Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-08-17
ooRREsPo PoNpENo g.

A VISIT TO NIAGARA FALLS.

I have thought that perhaps a few "notes Of
travep would notprove unacceptable to your
readers. Let me say at the outset, howev-
or, that they must necessarily be brief 1t
would require many columns Of your paper
to give full description Of all the interest
ing things / have seen and heard since I
left the West; but l will endeavor, by writ
ing maltum in pdrVo, to give fair repre-
sentation Of the world-renowped cataract
and some of the surrounding scenery. l
will give a bird's-eye view, as correctly as |
can, Of all that is usually seen by visitors.
Passing over the many interesting Incl
dents that occurred during the down and
return trip, and remarkiDg that l was at
the Falls but little more than half day,
como to the great curiosity and wonder
itself. Besides myself and wife, who count
one, there were three other persons in our
company. Walkingf from our hotel, we were
at almost every step beset by officious
guides, who offered to take us almost every
where for little moro than nothing. We
employed German hackman for dollar
and were soon nearing the gate that leads
to Goat Island. At thc gate we were
kindly relieved Of quarter each, for enter
ing and returu toll Our hack crossed tho
bridge spanning that part Of the river
which, several rods below, plunges over a
precipice Of some ono hundred and sixty
feet forming tho American Falls, 1t was
to me, and perhaps it is to others, won
dec how this bridge was constructed
Uncle Sam conceived it a prodigious un-
dertaking, for l am told he offered the
island, which is two miles round, and con-
tains eighty acres, to whoever would con-
struct the bridge. The .Messrs. Porters,
tho present owners, who have refused one
and half millions Of dollars for the prop
erty, built bridge by extending and plank
ing timbers, with knoes morticed in be-
meath, from the main land over the stream,
and then others from them, until a distance
proper for the erection Of an abutmeDt Of
solid masonry was reached. When the
mass Of stone was raised, timbers reaching
from the shore to it, were laid and firmly
planked. The process was then repeated,
until the roaring rapid torrent was safely
spanned An iron bridge has lately taken
the place of that, and now with very
small annual expense, the proprietors net
some thirty thousand dollars q season
sometimes five hundred day.
While crossing the bridge, our guide
pointed out to us rock TO which mau
who had in some way got into the stream
clung about twenty hours; but finally wa:
carried over the fearful steep below. 1t i;
nearly in the middle Of the stream, about
fifteen rods below the bridge, and its sum
NIT is alternately a little above and entire
below tho angry waves that dash againt it
We rode on, to fight Of steps leading
down to the Western edge of the American
Falls. Here for the first time the awful
cataract broke full upon our view. We
were astounded and overwhelmed by the
sublimity of the scene. ventured as neal
the brink as l dared, and peered over into
the abyss below. The boiling cauldron in
to which the CLASSY sheet of water is cease
lcssly falling, was obscured by the mist tina
constantly rises in white clouds, and on every
clear morning presents the beholder will
the sight of beautiful, nearly circular
rainbow. We saw the bow and within it
dimly, huge masses of reddish colored rocl
that have crumbled from the overhangnG
ledge, among which could just be dis
tinguished miniature looking ladders ant
ratings, leading from one to another fo
the convenience of the moro daring visitors
Crossing a t-bridge, we reached a asmal
island, whose name forget, extending ia
into the river above the Falls. Here, a
we'll as wherever we went that forenoon
nearly every tree we saw, was, despite pla
carded prohibitions to the contrary, furthe
than the tallest man can reach, covered
with names cut into the bark-some O
them twenty years old. So great is thi
carving mania, that even tho floors an,
railings of the bridges are much cut away
Below where we had stood, and behind tha
edge of the watery sheet is the Cave Q
the Winds; the entrance to which is by
covered fight of steps, leading down tn
bank some distance up the river and nar
row footpath running along the top of tn
debris that has fallen during ages past fron
the bank above. We did not visit tn
cave, but still further up is another flight c
steps, at the foot of which is a rallied bridgC
leading from the Eastern edge of tn
Horseshoe Fall to the farthest point acce'
ible, out in the river. Here is Turpin tow
er, perhaps forty feet high, built conicall
of stone, and surrounded near the SUNNI
by railing supporting platform, which
reached by flight of steps within the struC
ta.n tLot oa tbo Wonbao sa;J of .os..o ,