Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-18
CRANKs ar NIAGARA.
Two Men wso want TO Go over the
Great Fails.

A Buffalo IN. " special SAYS: Robert
William Flack and his attempt to navigate
the Rapds OF Niagara River have stirred up
The crauks, and several are reported a. per-
forming some daily exploit at the Fails.
Each seems determined TO OutStrip the other.
CAPTAIN webb, who was the first TO attempt
10 win the Rapids, has bad several followers
and more wOuld.be followers. Should the
Legislature pass law forbidding the navi-
CATION Of the Rapids the banks would be
lined with cranks telling what they would do
il they were not in fear OF arrest.
Captain Rhodes, the jumper, was very
anxious TO jump from the bridge, but The
authorities would not allOw IL, and lac re-
NAMED for a week trying, as he claimed, TO
avoid the police. Ore evening he was met
by party Of reporters, who were waiting
10 see the Jump aud told that unless be
Jumped within twen'y.four hours he would
ice thrown into the river before daylight The
next morning. Rhodes disappeared and
has not visited Niagara since.
IL was expected thai some one would want
10 follow Flack. and Buffalo responds with
its usual promptness. Arthur stanley writes
10 Superintendent Welch, Of The Niagara
Reservation, regretting the fate Of Fiack be-
cause he fears It VIII interfere with his own
plans. lie has written to superintendent
WEIGH asking permission to make his trip
over the Falls. starting from The Reservation
Grounds. lie outlines his plans as follows :;
81 have been experimenting with my i'm
proved parachute. the one ! used last April
when ! lespcd from Clifton Suspension
Bridge in Epgland and other high places,
and an anxious TO get your permission to
exhibit At the Falls some time during me
present month. | also have a Brussi suit
l. IL VI soI I inIspH 10 N
connection with The parachute. NV plan Is
To- start from the Third Sister island or other
advantageous point and float down the
stream. NV only danger would be in
striking sunken rocks, but II you Will
hermit me TO run q cable and boom j can
get start ont in better water and
thus avoid the danger OF cutting my
suit. would raise my parachute before
reached the brink Of The Falls, and then |
would gently descend. On striking the Wa
ter / would lct 60 of the parachute, and my
suit would buoy me up till | was picked up.
or ! might continue on down through the
whirlpool to Queenstown. My suit is
heayil, padded. and would withstand any
amount OF tossing about. | think my plan
is novel; ana would draw crowds. There Is
no great Danger I'm used 10 jumping from
places much higher than the Falls, ana /
have tested my SUIT ul am satsheu lntIc
Is nothing 10 fear there. Do you think |
would get permission 10 exhibit three times
a week during the summer"
Stanley asked The superintendent TO call on
him at the Office Of the Buffalo Express. but
instead Mr.. Welch wrote bun letter DE-
rected 10 that Office, saying that II he at
tempted to start from within the Reservation
Grounds he would he arrested. The Err
....r.a I-,ou-a uctbt no ohouf stanley
During the paste DAYS Reuben Adams,
OF Oshuna. Ontario, has been at Niagara Falls
and also proposes to 90 over The Falls at an
early day. At Grahatn's Cabinet he detailed
bi. plan. He Willis a strongly-built sc0w,
in which viii be q heavy spring gun. Just
as he reaches the brink Of the FAILS ne viii
touch the spring which fires the gun, and
lhe recoil, be expects, will be such as to
carry the boat beyond falling water. Al
the same time parachute will open, giving
hima an easy drop in the river below.