Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-01
THRU NIAGARA RAPIDS
Carlisle D. Graham Makes the
Perilous Trip in a Barrel
With Safety.
Seventh Time the Daring Swim.
mer Has Made Voyage Thru
the Whirlpool.
Thousands Watched the Per.
Torrance From the Shores
-Graham's Record.

Niagara Falls, N. Y, Sept. 1.-Car-
Isle ID. Graham, the Philadelphia coop
er. swan thru the whirlpool rapids of
Niagara river Sunday afternoon in the
presence of thousands who lined the
banks to witness his perilous journey.
Graham plunged into the water just
above DEVILS Hole at 3:17 o'clock and
struck out for the middle of the river.
He then rode the waves with appar-
ent ease until he passed Devils Hole.
The current here swerved toward shore
and the swimmer narrowly escaped q
great rock projecting above the water.
He shouted in alarm to friends who
watched him from the gorge railroad,
but in Il moment he was carried back
by the rushing waters to the center and
on down to the whirlpool.
In making the turn here the river is
shallow, the rocks project, and the V0y-
age is dangerous. Graham missed a
huge bowlder by small margin. A
great wave passed over him and he dis
appeared from view. but he reappeared
almost instantly. swimming confidently.
Near Lewiston he reached calmer wa
ter and a boat was sent to bring him to
shore.
He refused to enter, but instead Sc
cured rope and was towed to land.
This was the seventh time Graham
had risked his life in the tumbling wa
tiers of the Niagara. gorge. 1t was on
Sunday. July II, 1856, that Graham
made his first barrel boat trip thru the
rapids. Three years before that, on
July "a. 1889. Capt. Matthew Webb. the
English swimmer. had gone down to
death in the biggest wave of the rocky
canon of the Niagara. and when it was
announced from Philadelphia that a
to voyage thru the rapids everybody
laughed. but he made the trip.
Previous to this trip of Graham's the
only persons who had been thru the
rapids and come out alive We're Joel r.
Robinson and his associates, Mcintyre
and Jones, who took the Maid of the
Mist thru the gorge on June 6, 1851.
I'll bet he's got enough of 1t" people
said, but to the surprise of all, Graham
second trip, and made it
on Thursday, Aug. 10. 1856. This time
ne kept his head out of the barrel.
He has never heard a sound in one of
MS ears since that day, great wave
flashing upon him and, 1t is supposed,
breaking the ear drum. On his second
rip he left the barrel at the pool. His
bird trip was made June Is. 1887, stop
ping at the whirlpool. He rested two
ears, and Aug. 25, 1889, he made his |
ourth trip. He used much smaller !.
,arrel, and went all the way to Lewis
on.
His fifth trip was made July IA. 1901,
IN which day he was taken from his
,arrel in a half suffocated conditions
having been in the barrel thirty-five
minutes on a hot day. On the after
loon of Sept. Z, 1901, Graham performs
ID his dual act in the waters of the |
,orge with Maud Willard. This was I
irahan's sixth adventure in the rap (
Dis and Miss Wizards hrst. She died in
he barrel. as 1t floated five hours about /
he currents of the whirlpool. While (
he barrel was still in the pool Graham
tarted from the whirlpool outlet and /
wan to Lewiston, and thus made the
initial swim thru that portion of the (
.orge.