The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-10
WENT THROUGH THE RAPIDS.
BOwser WAS Successful with His
Boat at Niagarn.

Niagara Falls. ". Y, July 9.-Peter MIS-
sen of Chicago. or Mr.. Bowser. as he
styles himself. went through the whirl-
pool rapids of the Niagara river this
afternoon in the presence of about 1000
persons. in his craft, the Foolkiller.
The boat was towed to rock about one
mile above the rapids and secured The
point was difficult to reach by officials
from either the American or Canadian
shores, who might have been disposed TO
interfere with the much advertised adven-
ture.
Shortly after o'clock Mr.. Bowser was
seen on his boat. little later James
Labland pulled up in a rowboat and towed
the Foolkiiler. with Bowser aboard. into
the current. At 1857 the start down stream
was actually commenced, but the hckle
eddies kept the Foolkiller drifting about
unti 4:20 when she got into the whirl-
pool current and started for the hual
plunge.
Passing under the cantilever bridge, the
boat took on the speed of an express train
Bowser threw his oar far from him, and
waved his cop. The crowd saw the craft
rise on the crest of a smooth wave and
then dive into the leaping spray end dis
appear. bAs.t
The strange craft turned over and, over
like a top. rolling and plungIng until II
passed a bend in the river and the most
perilous part of the journey had been pass
ed. The buoyant craft was kept on the
crest of the waves until submerged again
on the verge of the whirlpool. Shooting
into the whirlpool the Foolkiller swung
around and went down like a fishing bob
but rose again quietly
For the next fiftY-hve minutes Bowser
and his beat circled around the whirlpool.
Shortly before o'clock the Foolkiller
was carried out to the edge OF the rapids
and line was thrown by Bowser to men
shore who hauled him IN. fffs first
Ques ion was: How is that for Bow
ser2"
The Foolkiller is twenty feet long and
four feet wide and is made of two-inch
rire with four air-tight compartments.
TIE keel weighs 1.250 pounds.
Bowser warmed himself at a fire built
on the shore, and put on dry clothing and
appeared to be little the worse for his
mad ride.
Had I known just how bad the whirl-
pool rapids are, ! would never have at
tempted that trip" he said. after had
passed through the first big waves real
lied that my hat had been washed off.
Then some waves came over me and did
not know where | was. did not know
what was going on until l came, out in
the whirlpool During That brief time II
seemed that a hundred hammers were
pounding my head and my boat. never
turned over. but we were on our side or
end several times. and each
time l thought / was a goner. II 1t had
not been for the shoulder straps,
which l put on the last minute. / would
have been hurled to death. l was con-
scious Of nothing except the fearful senss-
ton of being overwhelmed with blows
from every side. l was mighty cold and
tired when / came out at the whirlpool.
Three or four times my breath was nearly
gone, and then the water would open and
| would get a breath of air could not
use my steering apparatus. When | got
into the rapids the water took complete
control of the boat, and simply clung on
and tried to keep my breath In my body"