The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-08-13

American shore It's curiosities equally az
wonderful for it is only from the Ameri-
can side that the Rapids, Terrapin Tower
and Goat Island can be reached, and
these are considered by some as curious and
interesting as the great Horseshoe Falls
and the Table Rock on the British side of
the river. / may as well here state that
the Table Rock has lately fallen from its
former place, and is no longer q wonder
1t is also estimated that the Falls wear
away at the rate of about foot year !;
but I should think this calculation was
without much certainty.
When persons mention the Suspension
Bridge, they always mean the railroad
bridge, and not the wire bridge near the
Falls, although they are both suspension
bridges and built of wire. ! was inform
ed by the United States Revenue officer
stationed at the American end of the Sus-
pension Bridge that the first wire was car
ried across the river by a kite, and all the
ropes which support the bridge were made
just where they are used. The bridge
nearest the Falls is one thousand and forty
five feet span, while the railroad or lower
one is eight hundred and forty feet span.
There is also a suspension bridge at Queens
town Heights, the scene of a severe engage
ment between the American and the Brit
ish forces, in 1919, where both General
Brock and 1t. Col. Mcdonald, were kill
ed. Here Brooks Monument stands. The
whole edifice is one hundred and eighty
feet high and being but short drive from
the Falls is worth visit.
There are but few visitors this season at
the Falls, none of the hotels on either side of
the river being crowded. This lack of Wis
itors is attributed partly to the GOODNESS of
the season, and partly to the inability of
the Southern people to visit the Falls az
formerly. The latter cause is probably
the real or principal one, as the Falls have
had lack of visitors for several years.
At Lundy's Lane there are two observa-
tories, between which there is great rivalry,
and the visitor, in consequence, has no diff
ficulty in having pointed out to him every
spot of interest on the old battle ground.
who when there is but single visitor, or
single party of visitors, contend for the vic
tory almost with the same earnestness and
determination that General Scott and Gen
eral Drummond exhibited on the day of
the great battle, between the American and
British troops. On this field now stands
the village of Drummondtown, called in
honor of General Drummond who fell
while leading the British forces, but it has
no interest, and no care taken Of it, if
one is to judge from the miserably
neglected and dilapidated appearance
it presents. Near Drummondtown stands
the residence Of Mr.. Street, at present a
member of the Canadian Parliament and
said to be the largest land holder and
wealthiest man in Upper Canada. this
place the Prince of Wales spent much of
his time while at the Falls and in the up
per part of the province. The Burning
Springs, visited annually by thousands, are
on the lands of Mr.. Street. who after re-
serving enough of the revenue arising from
them to keep them and the buildings
about them in proper order, gives the
balance to an old woman who attends
to them, in consequence of her husband,
after many years of faithful service on Mr..
Streets property, having died in his en-
ployment. Eeach visitor pays twenty five
cents on his first visit, which entities him
to visit the springs as often as he may see
proper during his stay at Niagara,
The visitor to the Falls can take the
Northern Central Railroad and go on
to Elmira, and there take the New York
and Erie road to Buffalo, twenty-five miles
from the Falls, or go by the way ofRoches.
ter, as he likes, as there is but little differ
ence in time. The latter route, however,
l would prefer. A. W. B.