Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-04-20
Gbuitt Eiterature,
For the Spirit of the Age.
NIAGARA FALLS.

NIAGARA FALLS.
We would here state, that we are in ! !
debted to a friend and to an excellent !
"Guide," for much valuable information
contained in this article. Niagara is an /,
Indian name, and in the descriptive Ian i!
guage Of the Iroquois, signifies, Thunder of !
Waters Could word be found better
TO convey to the mind at once, SO distinct
ly the truth Of conception
o Wishing to avail ourselves of the best
way Of viewing the Falls, we Immediately
engaged a coachman to take us to the
Canada side and to point ost everything
Of interest to us. As we proceeded, with
eager eye did we look forth to catch a
glimpse Of the Suspension Bridge and of
the Falls. Nor did we wait long before we
were gratified. AT the right was the Bridge
spanning the deep gorge, through which
flowed the angry waters, and two miles
away loomed up the foamy, water-curtain-
cd battlements Of Niagara, which no hu-
man being dared the thought to scale
On our way we had several fine views of
the Bridge, stupendous and beautiful, span
ming the unfathomabe gorge. No artists
pencil, however skillful, can so blend light 1
and shade as TO give picture in true per-
spectiye, which will furnish the mind with
such an idea of length and depth, as to
awaken in one, in any just degree, the emo
ton which the reality gives. To expert
euce those, we must bring before the eye
stupendous structure 800 feet long, form
ing n single span, from bark to bank, $50
feet from the rushing waters, weighing 800
tons. The perpendicular walls Of stone
themselves with their thousands of rugged
projections Of every form aud size, which
form the massive abutments for the ends,
the angry waters below, the four cables of
two different lengths, each over fifth of
mile, ten inches in diameter, and composed
Of 1854 wires fastened at each end to mas
siye iron chains let down between twenty
and thirty feet into the rock the four tow
ers, with their cast iron saddles, on which
the cables rest, themselves beautiful speci-
mems of stone architecture, each 16 feet
square at the base and at the top, the
two on the American side SO feet high, the
two on the Canada side 7S--all these must
be brought before the eye, each occupying
its relative position before we can fully ap-
preciate the picture. This Bridge was
commenced in the summer Of 1862, and il
may be Justly considered as one of the most
splendid achievements of human ingenuity
1t was built under the superintendent 0
j. A. Roebling, Esq, of Trenton, n. j., al
an expense of half million dollars i
has two floors, one 8 feet above the other
the upper one being the railway, the lowe
one the carriage way. We passed over t
the Canada side on the lower one, anC
back OH the upper one. From the latte
we had fine view of the Falls, and so fa
rs they are concerned, we cannot say WI
think "distance lends enchantment to tn
view" They form truly pleasing an(
picturesque appearance in the background
of the picture, but those emotions of beau.
ty, sublimity and grandeur, awakened b,
nearer view, are lost in great measure
unless awakened on the principle of the as
sociation of ideas. On the Bridge, tn
mind is occupied with the river and tn
surrounding scenery. Our guide informe,
US that the depth of the river has neve
been ascertained, as the waters are so rapi
that it cannot be sounded line, never
theless, has been sunk 200 feet withou
finding bottom. Some idea of its dept
can be gained from the fact, that from b.
ing full mile wide, as we should iudg
the river TO be little above the Falls,
is contracted below into channel less tina
one-sixth of that width. Another idea
its depth, and also the momentum the vi
ter acquires from falling such height, ca
be gained from the fact, that punging fro
the precipice to the bottom of the cham
below, it does not again appear at the su
face till near the Bridge, and probab
some Of it not then, by that momentu
forcing It's passage at the bottom of Il
river for nearly two miles. Not. beir
aware Of this fact before, we were dsa
pointed in the appearance of the river ju
below the Falls. We had always suppos,
it to be boiling surge for some distanC
Instead Of this we found the surface
tranquil that small boats go within f,
rods, aud the "Maid of the West" not
little steamer, almost to the very verge
the Falls The banks of the river are aho
200 feet high from the surface of the "
ter, slightly shelving inwardly toward I
bottom, thus making jutting cliff for I
new bank that has risen from some distar
above the water, by the accumulation
crumblng rock and earth from above, for
ing partial soil for the production OF
few stunted trees and shrubs. In order
get full idea Of the magnitude and gr
deur of the Bridge, one must needsgo do
to the waters edge and view it from belf
This is easily done, as there are stairs
the American side leading directly the
Then, as ono looks directly up, letting
eye rest upon either bank, he enjoys m
magnificent sight--the enormous struct