The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-09-22
IN THE WHIRLPOOL.
Larson's Pcrilous Trip in Motor Boat
nj Niagara Falls.

Niagara Fails, N. T., Sept. 1S.-Cap-
tain Klaus, in his little motor boat,
the Ferro, late this afternoon made
a successful trip from the foot of the
cataract through the whirlpool rapids
to within mile of Lewiston, a dis
lance of four and one-nalf miles.
He started from the Maid of the
Mist dock at 4:45 and ran on a rock
near the American shore at $3.50.
Despite the battering of the whirl-
pool rapids, Larson went through
safely, but his boat Yves leaking badly
at the finish and through the trip
Larson had intended TO start at 2:30
o'clock, but he was delayed by en-
CINE trouble. Besides, the authorities
threatened to interfere on the ground
of attempted suicide.
The Ferro swung under the can
tilever bridge, the engine running at
top speed and was caught in the swift
drift break of tht water TO whirlpool
the channel and in less than three
minutes had made the great pool. In
the trip through the rapids the little
boat was lost to sight most of the
time, but at Great Wave it was shot
20 feet out of the water. The boat Ian
ded right and continued to the pool.
Larsen kept to the outer edge of
the pool and passed out and down
without accident. Just as he left the
pool his engine stopped working and
Larsen was at the mercy of the wat
ers hardly less violent than those
above. The littel boat swung around
stern first and then turned complete
ly over. Larsen coming up severely
battered. 1t was here that he injured
his leg.
From now on Larsen was the play
thing of the mighty river, unable to
hold the course, the boat swinging
from one side to the other. After
getting through the DEVILS Hole, the
Ferro swung toward the rocks on the
american side of the river, rolled over
che boulder and wen fast between two
hers. There Larsen stayed for five
minutes, forty feet from shore, work
ing desperately to release the craft
c citing free, he was hit by comber
and sent careening toward the mid
de.
At the bend, with the Lewiston
bridge in sight, the boat drifted to-
ward the American side this time and
near enough to shore to be caught
by Roy Rockwell of this city, who
waded into the waters and caught q
rope thrown by Larsen.
Larsen wanted to continue the triI
but having accomplished the worst
part of the journey he was persuaded
! to board a trolley to Lewiston, set
ting the boat adrift.
THE trip was worse than I thought
it would be- said Larsen. but / an
not hurt and l will do it again some
with another boat, My leg was jam.
med when she tipped over, but that's
all. The engine worked fine through
the rapids, and I could have made the
trip in half an hour if it hadn't stop
ped after leaving tie whirlpool"
! At the end of the trip the Ferro was
found to be leaking badly, water stan
ding six inches deep. Larsen said he
had not struck any rocks until after
leaving the whirlpool.
This morning Larsen was summon
ed to tht police office here because
| he was to touch on this side. A COM
mittee of five was appointed to in
spect the boat and see of the hazard
could be termed attempted suicide
Larsen fiirted with the committee
running his boat back and forth neaI
the dock, but not near enough for a
cdose inspection.
A crowd of 10000 lined bridges and
banks at the time advertised for the
trip, but when Larsen started mos
had gone.
Except the old Maid of the Mist
sent through in 1864 to avoid seizure
Larsen's is the only engine propelled
craft to go through the rapids. Peter
Nissen Chicago, 1900; and C. w. Per.
cy 1887 and 1891, are the only mer
who took boats through and lived.