Evening Star Newspaper, July 8, 1923, Page 69

JULY 8 1923 Rapids of Potomac Test Skill of Cleverest White~-Water Men. BY JAMES A. BUCHANAN. HERE is no sport in the world that provides more thrills per minute than that of “white water,” for the name means the shooting of rapids, sections of 4 water that are turbulent, water that seeks with the viciousness of a hun- Bry wolf to catch and devour, water that sends its lashing spray in the fuce of the man or men who are pad- dling the canoe. The bits of spray are white, and, like the team at the mouth of a hungry denizen of the forest, they cut as they hit, assume fantastic shapes, but always have as their objective the undoiug of the man who seeks to conquer the terri- tory in which they abound. \ The taming of white water 1s not % sport for effeminate young men or Indolent lounge lizards. It Is & game that is played by real men and courageous women. It takes on none of the aspects of a pink tea party. You cannot bring your knlitting along, Tor can you ruminate on the frailties of life while shooting. You cannot leisurely drop into a study of self, mor can you sit idly by and moon- dream. You have to be up and stir- ring every minute— every second of the time that you are shooting the rapids. In many respects it is like fiying ® fast alrplane. You have to act in- stinctively, you do not have time to , Tecall what the Instructor said to do in this or In that case, you have 1o be on the job all the time—part of the time will not do at all. If you evy hesitate, it will mean wrecked canoe, a spill in the water or perhaps a swim for your life, but it is a sport that, once it grips you, r lets go, and, no matter what the world vou visit. you in- ely ask if there is any white near at hand. It becomes a desire from the time you have con- quered your first sho g, and, no matter how hard you try to get it out of your system. you find that you Ywill always vearn for one more chance at a rapid that you have heard is a particularly sporty one, You may have reached the age of slippers and fireside, but when spring comes and you happen to read or hear of some nice new place, how the old course has changed, you cannot help but look longingly that has served you so well past, and wonder if you can bLusiness for a few ¢ 's and one more fling at white water. or in the leave have ‘ HE grip of holds you. but as soon as your «on and heir is old enough to sit in the canoe with you, you commenec: to tell him about the things that you used to do, and when you have beached the graceful craft that is one of our heritages from the In- dians you start to teach him about the puddie. You stop talking only when you notice that the sandman is playing 4ricks with the boy's eyes and that the campfire has started to die down It is then that you put the greener bits of wood on the fire for the night's “fud " ®0 that the posquitoes will not disturb your flumbers, and as you lie on your bed of boughs or perhaps. if it Is within the confines of a camp, your mattress, vou think of what a splendid thing you are doing for the hoy, and you clance lovingly at the stmdy figure of the youngster and note tl shoulders. Before vou you mile contentedly, as quite certain that the boy will some day wear the mantle that has many s been draped around your own shoulders—the mantle that woven by other enthusiasts and in thelr minds is the title, “champion white water man.” fo pu have, upon many occasions, earned the plaudits ot your fellows when you mastered the swirling, secthing, dangerous waters that leaped at your frail craft. There is remarkable thing about this form of sport and that is , that it is particuiarly free from jeal- ousy. There is nothing of the “small- man business” about it, for all white- ter men are really brothers, not only on the surface, but also under their skins. When you make a good trip through turbulent waters they rejolce with you, and they are wont to acclaim vour prowess, which is further idence that it is a sport that belongs to real sportsmen. The le” fellow that would decry such achlevement would receive the cold shoulder and be made to feel that he was another world. You can- not be sportingly small and be a white-water man. The two don't mix and that is all there is to it of burse, you have read the sport not is is one Y of the t the old paddle | onty | you are) for | wonderful rapids up in Canada and in many sections of our own country, and you have often wanted to see-just how men negotiate these bodles of swirling waters. You have yearned {to see the men turn the fragile canoes this way and that, and have wanted to see it the wonderful stories of their skill wore facts or figments of fancy. | You have wanted to see just how they did the marvelous things that have been printed about canoeing, but you have not had the time to travel the distance that was necessary. You do not have to be away from business for a day, however, to see some of the best white-water men in the world perform feats of dar- ing that will bring you to your feet | cheering when they have safely,navi- gated the'rapids that are but a few miles from the place in Washington that you call home, for between here and Great Falls you will find white water that would test the skill of the old-time Indian paddler, and in | this connection it may be stated that ! |in the earlier days the men of the forest used to gather at these near- by points and hold contests of skill. i * ox o * | JT is a matter of record that one i1 enthusiast, who had negotiated the | majority of rapids in different parts of the country, after he had visited ‘Washington declared that among all | the rivers he had visited in the central | part of the United States and Canada he had never viewed any that afforded such wonderful sport as doesgthe Potomac From the beginning (IYI tidewater up to Great Falls there can be found excellent going, and those who live in Washington do not | have to visit any other part of the | country in search of excitement In { this form of sport. | The stretch of white water between Great Falls and Little Falls is in- tqnoely Interesting. but portions of i it should be used only by people who have had considerable experience In canoeing. and while, as P. H. Cath- cart says, canoeing In expert hands is one of the safest sports as well as the most exciting, yet In the hands of an amateur it is extremely danger- ovus and should not be attempted by any who have not had a good deal lof experience in this form of out- {door recreation. | Washington is particularly fortu- nate in having an organization such as the Sycamore Island Canoe Club, for mong membership are to be found numerous expert paddlers. It ! must not be thought, of course, that of the 100 members all are what you | might call tried and true men, Hut | the percentage of experts in this club is probably the largest among such ! organizations in the United States. ! In addition to the members of the lclub who are expert canoelsts, there | are other citizens who indulge in this |svort. Some of them have summer |homes along the river and others merely come up now and then to get the old-time thrill of shooting the !rapids. The officers of the Sycamore [ Ciub are as follows: Mr. Stoddard, | president, better known to his friends {as “Admiral;” James Webb, vice pres- ! | ident; R. D. Gessford, secretary; E. R. | Thompson, treasurer; P. H. Catheart, {for many yvears captain of canoeing. | | at present captain of swimming. The | captain of the island Is T. R. Edwards. | { To return to the matter of shoot- ling the rapids, as far as the Indlans | were concerned, there exists a legend | that a number of years ago a party !of Indians made an attempt to shoot | Great Falls. None of them that time were successful in their attempt, | and the next spring another member lof the tribe took a number of logs | | and going, with a friend, to a point some distance above the falls, ar- jranged to have the logs float down through the white-crested water- ways of Great Falls proper. After having studled the currents and the action of the logs In the water. he made an attempt to shoot the falls, but was not successful. A little later, according to the legend, he again at- {tempted the feat and this time his | !efforts met with success. According | |to the story that has been handed |down, he performed the same feat | upon several subsequent occasions. | There 1s no record, however, of any | of our modern canoeists having been {able to duplicate the feat accom- | plished by Lo. Al *ox ok ow NE might properly say that from the head of tidewater there is a stretch of nine miles to Great Falls, practically all of which is good canoe water. Of course, it {s necessary at {one point to portage around a dam {that is three-quarters of a mile be- |low Sycamore Islan: Fastest Things on Earth RANK HUSSEY, a youth of nine- teen, recently ran 100 yards in 93-5 seconds—a speed of 0.355 miles per minute. Mr. Hussey was in something of a hurry when he made this time; in fact, he was in £0 much of a hurry that no living g could have caught him. But he cbuld sustain this burst for only 100 vards and no more. If a horse such as Man-o'-War had started with Hus- sey the animal would have left the man far in the rear before half the distance had been run and have been hardly tired at the finish; for Man-o'- War ran 1% miles at a speed of 0.615 miles per minute, nearly twice as fast as the sprinter. So much for man and his dumb friends. A wild animal could put even the mighty «¢ super-horse to shame; for an antelope of Mongolia, bearing the stately sci- entific name of “Gazella Gattutosa,” has been timed in one minute flat for the mile. What's your price on Man- o'- War for this race? However, if man cannot move as fast as an animal on his own feet he can put nature to shame with his ma- chines. Put man in the water in his fastest motor boat and he can make 117 miles in a minute; bring him back on land, give hfm a racing auto- mobile, and presto! Now you see him, now you don't; for he can cover 2.6 miles in a minute with the proper combination of “gas, oil and water,” while in the air he fairly outddes nimself, for Lieut, L J. Maltland in un army plane covered the distance of 5-8 of a mile at the terrific speed of 433 miles per minute—a speed which, it sustained over the distance, would take the fiyer from New York to Chicago in 3% hours! ¢ * K kX N investigating speed some curious facts come to light. Which should tou think moved the faster—g base- ball pitched by Walter Johnson, or a body dropped from the Woolworth Tower when it reached street level? & matter of fact the two objects move at almost exactly equal speed. Johnson's “fast one” traveis at 2.5 mileséher minute, while the speed at street level of a body falling 792 feet, the -helght of the Woolworth bulld- Ing, is 255 miles per minute—a dif- ference in speed of only .05 of a mile. And yet neither of these two flying objects could catch the racing auto- mobile in full career. In vain would Johnson, if he were so minded, try to “bean” the driver; the car would have a difference of .1 of a mile per minute In his favor, and If we could travel along with him we would see the base ball slowly left behind by the speeding motor. s If we leave the field of vehicles for a moment and enter that of propelled objects, about the fastest thing we can find Is the United States Army -30-caliber rifie bullet. This bit of lead alloy cuts through space at the rate of 30.12 miles per minute. An in- teresting fact about this bullet is that It it were fired at a target a mile away it would arrive at its destination nearly five-eights of a mile ahead of the crack of the rifie! For sound in air travels only 12.54 miles per min- ute, much less than half the speed of the bullet. * ¥ X % RUT from sprinter to rifie-bullet speed nothing can compare ‘with the unimaginable speed of the small- est tangible particles of matter—the particles thrown off by radlum. We jump suddenly from a mere thirty miles per minute to the staggering figure of 750,000 miles in the same space of time—thirty times around the earth in sixty seconds! ‘we choose to adopt Prof. doctrine that nothing ter than light, and that such waves as X-rays and radio sig- nals travel at that speed too, we may as well stop the contest and award the prise to these three for a dead heat. They tavel at’ the rate of 11.160,000 miles a minute. Are therc Zany contestantgd O WHERE THE GOING 1S EXCEEDINGLY DANC S, =CIALL RATHER LOW, AND THE JUTTING BOWLDERS MAKE CANOE NAVIGATION DIFFICULT. ever, proceeds by the feeder, there is | a portage around one gate only. [ Previous to the late war, annual regattas were held on May 30 und the auspices of the International Club Canoe A of an extremely exciting character. Upon these occaslons there were also | tilting contests by canoeists armed | with long poles, the end of each capped with a big cushion so that there might not be any Injury sus-, tained by the occupants of the other canoes. The object was to upset the other paddlers. There were also up- | set races and many other contests of | skill. Later in the summer similar but not as extensive contests were | held in the lower er. | From Sycamore Island to Great Falls there is what is termed a| “gretty good current.” There are also | numerous small rivers and about a | half-dozen real good rapids where | there is enough white watar to satisfy the adventurous spirit of the average | canoeist. Capt. Cathcart, in dis-| cussing this form of sport the other | da =aid: N " “White-water canoeing-is a tést of ability and nerve. Sometimes you would be surprised how the current will almost take you through. and at other times you will find that you | have a man-size job on your hands. | Yod must ever be on the alert to| fend off from treacherous rocks, | waves and carrents. | “Usually the best method when one s approaching white water is men- | tally to take in the whole rapids. | then select the one that appears best | for you and commence paddling for | all you are worth. An important fea- ture that should not be overlooked ! by one who has not yet attained a' marked degree of efficiency is the | fact that it is the difference between | the speed of the boat and the speed | of the water that gives you steerage way. L “Perhaps, to make this more clear to the mind of your readers, I had best cite the illustration of an auto- | ! mobile standing still and the man at | GUIDING THE LIGHT CRAFT THROUGH THE “WHITE WATER" OF THE POTOMAC. the wheel trying to turn the machine, but when the machine gathers head- way, then It is much easier to guide the direction of the automoblle’s progress. “There are some few who advo- cate back paddling during the trip through the white water, but I am of the opinlon that the real experts do not look with' favor upon this method. " “There has been considerable con- troversy among canoeists as to, the advisability of having two men in the canoe. In ‘Canada they do not congider the canoepropenly manned T sclation, and the races were |, THE TRAIL ” , without two men in 1t. Each of these | trained crew consists of a man in|you out In the open and gives your en_ should know what the other|front doing the emergency work and |lungs and muscles a chance to work |the man in the back completing the | properly. fellow is going to do under any and all emergencies. Contrary to general belief, a most important part of the steering through white water is done by the man in the front of the boat. It is he, necessarily, who is in a po- sition to see any danger that may threaten, and, with a thrust of the paddle, in an instant he may cause: the craft to escape serious damage. Of course, the man in the back does 95 per cent of the work, but the man in front is rcally the steersman wmo e cves SpOS. A well AT THIS TIME OF Y * channel WITH A PAC labor. “The majority of people who en- joy shooting the. rapids are really ide of the sport. experienced canoeists, but even then, |the more strenuous si : a hole is punched in the | Take the case of young Jack Stod- occasionall pottom of &ne craft, for, no matter how skillful a man may be, it is not always possible for him to avoid an accident now and then, and right at this moment I might add that it is nighly essentlal, that 1 canoelsts be ed swimmery. R. THE WATERS OF THE POTOMAC ARE | months of the %%QWQMQ@QQQQQQQMQQQQQQWM _him many of the fine points of the Sycamore Island Canoe Club Has Some of Most Expert and Courageous Paddlers on Its ) Roster—Health-Producing Sport Is Becoming More Popular Every Year — Sphere in Which ¢ Indians Once Excelled Now Occupied by Business Men Who Aim to Keep in Best Physical Con- dition—Great Courage and Alertness Required for Most Spectacular Feats. [ N N N N O N N N N N N N O Y N N Y N N N O game. If you happen to see a canoe being kilifully conducted through white water some time when you are up the river, you will probably be watching the Stoddards, father and son.” OME week end when you do not S know. what to do with yourself and feel that you must get out in the open, and at the same time you want to see something that will in- terest you, take a run up to Syca- more Island and watch the men, wom- en and younger folks getting their canoes ready for a trip. Note the ease of movement with which they launch their craft, how they take itheir places in the little vessels, watch them when they begin their ¢ * ok ok K canoes, take heed of the rhythm of By J. A. HE war may be over, but docu- mentary projectiles from long- range diplomats are still fiy- ing, and there are other reac- tions. New romances develop with the war as a background, and it is too early to close the®book to Cupid in that relation. e or i g S e {liest young man in Wichita county, Tex.,, was an early volunteer in the A E F. and landed in a hospital early in the game. Miss Deering. the pretty nurse who ! ministered to Benham, had another patient—a handsome chap named Chalmer, who had the eyes of a poet, deep, dark and fascinating. The reg- ulation cropping of Chalmer's black halr did not dissipate the notion that His voice was low and musical, and grace controlled even his restricted movements as & patient. Nature may not deliberately design a man to break the hearts of women. but if nature does, Chalmer was born to cause endless sentimental disturb- ance in the sex. Benham, awkward, red-haired, florid and diffident, was different. His manner was abrupt and disconcert- ing. He bewailed the misfortune that |confined him, and was hard to man- age. But the pretty nurse was pa- tient with him. Blond, with a skin like satin and a smile that won every- body, Miss Deering was sunshine where sunshine was needed. As he became convalescent, Chal- mer made love quietly and gently to !the nurse. She seemed to Benham, jwho was awed at her beauty, and who was jealous. to invite Chalmer's N REGARD to the manner in which Indians of other davs handled their thear on't paddle like the Indians lden days. Th employed a ving stroke. Canoeing was a part of the Indian’s daily life. It was| his great mo®e of transportation and | he studied its many phases until he had perfected himself in the art “Many people wanted to know JustiwnaC b ing sexson ks ‘{‘-...,mx overtures. And when Chalmer think might properly say that S left the hospital Benham saw him 1 Thne from AP L0 Sovember OF |and the nurse talking together in low {his Wekihan e 0E 4o, cotd tHeE the [zones;; és oherwinnws them, dnd ide hands and fingers become numb, One | €14 that it was a love match. cannot paddle csstully with numb| When Benham left the hospital ities bound again for the front he was as- pe: | tonished at Miss Deering's gracious- that the from the |n€ss to him, and regretted that he foot of Great Falls to Sycamore Is- | Was not good looking enough and land, and in the gorge which extends | had lacked the initiative to make | for a mile below Great Falls are four [love to her himself. real good rapids. Just above Difficult * ok ow % run, the He rupids show white | ;9 ETURNING to Texas, Benham, who water almost the entire year. Where R wore medals that testified to his wore medals bravery as a soldler, had a hero's wel- the rives b le Herzogs that ‘testified to his and_Scotts are severa small rapids of Which 18 | come, and even the young women he known 18p! LaEse had known but casually before his i s LETEA the Virginia | ar experience seemed to find him theEuiieniid Vi ferhaps ihe attractive. But If any thought of best and largest of all rapids & W ousm eams;to it tagk:tns shape and Falls. The rum-of Miss Deering. Ry | through the; The oil excitement that has made vear. These falls are | Texas famous as a field for quick for- tunes involved the Benham farm,, and Benham's family were soon num- bered among the rich. Benham's ex- the most dangerous canoeist tof go through, although | perience in France had made him restless, although it had not affected ctal people have been drowned there, but they are among the most intaresting rapids to shoot -because of the sudden drop and fast water,!his industry. But with money be and even though there is less danger | had a wish to see something of life of hitting an rocks if one stays in|outside, and New York was his frst the main channel. one always ships | ymbition, some wat scause of the height of | 15 the great city, after taiiors and barbers had done their work, Benham seemed anohter person. His fa not comely, but it was hone he was ardent with health. There was an outglving of physical power fn him that made up for any lack ot polish, 5 Benham one day entered a great 5th avenue book shop to see if he could find some of the illustrated French_ publications that were so popular with the boys who went abroad. At the foreign periodical counter he found Miss Deering, moved | by a like curiosity. “Why, Mr. Benham!" She put out her hand and scanned him. “How well you lool ’ ame to you, Miss Deering—if you are still Mivs Deering!” He hated to | 1et go of her hana. \ “Of course I am! ing in New York?" “Just enjoying myself. Sort of va- cation, Never been here, and wanted (o see if the town is as big as they say." 1 said labo cano extr nced will find river canoeists is navigable swifte as ico are as b not considered for ng is a sport that is becom- ing more popular every year, and when the people realize its manifold benefits there will he many more canoes on the river. It is not only a | ightful and exciting®sport. but also | one that is health giving. It takes ‘What are you do- ‘Do you live in Texas still?” “When I'm home. But I may get stuck on New York." He was ‘encouraged by the welcome in her eyes. His natural diffidence left him lopg enough to add: “Stop- ping at the Hotel Pennsylvania. 1 wonder if you wouldn't just have sup- per with me there tonight?" She hesitated a moment. time's sake perhaps 1 Where shall I see you?" “I'll be waiting for you at the ladies’ entrance at 6 o'clock.” “Very well. I'll come.” And she took his hand again as she left him. Benham was so elated over the en- gagement that clocks seemed to stand still. Walking up the avenue, he ab- sently kept his watch in his hand. And he was at the hotel, all eyes, at 4 o'clock. His nervousness Increased when he saw her enter. In the mean- time he had reserved a table in & corner by virtue of a tip that would have bought more than one dinner in Texas. “I'm a little green about ordering a meal in such a hotel,” he sald as they took their places. “I wish you'd or- der just what you want, Miss Deer- ing." ‘But how about yourself?" “Me? Anything you order'll do. I'm not hungry.” * % o % \HE dinner ordered, Miss Doering, to make conversation, as Benham seemed tongue-tied, recalled inctdents at the hospital. “For old ought to! “Of course, one does not have to be a white-water man, for there are those who do not desire to go in for dard, who, at the age of fifteen, is considered one of the best men with a paddle In this, and I am rather in- clined to ‘'say, all sections of the coun- !try. His father, whom we call “Ad- miral’”” took the youngster when he \was four years of age and taught journey, notice how they propel the | Tobias Benham, perhaps the home- ' He fought like a wildcat, | it'must be wonderful if given its way. | movement, and then you will realize why it is that some of Washington's business men, though past the young- er period of lite, go to work with the easy swinging gait that denotes the man who is in fine physical con- dition, for there is no other sport that can keep a man in better trim than canoeing, and when you have passed the point where you feel that you are a good paddler, go witit yome experienced man and shoot the rap- ids. Then, when you have progressed to the point where you can go through white water all by yourself, your chest will take on an added expan- slon, for you, after you have made your first trip through the swirling waters and reached still water in safety, will have achieved that which the real simon-pure devotees of the sport all strive for, the right to be called “a white-water man.” ONE OF CUPID’S SEQUELS Waldron. | “You don't | person,” she said. | You know you w ltiem!" she laughed. | “I was a grouch. seem to be the same “You're so quiet! re a dificult pa- Devilish |1 know it. But there was a reason mean. for some of it And then in a burst at which he was himself amazed: T was jealous of that chap Chalmer'” “Oh! “I thought vou and Chalmer were going to marry—after the war:" mit her. She was suddenly seridus. Her expression did not com- “I suppose you've seen him since?” “Quite often. But not personally.” She smiled again. “How's that? I don't understand'™ T'm a movie fan. He's a motion- | picture actor, you know.” ‘ “Huh! Of course you admire him." “Not particularly, even as an actor. I've no use for handsome men. Why fhe has been married twice already! And do you know I had forgotten his first name until 1 saw it on the bill- boards!” Benham perked up. got mine, too, I'll bet “Oh, no! Yours is Tob “Then you couldn't hdve disliked me—I mean because I was ‘a dificult patient,’ as you said—and as I was." “Do you think I would be here if disliked you? I have admired you greatly because of your bravery at the front.” “I say, Miss Deering. we're going to get better acquainted, I can see!” “Why not?" “Well, then, T wish your first name.” She mused 2 moment, and her eyes mgt his again. “I'm afraid I'm not living up to my name, Tobias!" “But what is it, please?" “Prudence.” “I just 1l-l-like that name. dence!” Benham was red again. #Mis-ter Ben-ham! M-i-s-t-e-r B-e-n-h-a-m!" A paging boy entered with a wire, Benham thrust up his hand, and the boy came over to them. Benham opened the telegtam and after read- ing it, handed it to Miss Deering. It was this: “Benham No. 4 is just in, flowing naturally 5,000 barrels. We're going to name it ‘Tobias.’ “(Signed.) SYLVESTER BENHAM “But what does it mean?” she asked “It's oil. 1t may mean $5,000,000." “Oh, what a lot of money “Money doesn't mean so much to me just now. Do you know what I'm going to do?” “What?" “I'm going to wire my father name that well ‘Prudence.’ ” (Copyright, 1923.) Big Telephone Cable. \\{YHAT is thought to be the largest telephone cable in the world of the submarine sort is that opened not “And you for- vou'd tell ‘me Pru- [ to long ago for messages, when direct | telephone communication was estab- Ilished between Pomerania and East Prussia over wires 100 miles long that are laid in the Baltic. To com- ply with the provisions of the Ver- sallles treaty, the line had to avoid the Polish corridor to the sea. The cable has six palrs of telephone con- ductors and three single lines for telegraph messages. The lines are insulated with paper and covered with lead, reinforced by a double helix of steel wires. The outside covering is a jute compound and is protected by an armor of twenty-nine galvanized strands of steel. American Phosphate. E phosphate lands some years ago withdrawn from" entry for settlement by the national govern- ment constitute, it is said, the great- est known phosphate deposit in the world. These lands comprise nearly the whole of Ulnta county in Wyom- ing and portions of Morgan, Rich and Cache countles in Utah, and of Bear Lake., Bannock. Bingham and Fre- mont counties in Idaho, making in all about 7,500 square miles of territory which is more or less underlain by phosphate rocks. Besides these vast I natural deposits, it is pointed out that the gases from the smelters at Butte and Anaconda, which are very in- jurious to vegetation, may be made to yleld sulphric acid for the manu- facture of superphosphate fertilizers. Curious Sort of Musical Instrument THE ordinary handsaw has appear- ed as a musical instrument. One seeker after novelties uses a saw as a violin. After long experiment and untiring practice, he has actually suc- ceeded in gettiaw an agreeable music from the tool He holds the saw ua:la between his legs, holds the tip of the saw :n the other and works the usual violin bow with the other. The vibrating steel blade emits soft, appealing notes, the pitch of which is varied oy changing the curvature of the blade. All sorts of queer effects can be got by adept manipulation of the blade. Sometimes the music resembles the human voloe: again it has the weird { wall of the Hawaiiun ukulele. v