New-York tribune., 1910-09-19
MOTOR BOAT THROUGH
WHIRLPOOL RAPIDS
r.ntain Klaus Larsen Makes
Successful Trip from Foot
OF Cataract.
ENGINE STOPS NEAR POOL
Craft Turns Completely Over,
and It's Navigator Is Badly
Battered-Pulled Ashore
Near Lewiston.

,-,srs-a FAILS. y. Y. Sept. 1s-Cap-
-sin Klaus Larsen, in his little motor
ros- the Ferro. late this afternoon made
9 successful trip from the foot Of the
,-s.a-sc- through the Whirlpool Rapids
>, vrir4in mile Of Lewiston. a distance
- four and one-haif miles. Ee started
4-or,, the Maid Of the Mist dock at 4:45
o'clock. and ran On a rock near the
American shore at $50 O'Clock.
r1esDite the batter1ng Of the Whirlpool
Esnids. Larsen went through safely.
n the exception OF a slight injury TO
r. leg. but his boat was leaking badly
g. he finish ard during the trip. Lar
ser had intended 10 start at $50 o'clock.
bu- he vas delayed by engine trouble
Resides. the authorities threatened TO in
+erfere on the ground Of attempted sui
eide
The Ferro swung under the cantilever
bridge. the engine running at top speed.
and was caught in the swift drift where
the river begins 70 rush down to the
Whirlpool Papids. Larsen held to the
middle Of the channel. and in less than
three minutes had made the great pool.
n the trip through the rapids the little
bnst vas lost 10 sight most Of the time.
lur e. Great Wave II was shot twenty
fest out Of the water. The boat landed
right and continued TO the pool
Boat Turns Completely Over.
Larsen kept 10 the outer edge Of the
pool and passed out and down without
accident Just as he left the pool the
engine stopped working and Larsen was
q rae mercy Of waters hardly less vio-
lerr than those above. The little boat
swung around stern first and then
turned completely over. Larsen coming
I'D badly battered Il was there that he
injured his leg
From then on Larsen was the play
thing Of the mighty river. unable 10 hold
the course the boat swinging from one
side 70 the other. After getting through
the Devils Hole the Ferro swung tow
ard the rocks on the American side Of
the river. rolled over one bowlder and
went fast between two others. There
Larsen stayed for five minutes. forty feet
from shore. working desperately TO re
lease the craft Getting free. he was hit
rv a comber and sent careening toward
The middle. A. the bend. with th8 Lewis
Ton bridge in sight. the boat drifted
toward the American side again. and
was then caught IN the shore eddy. The
Fer-o grounded again. this time near
Rockwell Of this city. who waded into
the water and caught q rope thrown by
larsen
Larsen wanted 10 continue the trip.
but having accomplished the worst part
Or rhe Journey he was persuaded TO
board trolley II Lewiston. setting the
boar adrfft-
Larsen Talks CT Trip.
The trip vas worse than I thought il
would De said Larsen but I am not
hur- and I viii do il again some time
with another boar. NJ leg was jammed
when she tipped over but that's all.
The engine worked finely through the
rapids. and I could have made the trip
In half an hour if il hadn't stopped
after leaving the whirlpool"
Al the end % the trip the Ferro was
found 70 be leaking badly There was
six inches of water in her Larsen said
he had not struck any rocks till after
having The whirlpool
tbs morning Larsen was summoned
10 the police office here because ne was
% touch on this side A committee Of
FIVE vas appointed 10 inspect the boat
End see il the hazard could be termed
attempted suicide. Larsen firted with
the committee. running his boat back
and forth near tho pier. but not near
enough for a close inspection
4 crowd Of forty thousand lined the
bridges and banks ar the time adver-
ussd for the trip. but when larsen
started most of them had gone
Excelt the old Maid Of the Mist, sent
through in 7s64 to avoid seizure, Lar
sens is The only engine propelled craft
ie have gone through the rapids Peter
Nissen II Chicago. in 1900. and c P.
Percy, IN 1851 and 1901. went through
he rapids N barrels and lived
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