Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-07-05
MET DEATH IN THE RAPIDS.

a Man Coos over Niagara IN Boat ana 10
Drowned.
Robert william Fiack, Of 6o Apple
street, Syracuse, N. Y, lost his lie 81
Niagara Falls on wednesday afternoon Id
an attempt TO 60 through the rapids IN hls
iiieboat, " The Phantom" He went 'nsrc
last Friday with his boat and took rooms ~
the New York Central house, on the Ameri-
can bank of the river. People did not pay
q great deal OF attention to him, as 'ne
vsrious cranky enterprises embarked In
during tho Eve years since Captain Webb
Ioet his life there have become rather
monotonoua Flack hsd perfect confidence
in his boat. IL was fifteen feet long, four and
three q uArters wide In the centre, thirty.
four inches deep and pointed Ut each end.
The outside was white pine, one-half inch
thick, lined with white oak OF the same
thickness. All cir chambers were dis
carded, but between the outside and the
lining were cushions which he said were
lighter than cork and which gave the boat
greater buoyaucy. He kept the materials q
secret saying that he wished to have them
patented. One-third of the boat was
decked over with half inch white pine.
The opening In the centre was eight feet
long by yard wide. There wero seats for
Ave persons and double cranks for propeil-
ing and steering. The craft weighed 700
pounds, and Flsck claimed she would right
herself in any see.
HIS object In making the trip was to show
this and get his boat introduced by the
government lite saving service. Heinduced
Undertaken John Macarthur, Of Syracuse,
to loan him $50 to bring the boat there and
In accompany him. Ills brother and MIRA
William Stephenson, OF Woodstock, Ont,
were also present, rs was Master Willie,
aged IA yearr, who has lived with him
since his childhood.
Flack made his appearance abont 2:I5.
/ o'clock. He WAS dressed In blue flannel
/ sleeveless suit and wore white handk ker-
1 chief about his neck, which he said had
been sent him by Mrs Smith, OF Oneida,
who wanted IL returned to her as relic.
He had pint bottle OF liquor In his pock ct
and acted as u he had taken few nips to
brace him elf He said al shall make a
stop OF twenty minutes At tho whirlpool 40
a. TO allow the reporters to get there. I'd
rather give 81 600 than make the stop.
shall then get In aud make the trip through
Fosters Flat, where no river navigator has
ever been. l hope will turn over twenty
somersaults, 40 That no one will over dare
10 make the trip after me. ! have perfect
confidence In the boat, and / think l have
pluck enough for anything myself"
He entered the boat at 3 o'clock, and the
correspondents entered a carriage and drove
TO the Deysux college grounds, which COM
mand q view OF the rapids and whirlpool.
At 1902 ho WAS seen tossing in the first
rapids al Woodpond's new elevator, near
the CsntIlever bridge. His boat took the
middle OF the river and he could be seen
working his steering apparatus He went
out OF sight two or three times, but he rode
safely until after Manning's elevator was
reached. At Buttey's elevator, where the
three plumes are located, he was whirling
and entered the first plunge with the stern
OF his boat ahead.
There is big rock standing ont 75 feet
and he struck Il when his boat was In tho
trough. Over be went and took somer.
sault of twenty feet into the air at the same
time. His boat never righted, and II
plunged and shot from rock to rock i'm a
way that left but little doubt In the minds
of the spectators that he was dead man.
II in sister, brother in law and son ran about
on the bank 800 feet above and wrung their
hands. At 3:05 he struck the whiIl pool,
but took course which held his craft, In
stead Of allowing 1t to shoot In to the DEVILS