The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-05
IN THE NIAGARA RAPIDS.
JOHN r.. SOULES ATTEMPTS TO 90
THROUGH THE WHIRLPOOL.

He Narrowly Escapes being Dashed to
Pieces on tho Realistically Wave
Washed Him into Eddy Near shore
BEFORE He Reached the Whirlpool
NIAGARA FALLS, July I.--Samuol Smith. the
Lewiston boatman who was TO 20 through the
whirlpool rapids in a rowOoat with John l..
Soules Of North MuskeEou, Mich. nunKed and
would not undertake the foolhardy feat.
Soules. not to dIsappoint the large crowd that
had concreEated along the banks OF both sides
OF the river and on tho suspension bridge, an
nounced That he would go through alono. The
boat. which he had concealed up tho rivor and
intended to 20 as far as possible In. some one
had cut from its moornGs md let go through
the rapids during tho night. Not daunted by
this. he made start to swim the rapids with
only his swimming suit on, consisting OF q
woollen shirt and trunks md n cork vest.
At tho sound Of three shots from q rifle fired
by his manager. William Leary, OF Suspension
Bridge Soules ut 3:1s +. NJ. entered the water
about seventy five feet on tho Falls side OF the
cantcver bridge on tho Canadian side. At
500 he was seen coming around the
abutments OF tho cantllever bridge
The force OF the volume OF water
forcing itself through the gorge causes an
up current along the shore and is known as the
Canadian current" eoules struggled hard
against tho breakers that seemed to want TO
wash him on the large rocks that line the
shore all the way down tho river. When he
escaped from the grasp OF the current he
treaded the water all the way down 10 the rail-
way suspension bridge. lie raised his hands
once or twice above his head, waving them to
the spectators who seemed to be paralyZed ut
the nerve Of n man who was temptiDR Provi-
Hene When hen tho nd sw tbe GsS sGHsh
Below the railway suspension bridge there
are two large rocks. At times ono OF these is
over it. while the other towers far above all
breakers. The current carried Soules up
Vent nt 10 a smultaneons yell OF horror expect
ing to see the swimmers brains dashed out.
But luckily. lust as he came II contact With
scraped over the obstruction. On no went with
the current until the second rock was reached.
SO that they would not see the foolhnrdy man
Killed but lu ok favored him again. Tho current
S SS pu his hands and showed himself cea
Then a large breaker, caused him to turn
somorsault. submerged him for o lew seconds.
sna tnen se ysed ou fed
few seconds he was seen to swim out OF the
pump house. sometimes submerged and some;
times swimming. when near the whirlpool
m Into an eGdy nsaT he shore and with the
assistance Of several spectators he scrambled
out on the rocks.
ing to the Incline railway he was greatly ex-
hnustel. He had a deep cut In his left knee
near the kneecap. and n hole on his left foot
Tho first thing he said when he got ont OF the
water was that his knee hurt him so much that
he thought he would get ashore when the OPP
portunity presented itself. He received the
Injuries when he was dasbed against the last
rock. His manager asked him how he was,
and he replied:"l am all right" and asked II he
would continue his trip through the whrl-
pool, rs he did not wish to disappoint
tie speGtators that were stationed there watch.
In fpr
leg" which was bleeding rroiusely. After
receiving some stimuants soules ATTEMPTED to
but was unable to lean on his injured leg. He
was assisted to car and upon reaching the
Loary's establishment at Suspension Bridge. ,
Il is fortunate for sonles that he was washed
ashore for had no gone through TO the whirl
pool he surely would have been killed. The
place where be got out Is about one hundred
feet above the spot where Webb Is supposed to
have been killed. Soules was never over
thirty feet from shore during his trip through
the rapids. He says he will 90 through again
when his knee Is all right.