Evening journal., 1901-09-05
WAYFARER'S NOTEBOOK
How Mr.. Kidd Swan the River


GENTLY by a visit from Thomas Win.
field Scott Kidd, and it was the Way.
fArers pleasure to hear Mr.. Kidd tell
an interesting story of his youth
J. which was spent on the banks of the
i Delaware river. He is 70 years old
J, and is a United States Commissions
in Springfield. ILL.,, and while in Will
mington visited his sister. Mrs
Samuel Harris of No. 1921 French
lstreet Mr.. Kidd was born in New
Castle and lived there until he was 2a
years old, since which time he has had
an eventful career. He has been a
newspaper writer and has figured
somewhat in politics, being closely as
sociated with Abraham Lincoln. OF
whom he has written many interesting
newspaper articles, among which was
lone about a chest of drawers that was
lowned by the martyred President. This
story created much comment and
Iadorns many scrap books today.
1t was in Brandywine Springs Park
that the Wayfarer heard Mr.. Kidd tell
of having swan the Delaware river.
from near Pennsville. N. j., to the
mouth Of the Christiana river. This
Feat was performed when he was a
boy, and he told it as follows:
1T was during a big fruit year when
/ was boy. that / swan the Delaware
river, and the reason l did it was be-
cause | thought it was my only chance
of saving myself from a farmer who
said he would kill me if he ever laid
hands on me- He was angry because
l, stole a watermelon out of his patch
and gave it to a sailor. He discovered
me in the act of stealing the melon
and said he would end my life if he
could only get hold of me.
1T was through accident that | fell
into his power had determined to go
to the New Jersey side OF the river and
get work, picking peaches, in order to
make some spending money. Being a
boy who was a favorite with the
watermen of both Delaware and New
Jersey, l got passage across the river
in a big skin that was used for carry
ing fruit When in midstream a big
storm came up. 1t soon piled the
water up into mountainous billews
that threatesed to swamp u.s. We were
driven hither and thither by the big
waves until Que seemed TO strike
squarely on the bottom of the boat.
lifting it up and spilling the boatload
of baskets. the crew and myself into
the seething and churning waters.
thought that it was all up with us but
IN short time we were thrown upon
the sandy beach of New Jersey. Our
boat was found in a farm yard nearby
when the sun arose the next morning
We found a farmhouse during the
night and were given a nights lodr-
ing but next morning when looked
out OF the bedroom window / saw the
same farmer whom l had robbed of the
melon. and who had threatened to kill
me on sight / managed to be late
Tor breakfast so that the farmer would
be away from the house when | went
down. The plan worked all right
and the man did not see me. / told his
Wife that / would not go out. in the
orchard and pick peaches as / wanted
TO go back to New Castle and get some
more clothes. She told me that they
would send to New Castle and get me
what clothes wanted and told me to
hurry to the orchard and 20 to work.
1 made a pretense Of going to the
orchard, but as soon as got out of
sight of the house, l ran to the river
and as there were lots of drift wood. Il
soon found a plank that would float
me. Stripping off my clothes l tied
them to the plank and understanding
the currents in the river, l started to
drift across the stream. Instead of
landing at New Castle struck the Del
aware shore near the mouth OF the
Christiana river. This was a disap-
pointment as l was proud of the feat
had performed and wanted to show
the boys Of New Castle how l crossed
the river on a plank. Determined to
show them at any cost, / waded along
the shore from the Christiana river to
New Castle and pushed the plank
ahead of me-
1t was a terrible undertaking and
the sun burned my naked body until I
was mass OF blisters. It was several
weeks before l got over the effects OF
the trip along the shore"
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