The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-09-21
LARSON BESTS RAPIDS
Daring Navigator Goes Through
Whirlpool In 18-FoOt Boat.

Only Once Was the Brave Sailor In
Danger Of Hin Life, When the Frail
Craft Struck Rock and Was Hurled
IS Feet Into the Air-Boat at One
Time Turned a Complete Somer.
sauIt-Victor Will Receive $4,000
and a s5,ooc Cup.
Klaus Larsen, aged Al years, OF
Cleveland Sunday afternoon won
his dare with death, when after
40 minutes in the swirling waters Of
the Niagara whirlpool rapids, his IS
foot boat The Ferro, in which he made
the trip, was caught upon an eddy
few hundred yards below the Devils
Hole and drfted to the American
shore.
Only the fact that his engine broke
down prevented the daring navigator
from completing the full course of the
rapids and landing at Lewiston, seven
miles below, where he started from
the Canadian Maid of the Mist land.
ing.
But Larsen rode through the widest
fOur-mile stretch of water on the con-
tinent, the two miles below where his
little craft was carried ashore being
calm water In comparison TO the
treacherous passage through the
rocky bed, going.
Only once was Larsen in grave dan.
ger of losing his life. that once being
when the fral craft struck a rock,
was tossed IL feet into the air and
landed on its side For 30 yards the con.
queror of the Whirlpool rapids crest
ed the mountair-high waves, the great
er part of the distance his head and
shoulders submerged.
Two or three times the little launch
was up-ended, often il was caught in
the confic ing currents and spun
around like top, several times 1t
came perilously near mountains Of
rock that poke through the swiftly
running waters and once, just as it
shot over fall above the Devils Hole,
it turned complete somesault. But
at no time was Larsen afraid. Calmly,
he met every emergency. Once when
stuck on the ledge of rock, he worked
his rudder until the bow of the boat
wiggled into a breaker in the back
current and like flash the little craft
was carried from the boulder. shot
high on the white-capped crest of a
wave. tipped on its side and, with keel
visible, caught in an outshore eddy
that carried IL back again to the mid.
die of the river.
Again. Just as Larsen neared the
Devils Hole, he was caught IN an ed
dy that carried him among a number
Of rocks, visible only when the waves
washed back and barred their jagged
edges. But Larsen lodged them and
the boat shct into less turbulent
water. A cheer from 10000 greeted
the conuueror of the rapids.
II was not until the most dangerous
water had been traversed that Lar
sens engine broke down. Throughout
his trip in the upper rapids he was In
complete control of the craft, The
Ferro answering every demand to its
especially constructed rudder.
Deity, Larsen evaded the swirling
waters Of the Whirlpool, keeping well
toward the Canadian shore and never
was he in danger of being sucked into
the maelgtrom. Some of the smaller
pools caught The Ferro and turned
Il like a top, but the current in these
was not strong enough to overcome
the power of the propeller. TO this
fact that the engine remained true un
til the mCst dangerous water had been
travelled Captain Larsen owes his life.
Hardly had he got below the Whirl
pool than the thousands lining the
hanks saw that something was wrong.
The boat was not keeping It's course
In the middle of the river, but was
drifting helplessly, buffeted by every
wave and carried hither and thither
by every current,
Finally an inshore eddy caught The
Terro and carried 1t to the American
shore a few hundred feet below the
Devils Hole. AS the boat drifted
ashore hundreds rushed to the rivers
edge and might cheer arose from
The thousands on the bank.