The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-13
Politicians are numerous, and am somewhat |

Politicians are numerouA and am somewhat
surprised at the ability often displayed in dis
cussing the current topics Of the day. The
present imbecile and corrupt administration is
universally condemned, and Franklin Pierce
heralded forth as the great spokesman of the
time-without principle on judgment. This is
soil are remarkably plain and puugent The
HERALD is read with avidity, and is looked up
to rs the only true exponent ofpublic opinions.
Let all who have wish for O weeks recrea-
ton come here. believe have given it snf-
fcient recommendation, to which others are
duly qualified to testify. VIC.
TAUGHANIC FALLS.
CATARACT House, Taughanic Falls.
Tompkins County, N. Y, Aug. 7, 1854.
Route to the Falis-Description of them :
Hotel Accommodations, &c., &C.
Spending short time in the country. away
from the noise and hustle of city life and ha wing
found one of the most beautiful retreats in the
State, / cannot refrain from giving you, and
through your HERALD, the "rest of mankind y
a short account of it. Leaving New York city
in the morning, at o'clock, by the New York
and Erie Railroad, we passed over the road as
far as Owego where arrived about O'Clock
Pm. From Owego Immediately took the
train of cars in waiting on the Cayuga and
Susquehannah Railroad (by the way, one Of
the best managed railroads in this country,
there never having been an accident on the
road by which life was lost, as am informed)
or Ithaca. which place we reached about !
0 clock the same evening.
Ithaca is situated at the head of Cayuga
Lake, in an amphitheatre formed by surround
ing hills. The approach to the village (soon to
be a city, by the Cayuga and Susquehannah
Railroad, is fine beyond description. You first
see the place from the summit of South hill,
Immediately below you nearly three hundred
feet covered by forest of shade trees-from
which fact is derived the name by which it is
often called Forest City,
Ithaca is the county seat of Tompkins county,
and is large and very thriving place and has
population Ofnearly seven thousand. Remain
ing over night at the Clinton House, we'll Or
dered and appointed hotel, the next morning I
left, by steamer Forest City, on the silvery wa
tiers Of Cayuga Lake. for this the finest water
fall in the State. Sailing down the lake ten
miles to Port Deposit, left the steamer, and
took carriage for Trumansburg beau
tiful village, in most fruitful and
charming country, it being the garden of the
Genesee country, producing the Genesee wheat,
of great celebrity-and from Johannesburg to
this romantic and quiet retreat
Taughanic Falls are situated about ten miles
from Ithaca, one mile from the Western shore
Of Cayuga Lake, aud about two miles from Tru-
mansburg, upon Halsey's river--at some sea-
sons OF the year large and raging stream,
taking its rise in the highlands, between Cayu-
GO and Seneca Lakes, running through the
gently undulating and fertile lands, having up
on its borders large number Of mills.
About one mile above the Falls, it seems as If
nature had tried to form an impossible barrier
to the further progress of the river, the land
rising abruptly some one hundred feet. But
the water first entering some assure of the
rock, has by degrees worn an immense chan
mel. For this mile the stream passes through
gorge walled up with stone from one hundred
and seventy-fve to two hundred feet high, the
sides being perpendicular. At the Falls, the
immense walls of stone wing off to the right and
left, the water falling perpendicular two hun
dred and ten feet into ravine from three
hundred and seventy to four hundred feet Deep
At this season. it being very dry, there il not y
great depth Of water running over the falls
the width of the water making the fall being
about fifty feet. The water, in its descent,
soon after leaving the top of the fall separates
itself into dense white spray, and looks like an
immense gauze veil. From the foot of the fall,
the immense ravine continues about one mile,
the stream meandering through it until it unites
tself with the fair waters Of Cayuga Lake.
II is strange that these falls are not more
known. Ii known as they should, there would
be no greater place of resort in the State. The
lake views here equal any thing to be found on
tie Hudson river 1t is, / can assure You, q
most charming place Of resort. There are two
hotels here in the woods. the best being the
Cataract House. kept by J. S. Halsey, very
commodious house, and supplied with an album
dance Of good things to satisfy the appetite. In
his reading room, among other papers, you al
way s find the well known face Of the HERALD.
II any from your corps editorial see fit to
visit this place, will warrant them warm re-
ception and good fare. They will also thank
me thousand times for penning you this hasty
letter. VIAroR.