NIAGARA STUNT

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1931, Page 8

NIAGARA STUNT

MAN IN BARREL. , muted Pres* Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright, j NEW YORK, May 30. William Hill, a veteran rivernum; and his son, William, to-day provided a spectacular sight- for thousands o. cheering onlookers lining both sides ol the swirling Niagara river. The elder Hill entered a barrel, which was placed in the liver below the falls, and lie attempted to ride the rapids therein. After negotiating portion of xne river, the barrel was caught in a whirlpool. It then crashed on the rocks, and started to leak. The barrel circled round endlessly, sinking lower and lower. The younger Hill then tied a rope about his waist, and jumped into the river, and, alter a terrific brittle with the current, he swam to the barrel, to which he tied a rope. By ths means the lather and son were drawn ashore. Both were exhausted and bruised, but were otherwise uninjured. \ NEW YORK, May 30. A Niagara Falls message states that William Hill was attempting to go through the Niagara Rapids and the whirlpool' to-day in a barrel when he became entangled in the whirlpool, and was rescued by the valiant efforts ot his son, William junior. The barrel W*s fast filling with water. Attempt* were made by firemen to cast him a rope, but failed. An aeroplane then sought to place a rope near the barrel, but it also tailed. Then tbe son tied a rope around his body and struggled through the whirling waters until be grasped the barrel. Holding his father, as thousands of onlookers cheered him, lie attached a rope to the barrel, which was slowly dragged to the Canadian shore. The father was inside and the son was holding on grimly. Hill senior said that he believed that another hour in the barrel would have meant' death. Eight" gallons of water were already in the barrel. Hill was battered and bruised. He expressed regret that he was unable to reach his objective, namely. the Queenstown dock below the whirlpool, as he had done twice before—once in 1919, and last year. in a barrel in three hours.