Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-09-07
saSlsS55 *
ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCHES
Brodie Goes Over the Falls.

NIAGARA FALLS, Sept. Steve Brodie
accomplished the perious feat to day OF
going over Niagara Falls In a rubber suit.
Brodie and his party arrived at Clifton last
night. They we're Ernest Jerold. John
Ledger, John Mccarthy and VIM. E. Hard
ing, and several newspaper correspondents.
They put up at the Waverly Hotel and reg
istered under fictitious names in order to
avoid suspicion. Brodie's suit was placed
200 feet above the Canadian Falls last night
ready for use. Inflated rubber tubes, ropes,
ETC., were also placed near the Maid OF the
Mist landing. Brodie left the hotel with the
party at 4 8. m. John Mccarthy and Err.
est Jerold and Brodie went to point two
hundred feet above the falls. Brodle then
stripped and had his body padded with cot.
ton batting, then put on the rubber suit,
which was inflated fifty two inches around
the waist and seventy i've inches around
the chest; the headgear was also inflated,
while two steel bands protected bis body.
At $50 Brodie, with his paddle, entered the
water. He caught the current, waved his
paddle to Jerold and Mccarthy and few
seconds later was shot over The centre of the
Horse Shoe Falls, and luckily, he WAS sho'
with lightning rspidity over the outside OF
one of the falling volumes of water, and was
quickly lost in the mist and foam. He was
buried from view for nearly two minutes,
when black spsck covered with thick
white coating was seen bobbiug and jumping
to and fro in the boiling cauldron of rushing
gurgling waters. In short time Brodle
was caughtiu the rushing waters and carried
at brisk pace toward the American shore,
and then all of sudden be was hurried
toward the Canadian shore, where John
Ledger had ropes ready to drag him from
the water. Ledger was stripped and swam
out 200 feet with rope fastened 10 his
waist, while W. E Harding held the other
end on shore. Ledger after several attempts
reached Brodie, fastened the rope to the
iron bands round his waist and then swan
ashore and assisted ia pulling the daring
swimmer ashore. On Brodie being lifted on
the rocky shore, he was quickly stripped.
Brandy was poured in small quantities on
his temples while he was rubbed and
chafed, but he was insensibe and blood
oozsd from his mouth, noas and ears, pro-
badly from shock or conclusion. For twenty
minutes Brodie lay until ammonia was ap
pied 10 his nostrils. when he began to shiver
and gesticulate with his hands He gradu-
ally recovered consciousness and it was then
found that his injuries were not serious. He
expects to be able to 90 to New York to-
morrow. Ia describing his experience,
Brodie says that after he entered the river
he weakened and would have given any
thing in the world if be could have reached
terra frma once more. He attempted to get
shore by using his pa ldles, when the swift
current swept him back and turned his feet
towards the brink the cataract. When he
SAW that it was impossible to get out he felt
the same as man that was to meet death
and prayed for dear life. Just as he came
to the brink OF the falls be became uncon-
scous through fright and remained 80 until
he struck the wafer, ohurned toto foam at
the base of the falls, when be was Temporal.
rily brought to by the force with which he
struck the water. Then he again los. con-
30 business and knew no more until he found
himself lying In his rubber suit at the
waters edge. There is no doubt that Bro
die successfully went over the falls.