The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-07-13
Down the Rapids to Death.
FLAoK MAKES THE TRIP, But COMES OUT
CORPSE.

fbACh NAMES Tht lhif, buT COMES ODT
CORPSE.
NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y, July A.
Robert William Flack, of 90 Apple
street, Syracuse, lost his life to-day in
an attempt to navigate the Whirlpool
This is the first fatality of the kind
since the death of Capt. Webb in the
summer of 1888. Flack was an Eng
lishman, who came to Canada sixteen
years ago and to the States four years
ago. lie was carpenter and builder,
but he had been British soldier, a
sailor and an engineer. He came to
Niagara Falls a week ago to-day in
answer to a challenge from Charles A.
Percy, of this village, who last year
made the voyage of the rapids and
Whirlpool successfully in lifeboat of
his own construction. The two were
to race through the waters named from
point just below the Falls to Lewis
ton for $500 side about Aug. /.
Percy had the advantages of having
made the trip, so Flack took the journey
to-day for practice, merely selecting
the FouI tn as time when big crowds
would be at the Falls that he might
gain more notoriety. Flack was per-
fectly confident of success. He came
down from his hotel to the foot of the
old Suspension Bridge at 2:15, his boat
having preceded him an hour before.
He was smoking pipe coolly, and
said he was all ready to start as soon
as the crowd got where it could see
him.
"Tm going to stop at the Whirlpool
few minutes" he said, ofor the bene-
fit of the reporters, and then Pm go
ing on through Fosters Flats down the
river to Lewlstown. l hope l will
have a rough voyage and turn about
twenty somersaults, SO as to prevent
any other fellow from trying it. Good
by" And with that he stepped into
his boat. Fosters Flats is danger
Gus bit of water between the Whirlpool
and the Devils Hole, through which
no barrel navigator or any other has
hal the courage to go. Flack's boat
the Phantom, is an open boat about Is
feet lorg, 4 feet inches wide and "a
inches deep. 1t was painted white
outside and blue inside. Part of il
was decked over, hut the central open
space was 81 by 81 feet in dimensions.
1t would have held dozen passengers
and weighed 700 pounds. In the bot
tom of the boat was crank for NOV
ing the propeller, with rudder ropes on
each sid,.
Flack seated himself in the stern of
the boat and was strapped in by Joe
Percy, brother of the rival navigator.
Joe did the strapping down to perfec.
ton. Flack was clad in blue flannel
suit, with socks, and a handkerchief
about his neck, given him by lady
friend. He cast off from the Maid. s.oi
the Mist landing on the American side
at Just o'clock. Big crowds had
gathered on the bluffs on both sides
at the Manning and Buttery elevators
and Deveaux College grounds on the
American side, at Brundane's and
Colts elevators on the Canadian side
while the Suspension Bridge was lined
with spectators.
The boat drifted slowly out into the
stream until the central current caught
it and then it was whirled quickly dowr
into the seething, foaming waters Of
the rapids. A big wave tipped the
craft bottom up inside of two minutes
but she righted again. Flack could
be seen hanging op for dear life An
other wave, and the boat was bnrieC
from sight in the foam. just below
Buttery's elevator and above the col
lege grounds is the third and mos
dangerous point. Here the boat wa
seen for moment and then disappear
ed beneath a mountain of water
When she was next seen she was float
ing keel upwards, and thus she driftec
into the Whirlpool.
A cry went up from the banks, anG
the query arose, Is Flack under thu
boat! The craft never righted again
The question was only finally settled
when an hour later the boat wa
brought to land on the Whirlpool
margin and there overturned. Th
foolhardy navigator was found insid
dead and stiff. Flack's sister, br thel
in-law and eldest son witnessed tn
most critical part of the journey frou
the bluff overlooking the lower rapid
and Whirlpool When it seemed evi
dent that the boat would stay in tn
Whirlpool until rescued Charles Perc
stripped off his clothes, and, waitin
until it came near to the shore, swar
out and with the al of two othe
swimmers towed the boat ashore
Flack was still buckled tightly to tn
boat. His face was black and hi
body bore the marks of the pounding
,, received from the waves.
The boat entered the Whirlpool @
, 3:05 and was rescued at 4:05. TIL
, body was taken in charge by Willial
Stephenson, Of Woodstock, Ont
Flack's brother-in law, and Undertake
McArthlr, of Syracuse. 1t will be tai
en- to Syracuse to night. Just as FLAG
was about starting on his voyage tn
, President of the village of Niagar
, Falls received letter from Silas n
Smith, of Syracuse, asking him to il
terfere and prevent the suicidal attemp
because Flack had a wife and five chi
dred dependent upon him for supper
But Flack's start was made from I'll
village of Suspension Bridge (outsiG
of President Clark's iurisdictiOn\ nm