Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-12-01
How Table Rock Fell.

l had something to do with tho falling
of Table Rock, that broad she'll on the
Canada side, which in 1850 juttcd over
the very cauldron of sccthing water, but
which tumblcd into it on a certain day
in the month of June of that, by me, oft
remembered year. About noon on that
day l accompanied lady from the Clifton
House to the Falls. Arriving at Table
Rock pointed out to my companion
vast crack of fssure which traversed the
entire base Of the rock, rcmarking that it
looked wider than it had ever appeared to
Inc before. The lady almost shuddered
as she looked at it, and shrinking back,
declared that she did not care about going
to the edge Of the rock. "Ah," said |
taking her by the hand, "you might as
well come on, now that you arc here.
don't think that the rock will take q notion
to fall merely because we are on it,"
The platform jutted from the mainland
some sixty feet, but to give the visitor a
still more fearful projection over the raging
water, wooden bridge or staging had
been thrust beyond the ezrrome edge for
some ten feet, This terminated in u small
box for visitors to stand in, and it was kept
in its position and enabled to bear weight
by ponderous load of stones. The day
was very bright and hot and it being about
lunch time at the hotels, but few visitors
wers out, SO VIC occupied the dizzy porch
alone. We gazod fearfully upon the aw-
full waters, we stretched our heads timidly
over the frightful depth below, and we
felt our nature qucllcd in every fibre by
the defcaning roar that seemed to saturate
US, as it were, with an indefnablo dread.
"This is terrible place" said |. "Look
under there and see on what mere shell
We stand ! For years and years the teeth
oftho torrent, in that jotting, angry stream,
have been knawing out that holloW, and
some day this plain must fall" Ny com
panicn shgddcrcd aHd drew herself back
in alarm. Our eyes swept the roaring cir
Gle of the water once more; we gazcd
about in fearful fascination, when suddenly
turning our looks upon each other, each
recognized a corresponding fear. II dc
not like this place. | exclaimed quickly
"The whole base Of this rock is probably
disintegratcd, and perhaps it is poised in {
succession of steps or notchcs, ready tt
fall out or tOpple down at any unusual per-
turbation. That fssure there seems to be
unusually vide to-day! think we had
better leave, for do not fancy such d
finish and besides my paper must be pub
lished next week"
With these words-the latter uttered
half loosely, though not without alarm
| seized my companions hand, and in al
absolute panic we fed as fast as our fee;
could carry us, toward what might be cal.
led the shore. We burst into a laugh
when We rcgaincd the land, and jumping
into the carriage, felt actually as if we had
made fortunate escape, We rolled bach
toward the Clifton, but before we had
proceeded two minutes On our way, thun'
dering report, like the explosion of al
earthquake, burst upon us, and, with {
long roar, the ground trembled beneath oul
wheels. We turned to find that TablC
Rock had failed. We were the last upor
it, and it was doubtless the unusual per,
turbation caused by our flying footsteps
that disturbed the exactitude of its cqui
| librium, and thrilled it from its final poiso
In a minute more the road was fllct
with hurrying people, and in the following
half hour we were told a hundred times il
advance Of The mex. morning journals tina
lady and gentleman who were on thu
Table Rock lad gone down the falls. W,
are told that the trot Of dog would shak,
old London Bridge from end to end, wheI
it would not be disturbed by the rolling o
heavily loaded wagons. Table Rock has
probably not been run upon for years
perhaps never, and therefore, when hearC
1T spoken of / always shuddcr and feel o
if had something to do with its fall
HIAtes' Spirit 4f Hte Times.
!
AT one of the battles of the Revolution
the Yankees were piling up balls whicI
the enemy had wasted. The British Com
mandcr applied to them for ball, as fol
lows ave want balls-will you sci
them 7" The answer was-"Send US pow
der, and well giys them 10 yoa,"