Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1889 — OVER THE FALLS. [ARTICLE]

OVER THE FALLS.

steve Brcdie Accomnllgh s the FVat in a Biubber Suit. Steve Brodie accomplished the perilo's feat, Saturday, of going over Niagara Falls in a rubber suit. Brodie and party arrived at Clifton, Friday night. TheJsput up at the Waverly Hotel and registered under fictitious names in order to avoid suspicion. Brodie left the hotel with the party at 4 a. m. John McCarthy and Ernest Gcrold and Brodie went to a point ‘IOO feet above the falls. He then stripped and had his body padded with eotton batting, then put on the rubber suit, which was inflated fifty-two inches around the waist and sev-enty-five inches arouna the chest the headgear being also inflated, while.two steel bands protected his body. At 5:30 Brodie, with his paddle,entered the water. He caught the current, waved his paddle to Gerold and McCarthy, and a few seconds later was shot over the center of the Horse Shoe Falls, and luckily he was shot with lightning rapidity over the outside of one of the falling volumes of water and was quickly lost in the mist and foam. He was buried from view for nearly two minutes, when a black speck, covered with a thick, white coating was seen bobbing and jumping to and fro in the boiling cauldron of rushing, gurgling waters. Jn a short time Brodie was caught in the rushing waters and carried at a brisk pace toward the American shore, and then, ail of a sudden, he was hurried toward the Canadian shore, where John Ledger had ropes ready to drag him from the water. Ledger was stripped and swam out 300 ieet with a rope, fuatened to his waist, while W. E. Harding held the other end on shore. Ledger, after several attempts, reached Brodie, fastened the rope to the iron bands round his Waist and then swam back and assisted in pulling the daring swimmer ashore. On Brodie being lifted on the rocky shore he was qnickly stripped and brandy poured in small quantities on his temples while he was rubbed and chafed, but he was insensible and blood oozed from his mouth, nose and ears' probably from the shock or concussion For twenty minutes Brodie la> until

T F be began to shiver and gesticulate with his hands. He gradually recovered eon* sciousness and it was then found that his injuries were not serious. In describing his experience, Brodie says that after he. entered the river he weakened, and Would have given anything in the world if he could have reached terra firma once more. He attempted to get ashore by using his paddles, when the swift current swept him bock and turned his feet toward the brink of the cataract. When he saw that it was impossible to gut odtfi© felt toe sams as a man that was to meet death,, and prayed for dear life. JuSt as he come to tbe ; brink of the falls hebeoamo unconscious through fright and remained so until he struck the water. Then he again lost consciousness apd knew no more until he found himself lying on his rubber suit at the waters edge.