New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-17
A TRIP DOWN THE NIAGARA RIVER.
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
NIAGARA RIVER, BELOW LEWISTON, }

erIiuhy, aug. ~, loOO y
The traveller who approaches from Lake On
tsrio, coming up this broad, smooth river, would
not be able to believe that only few miles from
here this same stream was the Niagara that
pouIs over the great falls, and dashes through
the rapids, and bOils in the whirlpool till it
looks as though il could not assume this placid
surface without long, long rest after such tur-
bulence. Yet this is the same water that has
fsl en- more than three hundred feet since it left
Lake Erie. Yesterday that Lake was in COM
motion with wind so strong that it was diff
cult, if not dangerous to navigate. IL was my
design TO take the steamboat that plies bet Seen
Buffalo and Chippewa, and then down the rail
road that leads to the mouth Of the river, stop
ping over night at the Falls, aud then go down
and cross the suspension bridge, ani take the
railroad down to Lewiston ON the American side.
This route gives an almost inconceiyable amount
of ntert sting and exciting scenery, to be com.
prised in so short a space-not over thirty miles.
But was disappointed of the first part, though
have heretofore enjoyed it. When we drove
down to the wharf We found the wind blowing
down the lake with freshness quite familiar to
Buffalo mariners. The waves beating upon the
pieT-head, dashed their spray in white showers
twenty feet high. across the wall and over the
deck Of the Chippewa boat as she came in, to such
degree that the captain thought it very prudent
when he got on the lee side of the wharf TO hold
there for calmer weather. This was sage cOnclu-
sion; for with such sweeping breeze down
stream, when we should round to, almost in the
suck Of the rapids, to run into Chippewa, a break
of the machinery might produce slight degree of
nervousness in the passengers when they thought
..l.a l'a1l ,.lx~ tlnu
below.
Disappointed in this source of excitement, / chose
the next one at hand; took the evening train down
and crossed the suspension bridge by starlight,
when there is just light enough 10 see the outline
of the bridge and the long tran-that of the Great
Western road as it creeps along on the narrow
roof with the white foam of the breakers sweep
ing away down through the dark gorge of those
precipitous rocks, that look more steep, high and
dark than when seen from any other possible posi-
tiop This single ride across this gddy hight with
feelings of perfect security, with such exciting pic
lures before the eye is worth journel across the
wide continent. 1t only needs to be known to be-
come fashionable, and once Endorsed as one of the
sights worth seeing the passage would be made by
half of the visitors TO the falls There is another
very pleasant part of visit here that fe " enjoy,
and that is a walk along the cliffs, like the one
took this morning from the bridge, about a mile
and half up to the Horseshoe Fall. There Is
such constant Importantly of Have carriage
/" Sir" that man hardly gets chance to walk II
he is in company with laOies for the cOachmen tell
so many lies about the roads and distances that the
gentleman often accepts the carriage when he
| would be far better of without It,
Preparations are making at the Canada end OF
the suspension bridge for a great railroad station
There are two steam-diegers at work now, grading
a space for freight house one thousand feet long
and one hundred and fifty feet wide. This is 10 ad
/ - kn;Id fbo Gro Wastorn and
! Chippewa roads already have there.
The earth TO be removed is a compact clay
loam of lust the right mixture of sand for brick, OF
chocolate color. fifteen feet thick. The present
contract is for 100000 cubic yards, at about %
cents yard. Each machine can take Out an av-
erace of 500 yards a day, with one engineer and
three men, and cars enough to carry of the dirt as
fast as they are loaded. The engine is said TO be
| twenty. horse power but if so, the power is in
very small space, rs the whole engine and all the
| driving machinery are in room about SIX by ten
| feet square which moves up TO its work on a
movable railway, and is carried forward whenever
| desired by lie own power; the attendants simply
shifting section of the rails from the rear forward
and throwing the driving wheel into gear The
dirt is emptied into upon rails that extend to
the edge Of the bluff, where ii is poured down into
| the river without the least prospect OF stopping
| the current or filling the channel though several
in0uisitive individuals have been gravely assured
that that was the object. One of that class who
90 about with pencil and memorandum book to
take Il note of everything" saw this hllngIn
operation from the American side, aud not being
able to Get satisfactory answer fastened over the
bridge and inquired of the Irishman in charge
what be was doing that for
making railroad, sure; and what else would
! we be afterl"
Making railroad What across the river J"
"Sure; where else would we be making it =
but. is MT the one across the bridge enough y
"Ob, yer honor, that belongs to the other COM
psny."
"Ob yes, i see and this to an opposition road.
! And where do the fools expect TO get dirt enough
in these parts to I'LL up this chssml"
"Out of the eanswl. The same company are
going to dig ship csnawl, and turn all the water
from above the falls through that, and they have
found that they can I'll in here great deal cheaper
than the other company built their bridge;
"Weil, that does look reasonable And he took
out bis pencil to make note of it, probably fof
some new book Of Travels in America"
Whenever the company succeed in stopping the
current by pouring in loose earth, will make
"nOte of it, But would almost as soon under
take this ioh ss that Of making tha present roS