The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REi'TBiIC-
Peter Nissen OF Chicago, who took the
name OF '.Rowser'' for the occasion. has ac-
Complished The daring feat or shooths
Whirlpool Rapids. below Niagara Falls. IA
Il small boat. rudierless. oariess and sail
less He did it with no more Inconvenience
TO himself than good drenching and bad
quarter Of an hour OF regrett!ng thst he
had undertaken the trip.
Nissea's boat bears the suggestive name
OF The Foolk!ler." II is a small affair.
twenty feet long. six feet beam. and four
feet deep. Ntssen tiled for ten days TO
make the trip. but officers OF the Law. first
on the New York side and then CT the Ca
nad!c= side-whichever side he attempted TO
get a start from-iI.ierte-ed. They threat
ened hin with a-res: and everything else
fho-: o. bodily punishment; II lie Gid not
give Up the idea OF going through the rap
Ids; but ;he greater the difficulties. and the
more C then, be mat, the more Ssrer be.
came st IN his determination TO shoot the
rapids. just so the authorities aid not set
hold q his tua. and destroy /: he Gid not
care what they said or VIVA: they threat.
entG.
Finally. on the afternoon OF July o. Ms
sen get an opportunity 20 make the trip.
lie b.i3ed L -IlEu boy 20 take small skin
and loH his tos; 20 secluded point close
10 tbs New fcri, shore. Nssra get 10 this
ro!at by climbing Gewa u !sster. and
stepped into the pe-t. This ws= CT o'clock
IN the afternoon. lie s,ea: some ,wo hours
IN arranging the ballast, getting his cork
3aclec ready 10 hand. sai IN Strengthening
out tAe ki..ka In lie lie Nae. Then he had
,he go - boy tow ;.i:a eHl Lis o~s; 10 tie
middle OF the s'r-an.
TIRE pc!Gt selscted FOR tho star; WA Hbou.
q milo and II half below tho falls. and
about half throe-Guariers Uf Il mile
above The b!g can.!cvcr ard suspension
bridges than srsn the river hal: Il mile
above the Whirlpool Rapids. The small boy
cut loose from The Foo!kiIler'' and rowed
with oil possible speed for the Canadian
shore. Bat Nilsson was M; through with
him. His boat soUn got iio eddy and
stuck there. whIrlins slowly around. Ms
zen called the boy and was lowed on. Into
m!dsiream asain. This time he caught the
main current. and the trip begun.
The tiny boat driftsd slowly at first. From
behind Il came the thunder Q. the falls:
off IN front rose the foam OF the rapids.
Nissen stood Up and waved his hand at
the spectators on the Two shores.
As It approached the FIST bridge. The
Foo!ki!lcr'-'' speed began to increase. 1t
was sclnE. bow on. with the ever-growlng
current. Nissen Sat down and began TO
encircle himself with his cork Jacket and
20 gather up the life line. As the boat
ran under the bridge. Nissen pulled his
derby hat tightly down over his head until |
Il seemed to rest upon his ears.
Now the boat was going fast. Soon the |
second bridge doomed over it-snd then, |
soon, the rear of the rapids began TO rise |
above the heavier roar Of the falls. MIS- |
sen frightened the straps of his cork jacket. |
tugged again at the derby hat, and clutched |
the life line harder.
Then the PROV Of his boat struck the /
head of the rapids. II swung half around |
and was swept into the watery speedway
side on. The first small waves were passed
handily. Nissen not even being wet by /
them. But. unguardedly. he half arose and
waved 10 someone at the elevator on the
Canadian side. Just then a heavy current