Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-12
RODE THE AWFUL WHIRLPOOL
Bowser, a Dane, Passed Over
Niagara Falls Alive.
SUBMERGED AND SPUN AROUND
Exhausted in the Rapids, Yet
He Escaped.
The Perilons Feat Was Accomplished In u
small boat Called the Fool Kiiier-Not u
Scratch Was Visible on the Graft After
the Marvellous Venture.

NIAGARA Falls, N. r., July TO-
Bowsei, as he calls himself, successfully
nayigated the terrible Whirlpool Rapids
Of the niagara River yesterday in his
boat Fool Killer.
Bowser's boatinan started to tow the
Fool Killer out into the river Mt 4. 03
n. M. The craft started all right, and
began to drift down. 1t shot the swift
drift" at 4. 10, aud passed over toward
the American side. Here it reached a
current that swept it over 10 the Cana
dian shore, and In n few moments IL
was caught 10 a powerful eddy made
BY one OF the little bays OF the river on
the Canadian side and was whirled
around In IL three times, taking over
half an hour, Bowser sigualled 10 his
bohtmnn on the bank, and he cnmo and
towed him out OF the eddy. This was
at 4. 80 p. m.
Tho Fool Killer then started down
tho middle Of the stream and toward
the cantilever bridge Of the Michigan
Central railroad, lodging all the eddies,
aud shot under the railroad steel arch
bridge into the terrible Whirlpool
Rauids at exactly o'clock.
The Fool Killer behaved handsomely
and rode the, first waves capitally.
Bowser waved his hand gayly TO the
crowd above him and smiled reassur-
ingly. He seemed to BIZ perfectly
obIirious of danger. though heavy
wave swept completely over the boat,
submerging Bowser for an instant. On
and ON she mad rush Of water swept
the Fool Killer. but always keel down
aud Bowser all right 10 the cockpit
When near the centre Of the fearful
piece Of rapids the boat turned broad
side TO and took several big seas, but
did not capsizu. The monstrous wave.
soon turned her bow on again.
For several seconds at time the Goa
| and it's occupant we're out OF sight II
the raging food, but rs often the bon
would feappear rightside up, with
Bowser by this time apparently hal
drowned, and too exhausted to wav,
his hand. He was simply hanging OIL
for his life in the little cockpit of tn
boat.
In loss than five minutes he had rul
the rapids and had shot into the grea
Whirlpool. After having one or tw,
pretty severe shakings.up In the ferc
swirl Of the pool he was carried safel
around into the smoother water.
After the boat had ciroled aroup,
several times In the Whirlpool sh
drifted toward the shors. and Arcl
Donald, Frank Hyde and Howard LAX
swan out and towed her lie, and Bowse
warmed himself at fire built on th
shore and put on dry clothes an
appeared to be little the worse for hi
mad ride
Had I known Just how bad th
whirlpool RAPIDS are, would neye
have attempted that trip" he sale
, AFTER had passed through the frs
, big wave l realized that my hat ha
been washed off.
, 'Thep some more waves came ovt
, me, and 1 did not know where | wa
I did not know what was going Q
until I came out in the Whirlpool
|, During that brief time IL seemed thu
, hundred hammers we're pounding N
, head and the boat.
!. II never turned over, but we wei
on our side and end several times, AZ
Q each time | thought that / was
9 goner.
a III it had not been for the should
{ straps, which put on the last minut
a | would have been hurled to death.
!. was conscious of nothing except Il
: fearful sensation of being overwhelm,
@ with blows from every side.
!. 81 was mighty cold and tired wht
il / came out at the whirlpool. Thr
d OF four times my breath vas near
/. gone, and then the water would op,
IS and / would get breath OF air.
g could not use my steering apparatu
d When / got into the rapids the wat
!. took complete control OF the boat, al
@ simply chung on and tried to keep q
n breath In my body"
l. Bowser was driven to his hotel,
q the American side, where Mrs Har
n easel of Detroit and Miss Alma Care
j. OF Niagara Falls, Ont, shook han
), with him.
!. Bowser's real name is Peter Nisce
n He is o Dane, 81 years old, and car
]. to this country IL years ago. Il
ic several years he conducted priva
~ school in Chicago.
10 He was 10 months building the FL
Is Killer, doing great deal of the VIC
Of or her himself. The immense weig
as of the keel contributed to the succe
ct The keel has heavy steel shaft 81
pended to 1t, making its weight neal
ton. The entire boat weighs OF
1900 pounds. She has four bulkhea
and six. air-tight compartments. and
bat ho - III