The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1901-11-01
TRIP OVER NIAGARA FALLS
Mrs. Anna E. Taylor, Michigan
Widow, Shoots the Rapids
in q Barrel.
the REMARKABLE FEAT IS SUCCESSFUL.
Che Ia Rescued from SeethinE Waters
1T the Foot OF the Precipice Alive,
md with Very Slight 1njuries-
Tells Her Experience-Wil Never
Try 1t Again.

Niagara Falls, N. Y, Oct. 25.-Mrs.
Annie Edison Taylor, so years old,
went over Niagara falls on the Ca
madam side Thursday afternoon and
survived, a feat never before accom-
plished, and indeed never attempted,
except in the deliberate commission
of suicide. She made the trip in a
barrel. Not only did she survive, but
she escaped without broken bone,
her only apparent injuries being a
scalp wound 1h inches long, slight
concus sion of the brain, some shock
to her nervous system and bruises
about the body. She was conscious
when taken out of the barrel. The
doctors in attendance upon her said
that, though she was somewhat hys-
terical, her condition is not at all
serious and that she probably will be
out of bed within few days.
Mrs. Taylor's trip covered mile
ride through the Canadian rapids be-
fore she reached the brink of the
precipice. Her barrel, staunch as a
barrel could be made, was twfrled and
toppled and buffeted through those
delirious waters, but escaped serious
contact with rocks.
Over the Brink.
As it passed through the smoother,
swifter waters that rushed over into
the abyss it rode in an almost perpen-
dicular position, with its upper half
out of the water. As it passed over
the brink it rode at an angle of about
As degrees on the outer surface of the
deluge and descended as gracefully as
barrel can descend to the white,
foaming waters, 15s feet below. True
to her calculations, the anvil fastened
to the bottom of the barrel kept it
foot downward, and so it landed. Had
it turned over and landed on its head
Mrs. Taylor's head must have been
crushed in and her neck broken.
The Rescue.
The ride through the rapids occupied
IS minutes. It was 4:23 o'clock when
the barrel took it's leap. It could not
be seen as it struck the water below,
because of the spray, but in less than
half a minute after it passed over the
brink it was seen on the surface of the
scum-covered water below the falls.
It was carried swiftly down to the
green water beyond the scum, then
half way to the Maid of the Mist land
ing it was caught in what is known as
the Maid of the Mist eddy and held
there until it foated SO close to the
shore that it was reached by means
of a pole and hook and drawn in upon
the rocks at 4:4O o'clock, or II minutes
after it shot the cataract.
VIII Never Do 1t Again.
Ten minutes later the woman was
lifted from the barrel, and half an
hour later she lay on cot at her board
ing place on First street, in Niagara
Falls, on the American side. She
thanked God she was alive, thanked all
who had helped her in any way, said
she would never do it again, but that
she was not sorry she had done it, IF
it would help her financially" She
said she had prayed all during the
trip except during "a few moments"
of Inconsistencies just after her de-
scent.
Her Reason.
Bay City, Mich, Oct. 25.-Mrs. Anna
E. Taylor, of this city, who went over
Niagara falls, before leaving here said
she desired to attract the attention of
museum and theatrical managers in
order to secure money to provide a