The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-21
AMERICAS CHAMPION.
CAPTAIN l.. y. BL0NDELL At WAR
WICK PARK YESTERDAY.
lie Exhibits Some Nonderfui feAss-
Nearly Two Hours IN the water
How lie Won The Eceord-Anofher
Exhibition Monday Afternoon.

The aquatic exhibition by Captain l..
/ ID. Blondell. at Warwick Park. yester-
day evening. was a decided success.
A fairly good crowd was present:
though not as large as was expected
and not as large as should have Wit
messed like performance.
The Warwick Park Company had
their boats ready at the wharf Tor
schedule time. The first barge was
ready 10 leave at o o'clock. as was adj
vertlsed, but owing to the slow arrival
Of the people. il was nearly j:30 o clock
when she left the wharf.
Commander Felix McCurley Of the
monitors. with party Of ladies' and
gentlemen. reached the scene upon ms
launch just before the exercises begun.
By O'Clock all the crowd had ar
nyed. and at 1880 Captain l.. d. BlOn-
dell came forward amid great applause
and began his wonderful ieais.
His fret exhibition was the introduc-
ton OF the different styles Il swim
ming of the world, consisting Of the
English style. as introduced by Captain
Webb. the champion swimmer. who
lost his life at the Niagara Falls. hand
over hand swimming. the kanacka
style, sailor fashion and the pauper
style. lie also exhibited fancy swim
ming Of all kinds, and rolling and
WALKING in water.
This was followed by a much more
difficult feat. that of holding a parasol
over him in the water, tanning himself
and smoking all at the same time At
ii. Ia AI Ia
piauded. He then proceeded to build a
raft in the water. which me executed IN
fourteen minutes. The champion then
Jumped upon his raft. but found the
timber with which It was built TO be
entirely too light. consequently the
cooking and eating was necessarily
abandoned.
NEARLY TWO HOURS Is WATER.
Captain Blondell was in the water
nearly two hours without any artificial
means Of support
THE FIREWORKS.
lie then proceeded 10 exhibit his dis
plav of fireworks. which had been
elegantly arranged. but finding them
to be so inferior the exhibition was all
most a failure. The powder was SO
damaged that 10 could not be ignitcd.
The miniature ship could not be blown
mp with dynamite bombs. as was adj
vertised. on account OF the inferior
quality Of tine material.
TO DAY
Captain Blondell will give a long dis
lance swim. commencing at 1870 % clock
this evening The start Will be from
MayO's bridge. running down the river
10 Warwick Park Barges VIII bs at
the company wharf % take the spec
tators down the river.
Monday evening. commencing at Z
o'clock, another exhibition will be
given.
PERSONAL.
Captain Bloudell is the champion
long distance swimmer Of America.
having won this record ON the 10Th day
of August. 1851. Oh the Chesapeake Bay
near Baltimore. lie SWAN sixteen and
a half miles IN eight hours anu thirty
four minutes. HIS challenge has been
standing for seven yers, and no one VIII
accept d..
He has been for a number of years
connected with the stage. and only
during the summer months are thee
acquatic exhibitions given.
Captain Blondell was asked If he was
nrsd IS hen he came out of the wafer
90 which he replied. Not iu the least,
could have remained in the water
twice the time without being the least
exhausted.