The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-13
THROUGH THE WHIRLPOOL
N ADVENTUROUS COOPER
hAKES A VOYAGE
Through the Niagara Rapids ia a
Cask Of His Own Construction
A PerilOus "trip.

BUFFALO, N. Y, July 12.-Vety few
of the thousands OF persons who vis-
tied Niagara Falls yelierday, had any
idea that another adventurous man
would at empt to swim the whirlpool
rapids in which Capt. Webb lost his
life. For some slime pfst G. ID. Ora
ham has been making preparation for
the tempt, but few persons really be-
lieved that his courage would hold
out long enough for HIM 10 make it.
Such, however, WAS the case, and at
about o'clock yesterday afternoon
Graham started on his perilous voy-
age, which he successfully accom-
plished. G!aham had told reporter
all about his plane, and stated that he
would carry them out at the time be
did, but requested That the time be
not given in publishing the article for
fear that the authorities would pre-.
vent him in bis purpose. Accordingly
very few were among the spectators.
Graham kept the cask in which he in
tended
TO MAKE HIS TRIP
in saloon 10 this city. About IL
o'clock Saturday night he loaded it in
a wagon, and, acc ompanied by several
iriende, started for the falls. They az
rived there about 4 o'clock in the
morning and unloaded the cssk at a
point on the American side OF the
river below the falls and at about 800
rods above the caniilever bridge. A
policeman arrested him on suspicion
of being Tonawanda horse thief, but
his Buffalo fri nds secured his relea @
on bail. When everything was ready
Graham got into the barrel and closed
the main hole at the top. At this
point of the river the current is very
slight A small boat towed the cask
out into the river to point where the
cuuent would catch it, and where
Graham was started On what might
have TUNED out 10 be his trip to
eternity. The lowering process took
only a few minutes, and then the
stream caught the cIsk and started it
toward the whirlpool. At first it
moved slowly down, then faster and
faster until the mad current dashed it
on with it's iull iorcs, and the cask
bounded up and down over the great
waves and several times turned
A COMPLETE soMERsAULT,
but the wider portion remained up.
permost, although it turned 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 was picked up at Lewiston, about
five miles below the starting point
and Graham crawled out OF the bar
rel, with only a slight bruise on his
arm. He remarked, when / strnck
the eddies it was one continued round
of jerks, but | am not hurt Bit"
Graham is a native Of Philadelphia,
thirty-three years old and cooper by
trade. He Is a poor man, and did
this thing for glory.
THE CAsK
is 7 feet long, 33 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 250 pounds, The ballast which
was attached to the cask to keep it in
position weighs 240 pounds. Graham
will probably repeat the trip He
says he will yet 90 over Horse Shoe
Eo11a