Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-01
REMARKABLE FEAT OF WOMAN
Though sixty Years OF Age, She
Swims Five Miles in River
at st. Louis.

Laughing, joking and declaring she felt
as young as a girl Of i6 and that no girl Of
that age could Guido her in physical en-
durance and achievement, Mrs. Brandon
burger, Monday afternoon, swan five miles
in the Mississippi river, unaided and landed
without mishap at the wharf OF the Century
Rowing club, adjoining the st. Louis Alien
helm, 540S South Broadway, in the presence
of a throng Of cheering and admiring spec
tators. The start was made from the east
end of Eads bridge in hard downpour OF
rain at 23O p. m. in the presence OF only a
small crowd. The finish came exactly two
hours later, according to schedule time of
Mrs. Brandenburger. The swim was given
under the auspices OF the St Louis Alien
helm, of which the swimmer is a member
and marked the beginning Of the Alien
helms annual wurstmArkt and social for
the benefit of the home. The finish was
witnessed by large crowd Of society peo-
pie and athletes of st. Louis. The swim
was made in the face OF great danger, ow-
ing to the rough water and eddies accord
ing to some Of the best athletes in atten-
dance, and required a person seasoned in
athletics and swimming to accomplish It.
Mrs Brandenburser encountered a series
OF eddes at the foot Of Chouteau avenue
which were extremely dangerous. according
to John e. Meyers, one of The best known
swimmers of the country, who accompanied
Mrs Brandenburger in a boat, and which to
the ordinary swimmer would have been
disastrous But not so with Mrs. Brandon
burger About the time she reached the
worst of the eddies she told Joke to her
son, DR.. Louis Brandenburger, who wa.
following in a boat, and remarked that
swimming was good exercise"
About an hour after the swim began the
downpour of rain, which was accompanied
by some lightning, subsidized and the sun
bright and warm, came out and made dis.
tinctly noticeable the strokes of the swim.
mer as she used first back stroke. then q
breast stroke, and then a paddle after dos
fashion. Hundreds of persons along bott
banks Of the river, who were stralnlnR theil
I their eyes watching the energetic swimmer
saw a big rainbow as 1t appeared in tn,
horizon in the east, but not before the quick
eyes Of Mrs. Brandenburger, who, floatinl
on her back at the time, saw it and called
out to the spectators to look at II. The
swim was thoroughly enjoyed by Mrs
Brandenburger and all the more so becaus,
1t was raining when she started.
At the conclusion of the swim Mrs Brand
enburger, wrapped hersel in a cloak to keer
from becoming chilled. agilely and unassist
ed, climbed $50 steps to the top of the hist
cliff to the st. Louis Altenheim where sh,
received rundown and drank a hot run
punch which had the effect Of quietinR hel
nerves.
Upon arriving in the reception room al
the Altenheim Mrs. GRANDCHILDREN SHOOT
hands with about 500 persons there to wei
come her. She then retired and slept 70
half an hour, after which she arose ant
partook of the Wurstmarkt meal, consistin,
OF sausage, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes
and coffee. Considering Mrs. BrandenburE
er's age, go years, John Meyers declare,
that the swim was the most wonderful h,
1 ever saw
Mrs. Brandenburger was born in Wies
| baden, Germany, and came to st. Louis ii
| 1864. She weighs 1865 pounds and Is slight a
stature. She lives at 4O62 Botanical avenue
Her husband, notary public is a retire,
gardener.-St. Louis Globe Democrat