The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24
HE DROVE A GOOSE FOUR-IN-HAND.
And Wen I Over the Falls of the
Ohio in n Tub.
From the Indianapolis News

rom the Indianapolis News.
Jack Harper was an odd man. He came
to Ohio Falls from Newcastle, England
and was employed by the j., N. ana l.
railroad company in its shops, which were
at that time located in this city; a good
mechanic and fond of fun. 1t was in the
summer of 1870, and there was TO be
grand Fourth of July celebration at Old
Camp J. Holt, in which not only the
shop men, but hundreds of others were
to take part The managers of the az
fair were very anxious TO make it a grand
success, and for that purpose racked their
brains for novelties, but when Jack Har-
per proposed to tame a team of geese
and attach them to a wash-tub, in which
he proposed to sail down over the rap
ids of the Ohio and land just below the
picnic ground, they were paralyzed, es-
pecially when he insisted that ii could
easily be done, and to prove his asser-
ton began forthwith to train his pro-
posed team of four geese.
Many of the persons who took interest
one way or another in the picnic are stun
alive, and some of them reside at Indian
apolis. These will remember that Harper
began to train his odd team on the quiet
waters of the Ohio above the falls Ne
put queer, three-cornered yokes upon the
necks of the birds, and by means Of these.
attached them to his frail craft de
guided them by means of reins attached
to their bills and long, straight switch;
1t took him nearly three months and
much patience before he had his birds
in trim, but the geese showed themselves
much more intelligent and teachable than
they generally get credit for. and the
people of Jeffersonville had the satis-
faction or knowing that in their city
was the only four-goose team IN lAs
world.
Long before the Fourth of July the queer
outfit was the talk of the three Fans
cities, and when the day arrived there was
a cOncOurSe of thousands at the picnic
grounds, waiting to see the novel LoneA-
grin descend the river. 1t was near noon
when he launched his unWieldy bark from
the Indiana shore at the government
swimming proudly ahead and drawing lh7
teetery vessel in which Harper was par
ancing himself. The falls of the ono are
not safe for a good Well-manned boat, IN
and knows the rocks, so it can be bells.
imagined than told what a risk Harp.
ran in his washtub. But he braVely wen.
on. keeping his geese, who swerved o.
casiorally from the channel, in the way
they should go by means Of his sWllg..
He managed his team admirably IN spy
of his uncomfortable and delicate pOst5
ton in the tub, and the crowd cheetgt
him as he safely passed one danger pom
after the other, but as he swung aIOui-s
the bend to the deep and swift waters =,
the big eddy the wind rose to ahno5 -
gale and water began to dash over nm
and in his tub, and to make matters W.
the geese became unruly and WOulu H0'
obey his guidance. "a
He must have been a cool-headed man
not to have lost his head, but he dld nos
and with great effort and much coax
ing he managed to turn his reiIdc 80 -
team in shore and reached lana sdL1 as
amid the huZZas of the crowd. ne 80
completely drenched and worn out. HHl-5
then no one has attempted to desS
the falls of the Ohio in a tub drawn ~
team of geese.