Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1883 — DROWNED. [ARTICLE]

DROWNED.

Foolhardy Attempt of Capt. Webb to ** Shoot n the Rapids at Niagara Falls. , The Athlete Drawn Into the Dreaded Whirlpool and Hurried Along to Death. [Buffalo (N. Y.) Telegram.) In 1861 the little steamer Miid of the Mist with three persons on board, ran the rapids of the Niagara passed through the whirlpool itself, and glided into the quiet water beyond. Of the three on board two survived Mie trip, the only persons who ever wont through this fearful channel alive. On July 28 Capt Webb, without other means of safety than nature had provided him, attempted to swim through the war of waters but failed. His body has not yet been found. For threequarters of a mile below the Suspension Bridge, runs the whirlpool, the wildest, most tumultuous and dangerous portion of the river. The tremendous power of the current cannot be realized. Webb could not attempt to swim it—it was simply a question of endurance, whether ho could live in the tumultuous watea He was rushed onward with resistless force, and perished in his mad attempt No effort was made to advertise the undertaking beyond sending circulars to the newspapers Not a dozen people in the Falls knew that the effort was to be made. There was no advertising dodgehbout it The great swimmer was confident that he could make the trip in safety. He carefully looked over the ground, but he had failed to realize the immensity of the undertaking, and so deliberately commit ted suicide. Cant Webb arrived in Buffalo last night, and stopped at the Genesee. His coming was unheralded, and the fact of his being here was known to but few. Been by a reporter last night, he said he would surely make the attempt Nothing but a desire for notoriety moved him. Last June he proposed to swim the rapids, and tried to get the railroads and hotels to make it an object They refused, but the papers kept talking about it, so he determined to make the trial No one accompanied him save his English manager, Mr. Kyle. Capt Webb did not leave for the falls until noqn. Arrived at Niagara he proceeded at once to the Clifton House, where several reporters and ethers were in waiting. He chatted pleasantly and expressed great confidence tn his powers The hour fixed was 4 o'clock, and about 3 the crowd ba<je him good by and hastened to secure good positions fqr viewing the foolhardy experiment At no point could a view of the whole length df the rapids be had. At a few minutes before! o’clock Webb appeared at the foot of the bank on the Canadian side, where a skiff was in waiting with the veteran guide, Jack Cenway, at the oars. He entered the boat and was pulled into the stream The Captain was entirely nude save for a, small breech clout Oouway pulled as far dowu as tire Maid of the Mist landing, but did not dare to proceed further. “All right ” the Captain, “this will do us. ” “I don't expect ever to see you again," said Conway. “O yes you will,” was the pleasant reply. “You don’t know me. I am an Englishman " After a few more words Capt Webb stood up in the bow of the boat and dived head first into the water. Then began the great struggle fer life. It was just 4:20 when the Captain entered the water. A few vigorous strokes and lie was fairly in the rapids, going breast on, his form a mere speck, as seen from the great blulf above. He went like an arrow shot from a bow. The first great wave he struck he wept under, but in a second appeared Way beyond His efforts to strike out in swimming form were Weaker than an infant’s against the seething waters The great waves seethed over him occasionally, but he always seemed ready to meet them. His great chest was boldly pushed forward, and occasionally half of the magnificent phvsique of the reckless adventurer was lifted from the water, but he bravely kept his position through it all and seemed perfectly collected and at home. In a second more the voyager was lost to view behind a projecting bank. So the mad journey went on safely through the upper rapids He passed then through the lower ones There the waves dash higher, the water is confined in a narrower space, and the trip is in every way more perilous How far he went alive no one will ever know. He was seen by many while passing through this awful sea, but ere then he may have been dead. His bedywas borne enward, now rising above, sinking beneath, the white-capped waves. It was Keen to enter the whirlpool. The life of the Captain was gone, and not even his body has yet been found! The maelstrom sometimes gives up its dead in a day, sometimes It holds them In its embrace a week, until all semblance pf a human being is crushed but in the revolving waters Capt Webb looked upon it as a pleasant undertaking. 'Those who saw him start looked upon it as certain death.