Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-18

Held Prisoner in the Barrel, When at
the Longest lie Should Not Have Been
More Than Fifteen Minutes Going From
the Starting Point TO the Whirlpool.
Niagara Falls, N. Y, July 15.--It is |
II years since anybody went through |
The whirlpool rapids of Niagara in q |
barrel, and as it was this style of craft
that was first to successfully brave the
rapids after the Webb fatality, unusual
interest centered in the trip, which
Carlisle ID. Graham Of Philadelphia an
noupced he would ana did make yester-
day. Between 1886 and 1889 there were
several who voyaged through the rapids
in barrels and boats, but for the last
10 years those who sought to attain
notoriety and fame by this water route
bays not been very plentiful.
Graham has always been known as
"ths hero Of Niagara" for it was he
who did that which was thought prac-
tjcally impossible, aud that was to go
through the waters OF Niagara Gorge
and live to tell the story. In his deeds
of Niagara Graham won the reputation
of never disappointing an audience, and
SO when re stated he would make trip
yesterday people turned out in ereat
numbers. They flooked to the bridges,
they lined the cliff toys and filled the
trolley cars OF the Canadian line, all
bent on seeing this Philadelphia cooper
risk his life in the barrel of his own
making.
The day was frightfully hot, but yet
thousands stood the intense heat for
hours, and having obtained good loca-
tions, they were loath to give them up
hsa barrat had
down the rapids. Never before in the
history of these rapids voyages have
to many. countries been represented in
tho gathered crowd. This is because
she Pan A american Exposition contrib
utsd its quota to the Sightseeing num-
ber.
Graham had announced that he would
start at 3 O'Clock, and tn, majority
were on hand at that hour. His start
ing point was from the old Maid of the
Mist landing, few hundred feet above
the cantileyer and tower steel arch
bridge. 1t was from this place that
Graham always started on his previous
trims, and though the old dock has been
torn away he chose to start there. 1t
was at % O'Clock that he crowded
himself through the man-hole into his
barrel.
A rowboat was in waiting and at 8. 30
the barrel with its human freight was
being towed out into the river The
oarsman was fearful of being swept into
the rapids, and he swung the barrel
adrft very early. This resulted In
Graham having an awful experience
ard one which he will long remember.
Instead Of being Immediately caught
by the current that would carry him
into the rapids his barrel swung into
nm eddy on the New York side above
the cantilever bridge. Round and round
this eddy the barrel swung. Once OF
twice the people on the bridges though
they saw signs of Graham trying to hne
out where hc was. For "a minutes M
was held prisoner in the barrel ant
eddy, when at the longest he shouit
not have been more than 10 minutes
going from his starting point to tht
whirlpool, and not SO long in makint
the trip through the gorge to Lewiston
Great sypmathy was expressed fo
Graham, and 1t was relief to the GROVE
when at 3. 81 O'Clock his barrel swuni
full into the river current and minut
later was riding the first wave OF In
rapius. The course taken by the barre
was along the New York side of tn
crested wave in the centre, whereas o.
previous trips the barrel had oung Z
the Canadian current Frequently tn
barrel sunk out OF sight in the whit
ened waters, and once or twice it was
long time ip returning to the top.
But seconds we're hours in the esti
mation of the excited people, for th
fact is 1t took Graham only three mir
utes to reach the whirlpool. In az
preaching the pool the barrel swun
into the Canadian current, but once
the river proper 1t followed the currer
straight across the centre. The currer
shot it we'll toward the shore, whel
fully hundred were gathered to he!
rescue the barrel ard its occupant.
Many had expected that Grahs
would be forced to round the pool mar
times, but he and his barrel escape
this fate. Before the barrel had bee
caught by the eyrating current etrot
men swan out and dragged 1T hshor
A When the cover OF the manhole vi
raised il was found that Graham was
partially sulfooated condition owir
A to the awful heat and the close contin
4 ment. A little attention served to
viye him, and then be was aided TO q
top OF the bank and driven In tally
to this city. In an interview Graha
4 said:
when 1 started on the trip yeste
day, was not 10 as good condition
on my trips of years ago. You see
81 years of age, and my weight is
pounds. My barrel weighs only
pounds; and while should have be
out of the barrel in l5 minutes, "
10 it nearly an hour, for it was aftei
o'clock that | heard voices at Z
whirlpool. have.a small peephole
the barrel which | usually close; b
when / passed the Cantileyer brio
yesterday | was so nearly suffocat
that 1 had to leave this open, the
suit being that / took in about .
inches Of water. While | do not sti
it positively, think this will be
last trip in barrel, However. in
few weeks I shall go through aga
and shall endeavor to make that
greatest performance ever witnessed
the Falls, No, am not prepared
tell just how / shall do it, but 1t sh
be spectacular.
Preparatory to the trip Graham
reduced the weight of the craft 10 or
that 1T would accommodate his
creased weight. This resulted in
barrel floating on its side in its passl
through the waves. The barrel ha
length of five feet, and is 26 inches
diameter at the top, So at the mid
and IS at the bottom. 1t is the SO
barrel used by Graham in maxim
trip in 1889.
Carlisle ID. Graham is former
Rwarean. The house In which he