OF
the thousands Of persons who visited
Niagara Falls TO day had any idea that
another adventurous man would attempt
to swim the whirlpool rapids In which
Capt, Webb lost his life. Fur some
time past G, ID. Graham has been
making preparations for the al.
tempt, but few persons really believed
that his courage would hold out long
enough for him To make IL. Such, how.
ever, was not the case. About O'Clock
this afternoon Graham started on his per.
ilous voyage which he successfully nc.
oomplished. Graham had told reporter
all about his plans and stated that he
would carry them out at the time he did,
but requested that the time not be given
IN publishing the article for fear tho au.
thorlnes would prevent him In his pur-
pose. Accordingly very few were among
the spectators. Graham kept the cask In
which he intended 10 make his trip In
saloon In this city. About O'Clock last
night he loaded II In wagon,
and accompanied by several friends
STARTED FOR THE FALLS.
They arrived there about O'Clock this
morning, unloaded the cask at point on
/ WV fhhiNAiAAH NAAlf VA NUt IlNtI DtlUH IUe
falls, about 800 rods above the bridge A
policeman arrested him on suspicion OF
| being Tonawanda hOrso-thiei, but his
Buffalo friends secured his release on
bail When everything was ready Ora.
ham got inso the barrel aud closed the
main hole AZ the top. AZ this point OF
the river the current Is very slight, aud
small boat towed the cask out into the
river 10 a point where the current would
catch H. when Graham started IN
what might have turned out 10
be his trip to eternity. The tow.
ing process took only few
minutes aud then the stream caught the
cask and started IL towards the whlrl-
| pool. AT first IL moved slowly down,
then faster and faster until the mad
current dashed II on with rs full force
The caEk bounded up and down over the
great waves aud several times turned
complete some rsaultH, but the wider nor.
ton renamed uppermost, although IL
turned around like a top The cask kent
pretty well IN tho center OF the river
untll u reaehod the Whirlpool, when n
struck the strong side OF the current aud
was carried swiftly through, reaching the
waters beyond in safety. From here
the journey WIS comparatively
quiet. Inc cask was picked up
at Lewiston, about Ave miles below the
starting point, aud Graham crawled ont
OF the barrel with only slight bruise on
the arm. He remarked: "When
struck the eddles IL was one continued
round OF jerks, but am not hurt bit -
Graham Is u native OF Philadelphia,
thirty-three years old, and cooper by
trade. He is poor man, aud did this
thing FOR glory.
The cask II seven feetlong, thirty.three
inches In diameter az the widest part,
twenty..hreo inches at the top and
eighteen inches az the bottom
IL Is bound around with iron
hoops which weigh 250 pounds.
The Daliist which was attached to the
cask to keep 1t in position weighs $40
pounds Graham will probably repeat
his trip. He says he will yet go over the
Horseshoe falls.