The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-17
1900 MILESON WATER
Capt. Charles 0ldrieye Makes
$4,000 in Forty Days.
RIVER WALKER WINS WAGER
Nearly Drowned Just as He Arrived
at His Destination, and Was Fished
His Wife Made the Long Trip ia
ROwboat--An Athletic Couple.

Capt. Charles ". Oldrieve has won his
bet He walked on the water from Gin
cinnad to New Orleans, arriving one
hour and some minutes ahead Of the time
allowed, but in the winning Of the hand
some prize, just as the goal was In sight,
the intrepid captain had a close call with
death-in fact, one of the most hair
breadth escapes in all his thrilling career,
and had it not been for the timely aid of
some negroes on the coal fleet the tawney
river would have in all probability brought
the daring venture to a tragic close, says
the New Orleans PicayUne.
Capt Oldrieve was caught in an
eddy, one Of the treacherous whiripools
and unable TO glide beyond the sweep of
the swirling flood. he was carried close
to a big barge, one of the fats Of the coal
feet and as he was battling bravely 10
save himself and his faithful wife In her
small rowboat was struggling vainly 10
reach him, several black hands were ex-
tended to him. and grasping the hard
lfe~AAiH " MN RAANAtl ocAA'tr Air fAo VI cf II
up on the scow by his negro rescuers.
The captain left his shoes behind him in
the river, and the queer arrangements
were whirlcd about in the eddy. 10 be fin
ally fshed out Of the yellow water by
boathooks. cleverly handled by some gen
tlemen in a gasoline launch.
Capt Oldrieve left ANA St Charles
q 90 3
ten minutes to O'Clock Sunday morning.
His wife was ahead Of him in her four
teen-foot sllih, pulling with lusty stroke,
and "a quarter Of a mile behind came the
little stern-wheeIed gasoline houseb0at
In which we're J. W. Weatherington. Capt.
Oldrieve's hacker; Pilot Jones. represent
ing Edward Williams, of Boston one
Of the parties to the bet and several
others
Exhausted at the End.
Capt Oldrieye was far from well.
His terrible journey down the great river
had proven an awful strain uron his
nerves. and besides made him victim
Of rheumatism. but $500 was an mount
worth striving for. and the capt-.n pu;
his best foot forward and worked his
WATERSHEDS back and forth as he had
never worked them before.
lie had until high noon to reach the
WEarycs lining the central harbor Of the
port Of New Orleans. and knowing that
he had little time 10 spare he exertcd
himself Notwithstanding the pain in his
limbs and the dizziness that occasionally
almost overpowered him. Mrs OIdrieve
from her skih, would cry words Of en-
enlargement 10 the straining athlete and
although she herself was well-uigh ca
hausted from the hazardous journey. she
eudeavored 20 keep up "a cheerful de-
meanor. so as not to let her lord despair
Tho wharves all along the river from
Jackson avenue down were lined with
people. and when Capt Oldrieve appeared
following the current about fifty yards
from shore, a great cheer went up and
was carried from point 20 point as he
completed his journey. Following in
the wake Of the captain. and on each
side Of him in the river, were launches
and skiffs. containing those anxious 10
see the finish of the great feat. and the
tarraiis Of the big steamers ia the h3r.
Dor had their quota Of sailors watching
the adyentureT. and the entire side Of
the big cruiser Columbia. lying out in
the river, was dotted with b!Uejackcts.
Caught in an Eddy.
When the captain passed Julia street
be followed one of the currents that
curved toward the shore. and Mrs Old
rieye. from her skiff cried out. Avoid
the eddy. Charlie" The lady had seen the
danger. and straIning at the oars. pulled
over toward Eer husband, but the outer
swirl Of the whirlpool turned her skin
aside and Capt O!drieve, caught in the
very center OF the miniature maelstrom
was spun around and around and with
difficulty remained erect in his floating
shoes.
Il was then that the negroes. Willie
Johnson and "a few others. who were on
the coal neet, acted, and acted promptly
They saw that the water-walI.er was be-
ing swept In toward the barges, and
running 10 the gunwale Of the outer
barge. several of the blacks lay fat on
their stomaChs and reached their hands
over the flood to the imperiled man.
Just when the case seemed most des-
perate, and it locked as though the cap
tain would be drawn beneath the scow,
Oldricve's outst-ctched palms encountered
two black hands, and the brawny arms
dragged him to safety. The man lay ex-
hausted for several minutes on the fat
and ere he had recovered the crowd
surged thick about him. plying him with
foolish questions and straining TO get a
good look at the man who had under
taken and accomplished SO much. Old
reeves gasoline launch did not accom-
pany him to the end Of the journey. but
mooTed at Walnut street. above Audubon
Park, after seeing the man IN sight of
his goal
Mrs. OIdrieve was soon on the wharf
with her husband, and, the bet having
been won, FASTENED to get out OF the
crowd and sought temporary refuge at
the Eleventh precinct station. They
were later Joined by some of their friends
and were driven in a cab 10 a house on
Toulouse street, where apartments had
been secured for them. They remained
in Toulouse street but a short time, how
ever. and in the early afternoon were
back on their launch at Walnut street,
enjoying a frugal meal with Mir. Wealth
erington and the rest Of their party. Capt.
Oldrieve, seated at the table in the for
ward cabin Of the launch. related his eX-
peTience.
Going to Walk tho Channel.
I've done something nobody else has
ever done" remarked the captain. with
a satisfied air, and I don't think 1 could
beat my own record. What do 1 intend
to do next? Well, I can't say just now.
viii perhaps remain here for a few days,
until we sell our boat. and then I guess
Will ill some engagements offered me.
Shortly, though. l am going to walk
Fr-s..r II,
geroUs channel on my water shoes. I'll try
to cover the route from Dover 10 Calais,
the journey English armies used to pur-
sue in their periodical invasions OF
France. If 1 accomplish this feat sue
cessfully / may even attempt walking
across the Atlantic on easy stages"
Capt. OIdrieve left Cincinnati at 12:l5