Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-07-12
NISSEN SHOOTS THE RAPIDS
After Floating Forty Minutes in
ar Eddy
IN HIS BOAT The FOOL KILLER.
Boat Spun Around Like a Top Until
"Bowser's" Head Ached-Time of the
Descent Two and One-Half Minutes
Saws Hen Never DO 1t Again.

Buffalo y. Y, July 10.-Peter Mis-
sen, the Chicago Dane who prefers TO
be known as Mr. Bowser," made
successful trip through the rapids and
whirlpool of Niagara in his boat, the
Fool Killer. The experience was far
more terrible than he expected. and,
while he came out unharmed, he says
he will not repeat the trip. Mr. Bow
ser" wore his ordinary clothes, COW
cred with a cork jacket. A tight-fit-
ing jersey cap covered his head He
was not fastened into the boat, as he
desired a chance to swim for life in
case the boat should upset and fail to
right itself. "Bowser" went into the
Fool Killer at o'clock and was towed
out into the center of the stream by two
men in a rowboat. He started from
near the Schoolkopf mills, close to the
Bridal Veil falls Before he got to the
beginning of the rapids he struck an
eddy, in which he floated for forty
minutes He was enabled to get out
of the eddy by means of the foot pro-
pulsion of his boat. and after he had
drifted for half an hour the men in the
row boat went to his rescue again and
towed him out of the eddy.
Dangerous Voyage Begins.
This time he struck the stream all
right and in ten seconds his dangerous
voyage had begun. Almost at once the
boat pitched into one OF the big foam
topped waves. The 1,250pound keel
went straight in the air as if it we're
mere stick and the boat executed
sOmersault. For an instant boat and
man We're lost in the bowels of the
wave People along the shores and on
the bridges thought the adventurer had
met his fate thus early. But presently
out of the foam rose the boat and the
man. That "Bowser" had not lost
heart was quickly evidenced. Holding
to the boat withshis left hand he drew
off the jersey cap with his right hand
and waved it, A great cheer broke
from the watchers ashore. The flight
of the Fool Killer through the rapids
occupied two and a half minutes. Dur
ing one-third of that time at least the
sight under the waves.
Passage Extremely Swift.
Just when the watching crowd
thought the end had come the nose of
the Fool Killer would rise from the
waters and "Bowser" would wave his
hat TO show he was all right. The pas
sage was so swift that ii as hard to fol-
low the boat. Whenever it dived under
the waters it came up so far down.
stream that one could just catch sight
of it. when it would disappear once
more. Having safely run the rapids
the little craft found itself in the whirl-
pool. The impetus of its journey car
ried it right to the vortex of the pool
where it was sucked down quickly, but
rose at once and again "Bowser' swung
his hat over his head. The whirlpool
held him fully forty minutes Its vor-
tex changed For awhile it would spin
the boat around like top until Bow
ser's" head ached Then it would let
him whirl around in the larger circles.
Gradually he worked the boat toward
the outer rim. Then three men, fas-
tened to shore with a rope swan into
the river as far as they dared and
caught the rope which "Bowser" threw
to them. They drew him ashore.
Received with Cheers.
Women ran TO him TO shake hands
and men cheered him. The navigator
complained of the cold. The water
was icy and he was almost paralyzed
by his long immersion. 1T was worse
than | expected said "Bowser." Il
expected TO be drowned when the boat