The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-09-03
Reirnpres.Inn nfihe NInrnra Falls.

From the Buffalo Commercial AoNeiuset H0th'l
We are indebted 10 ~ esteemed eofres-
psudent for the following communicable
Oh a veryinterestipg subject IN prl-
vate mote Nthe writer expresses the hope
that the taAts set forth will prompt eome
of the nanW scientific men who visit the
falls 10 give A full geological history in 2
summarized form, Of course, OF the present
aud past. and the probable future OF Mag
ara. Prof lie Vtux, who furnished the
writer with the important facts alluded TO,
IL the author Of several popular works on
Geology, (English,O but his work on Mag
am and the Lakes will not be published IN
less thar six or eight months:
Editors Boston Commercial Advertiser:
Nh. @. Victor lie Vaux, the geologist,
now soiourniug at the Falls, Is engaged,
we believe, in writing q work ON the zee
ology of Niagara and the Great Lakes.
/ He states that the Horseshoe Falls have re
coded more than six feet at the great bend
or genital blight since his visit here last
year, and that the average rate Of retrogres-
sion from this point along the pfeceipice to
the Canadian Bend" has been hve feet.
During the last year the rate OF retro.
erosion of the American Falls was three
feet Mt one point the Luna INDIGNATION OF
bight) and one foot at another. Else
where the retrogression Is not perceptible.
Last year Mr. LeVaux drove iron pins into
the earth in various places at Goat Island
and elsewhere, each set consisting of three
rodgl being Ina line with each other anG
some point on the verge. of the precipice
I The centtnl blight has reoeded six feet tC
the left of ,that line of indication, and The
"Iuna blight three feet TO the right, ant
so on, the points being taken on Goa
Island. Mr.. lie Naux is the first so far a.
we have asceft0ined, who set indicating
sentlnels, such rs alluded over the falls
His plan for calculating this annual retro
erosion is excellent If every scientific
gentleman visiting Niagara would fix lin
dicators' in the locality so as to be IN o lin
with some point or part Of the cataract tn
. average annual rate of retrogression coul'
soon be settled beyond the possibility OF
doubt.
Mr.. lie vaux states that, in his opinion
portion of the precipice on which the Ter
mpin Tower is situated will be swept ava!
IN loss than ten years. At present an i'm
mense c~reyice on crack, scarcely noticed b.
visitors. extends from the base Of the towe
towards the centre Of the great cataract
Il runs nearly parallel to the edge OF tn
precipice, and Is about fifty yards in length
Henceforth ut certain seasons, especial.
during the breaking up of the ice ON th'
lakes, it will be very dangerous for visitor
to ascend the tower. This immense crev
ice can be plainly discerned from either thu
base or summit Of the Nerapin.
We all remember the establishment eN
perienced last Fall when some scientific
men asserted they had discovered, about
mile above the Falls, certain signs which
seemed to indicate that the waters ha,
E.-..Ml ID. -..lNr...Nann F.aUaaUa trnTu thn
point TO the "Cauldron" beneath the pre-
cipice. and that this was the reason VIII.
not more than half the usual volume tum
bled over the cataract. The learned gen
tlemeu aforementioned informs rs that h.
has studied this matter accurately, and, a
the result Of his investigations, atiIms tina
no such passage exists. He states tina
small streams, similar 10 those which flow
uudor aud amongst the rocks composing
The Three Sisters" do certainly hoy
through and under the upper strata com
posing the bed Of the river above the Falls
aud tend 10 hasten the decomposition o
the same, but that me- such under
Ground stream az that alluded I,
does or could exist without producing
indications. below the cataract, no
now apparent. He attributes tn,
shnllowness Of water last fall, aud at pres
cnt, to the increase Of evaporation an,
want o rain; also to the c%onGguration o
the rapids, which, being rather %prolonge,
and elevated in the entire, have tendenc.
10 turn the waters on either side, whei
there is any decrease in the volume. Tn,
bed of the river on the Canada side i
much lower than that IN the American. |
IL on this account that the greater VOLUME
of water passes over the Horseshoe. Prot
lie ynux Informs us that the wear OF denu
dation backwards and downwards of bot
falls is. in proportional the volumes Of WI
ter passing over them, aud that the sam,
il true of the river beds. Consequently, il
the course Of time, as the relative d0pthI
OF the two streams increase, the waters vii
cease to How in the American channel alto
gether | would that some OF our locn
g~eologlsts would devote their attention TO tn,
subject, as | mn sure the public generally
"a well as myself, feel IN interest in thu
destiny OF odd Niagara"