The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16
TEMPTING DEATH AT NIAGARA
MEN AND WOMEN VINO SEEK
FAME IN THE RAPID&
VOyags Through the whirlpool In Beats
and barrels Rlnoo tho waves Beat the
Life Out o. Capt. webb. the Engiish
ChampiOn 6Wimmer-WOman Victim.

Champion bWimmor-Woman Niotlms
NIAGARA FAtas, April iB,--It Il announced
that Carllslo d. Graham has made an agree
ment with william ]. Glover, Jr., Of Balti-
more 70 race through the Whirlpool rapids
Of Niagara some time during the coming
summer. Glover q said 10 be Mafyland's
champion swimmer, but be has never yek
had any oxpsrinoS tn the waters OF the
Niagara gorge. Graham has IN the past
twenty years porfoEm0d remarkable foats
there.
In 1889 be announced at Philadelphia
that he would 20 through the Whirlpool
upids IN q barrel Of his own construction.
The time was three years after Capt. webb,
the EnEiish champion, had gone down 10
death IN the terrible currents. oTaham's
statemsnt caused people familiar with the
Niagara River to laugh.
Tho steamer Maid Of the Mist bad pre-
viOusly to this ben the only craft TO carry
human freight through the gorge IN safety,
and 20 think that q man IN . barrel would
excel the feat Of Joal Robinson and his
boat on June Q. 1851, scented ridiculous.
The conclusion was that the body Of
dead Philadelphia cooper would have 10
be searched for between the rapids and
IAllH HuOuld oAtEAARN NAN AN4es
When Graham and his barrel reached
Niagara he was told thiA Everybody
said he was foolish; that he had no idea Of
the terrific force Of the waves that tumble
between the mighty cliffs Of the narToWest
part Of the famous gorge, Just below the
great railway brideeA
Graham looked the rapids and the gorge
over carefully and determined TO make
the voyage. He selected the afternoon
Of Sunday, July II, 1883, for his performance
great crowd gathered, many Of them
remembering how Webb went down to
death and expecting 70 witness another
and similar tragedy.
Graham was on time 10 the minute, and,
protected only by his barrel, a boat towed
him out into the main current and set him
adrift. II was $50 P. NJ, and sight minutes
later be was In the Whirlpool Within two
minutes the barrel had passed out Of the
pool and was en- route 20 Lewiston, where
IL was picked up and Graham was found
to be alive and uninjured.
This performance ahmed everybody.
Il seemed also 20 belittle the power OF the
great rapids and the Whirlpool. Elevator
owners, haclmen, and those who made
a living through the coming OF visitors TO
see the Snastiest bit Of water In the world
began 10 call for stoppage OF such per-
formances in the rapids, realizing that they
could no longer tell people that the waters
were unconquered Webb's death had
brought money 10 their Golfers, for many
people lonRed 10 look upon the waves that
had beaten the life out OF Englands cham
pion swimmer.
Undaunted, Graham showed that he
still had his nerve by announcing second
trim through the rapids for THURSDAY,
Aug. 10, 1856. He said he would keep bis
head out Of the barrel, 80 that all VINO came
TO witness the performance might see hlm:
T1,nra vvaa a higgpr crDSEd than at his first
IL was a remarkable sight to see the barrel
boat with a human head above It bob up
and down through the waves. One moment
IL would be high in the air, the next out OF
sight under tho foamy wash OF the raplds
This time Graham landed In the whirl-
pool on the Canadian side, the strtem
failing to shoot his barrel into the ourLe ne
Of the outlet. In the passage throuRn yhe
rapids the wave that killed Capt. Webb
struck Graham a terrible blow ON one sloe
Of his head, and from that day TO this ma
has never heard sound in that ear; lnus
did the rapids give Graham something 70
On june is, 1887, Graham made n third
trip through the rapids, and on aug 70,
1859. be used a much smaller barrel ia
making a fourth trip, passing enueV
through the gorge TO Lewiston: ,.od othors
Graham's performances attracted otheIs
TO Niagara in saarch Of fame. Among tnem
were George Hazlett, William Pots and
Sadie Allen all barrel nayigators. ,.,,
Prom Boston came William j. kendali,
a policeman, who made the swim ulI IoSIss
the ra pids wearing a life preserver' James
Scott of Lewiston went down TO DEAN "a
irving 10 swim from the whirlpool TO Lewis.
ton. Charles Ale xander Percy MADE 81 we're,
boat tips, on one Of which from tne Pool
to Lewiston he was accompanied by William
RobSrt William Flack jowneyed nom
| Syracuse 10 Niagara, bringing with him
! a boat about which he threw much mystery.
| Strapped 10 the seat he made the ulp
| Through the rapids on July 4, 1888.
The craft was clinker shaped, and just a.
| F1ack was mounting the last wave OF tho
| rapids and was being shot into the WhLl-
! pool his boat was upset. Suspended from
! the seat, held fast by the life SAYING hAI-
ness" I've was drowned, while hundreoh
| stnod on the cliff unab to lend hand.
| For enc hour and ten minutes his body
driftad about the tossing va terI OF the
great river pocket. until finally bis boat
! Was eau ght on the Canadian side and toWea
" IN Sunday. Sept. IS, 1850, walter @.
| Campbell Of youngstown went 81 t Is
! va pids In A small boat He Was thrown OUT
/ an5I forced 10 la tile for life with the waves,
bnt he landed in the Whirlpool His DOG
Saxt came John lincoln soules, who was
,,ratia 10 oct into the main current and
landed on the oks on the Canadian size WIN
an in ured leg. A.. -.,,,a.
For ten years the waters Of the rapid7
knew no seekers after fame, until on June y,
ioOo Peter Nissen Of Chicago made the IMP
sested in the open cockpit OF boat ne had
made. This again turned attention 70 tns
rapids. and on Sept. 7, 1901, Graham swan
from Inc Whirlpool TO Lewiston.
This was 10 have been q double stunt,
/ FOR Maud Willard voyaged through the
: WHIRLPOOL rapds TO the pool IN parrel;
/ II was Grahnm's intention, had the baIrei
zone out OF the pool. to have accompahiie,d
/ Il 10 lewiston, but the currents OF the WHIT
nool ala not eiveup the barrel and IT'S huIna1
, Freight until late that night, and poor Maua
Willard was found lifeless In the harrei'
/ A dog that accompanied her was awe,
After waiting for the currente TO relen,e
the barrel, Graham made ne swim, IS ~ VIZ.
! inc 10 the pool 10 assist In the rescue OF hlss
/ Willard. Her mother died OF a broken
/ heart about a month later.
/ Graham has swum from the pool 20 LeNS,
/ iaton since then, but not since Maud Wlllar9
| died has he been through the whirlpool
| rnpids. Hissen made his second tap, an9
| Martha wagenfuhrer made the harrel
! voyage while Mrs Annie Edison Tayl or mace ne
/ the plunge over the Horseshoe In barrel OF
/ Kentucky oak, taking the hurels away