Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-15
Gorrtsp0moemte.
lettings by the Way.
syracu.o-oroai saspoasion Bndxo--ihe Niaga
ra Falls.
BUFFALO, N. Y, May 81, 1866.

preferred the stage route for Cortland
and after drawing close around mt
the ample Buffalo" felt quite com,
Portable, although it looked like bad
taste for May morningl The sur
was shining brightly, yet the morning
breeze. waited across the beautiful
0swasko. came bracing .coldl Tn,
scenery down this little lake is de.
lightlul. / have Witnessed wilder
spcctacles in other portions Of III,
country; but here, on both sides o.
oswasco's pallucid waters, may be
seen beautifully undulating plains
interspersed with woodlands and mea.
dows-cottages and gardens--and
farms under high state of agricdltu'
raj Improvement. These sights wer,
secured by Germans many year,
agope, and now afford young Hans
very comfortable independence
The soil is quite stony, but they
think il no disadvantage, AID indeed
it produces abir dant crops.
Nor ~ovia, Milan, and Groton, ar,
villages on the route. Between Sum
Lice Hill and Courtland, the face o
the country is broken, and not adapt
ed to raising grain. 1t is amusing tC
the "uninitiated" to witness the un'
firing efforts of the farmers here tt
make their homes attractive, and tc
induce the ground to yield the neces.
saries of life. The soil is exceedingly
stony, and they are compelled to clear
OF these stones every season, as it il
impossible to raise crop Of grain,
without corresponding amount O
stone! Farms here, as n genera
thing, have yielded stone enough foi
fencing purposes for the last forty ol
fifty years. and probably will continue
to do so while the world stands, if cul-
tivated. This region is better adapt
ed to grazing; and horses. sheep and
cattle are raised 10 considerable ex-
tent. Some far.lers have FROM forty
to eighty cows, and accomplish their
churning by "shecp" and dog power.
Cortland is pretty village, the
the "burough" Of Courtland county
-coasains about FIVE thousand inhab.
itants. Here l had but few mo-
ments to view the beautiful sur
rounding scenery, which is unsurpass'
ed in many respects. Taking cars nj
this point, we had but little to notice
until Syracuse, the "salt city," was
seen spread out upon lovely plain,
just rising before us. This is n .briss
city. near the Onondsga.
Perhaps there are no works on the
globe, where as much salt is manufac-
tured as in the vicinity of Syracuse
Four hundred and fifty acres are GOV.
cred with watts for solar evaporation
There are also one hundred and eighty
five works for boiling, within few
miles. Three million bushels..of sail
are manufacted yearly in this neigh
borhood.
To Rochester, travelled over tho
new road, some eighty five miles, in
about two hours, passing through va
rious phases of country, down the Sen
aca valley. and along the Albany ant
Rochester canal. Villages, hamlets
woods and fields, were passed in quicl
succession, aud all blending together
seemed like vision Of enchantment
From Rochester to Suspension Bridge
we passed in the night, and were only
subject to the usual railroad "hub
bubs." till Suspension Bridge" wai
sounded th,olgh the breakman''
hoarse pipes. Remaining seated. W,
moved quietly.over the warning waters
suspended in air, some two hundred
and sixty feet above the river, sup
ported wholly by wire cablesl Thi'
bridgeis not surpassed for bold, dar
ing, and magnificent grandeur, by
any work ola similar character oil
this continent. or perhaps on tn,
globe 1t is situated on the site o
the old "Basbet Ferry" some tw,
miles below the falls. Mr.. Elliott
and several gentlemen and ladies
crossed in basket, on singl,
wire. about an inch in Diameter, tw,
hundred and thirty feet, above one o
the maddest streams in the world
! This wonderful structure is a giea
contrast with the old "riclscty baske
ferry" and an object commenting tn,
admiration of all who see it. Thi
Bridge is supported by four wire ca
bles, 10 Ia inches in diameter, eacl
composed of $3.50 mo. o" wires
The two upper cables are 1856 feet
and the lower ones 1890 feet ia length
They are secured by anchors in pit
of solid rock, some thirty feet deep
and passed over four towers, each O.
feet high. l6 feet ut bottom, Mt o fee
square at top. spanning from center Il
center of towers eight hundred feel
making the bridge over one thousan,
feet in length There is 1000 mile
of wire in the bridge, and calculate,
TO sustain with safety 1900 tons
The first wire. | believe, was takel
across by means of n kite, in l848.-
The entire cost Of he..work is estima
ted at over S500.000.00l Crosse,
by steam the first time, March Q
1855.
1t is indeed n permanent work. an
one feels just as secure upon it as o
terra firma. But | came here rathe
to see the wonders of nature. as ex
: hiblted at the falls, instead of the n
of man, and must hasten on. wa
introduced TO the"elephant," in tn
way of guides and hackmcn; but bein
: in good health, and not averse to ex
exercise, | declined their services, an
went on my way. This is a grea
place for "crack hotels" and one ca
pay 81 per day il he chooses; but as
came "to see, not TO live" l 500
left tho Clifton House to seek NOR
t moderate fare. The maxim here is
"1f you find n stranger take him ia.
+ and they follow il TO the very letter.
4 I ,,,.t a, ,,nnr Iris Sly,ap 80, ne ,.os, I,