Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-11-05
son the Wing"

lyOf
NOVEMBER Mot until We approached the
city of Buffalo had | an idea OF the monstrous
proportions of the Erie Railway Company.
The miles of cars, the acres of switches and
tracks. the whirliug trains, the clang OF bells
and uproar of whistles, constitute wilderness
of sight, and sound perfectly! marvellous, How
they get past one another. these many cars,
without smashing up more than they do, pus-
zles al outsider. And, indeed, believe they
are not famed for exemption from accident
One fact I have noticed which will serve tq
comfort our railroad officials at home, that Is
that every train on which we have travelled IN
PENNSYLVANIA or New York, 10 rambling about
considerably, has been from fifteen minutes to
several hours behind time At Buffalo We tar
ried for few hours, long enough to geta
glimpse of this, the first really large olty we
have seen since leaving Baltimore, taking tune
to 20 down to the docks and see the Rig
waters" of Lake Erie; and with glance at the
huge steam elevators for handling grain-won-
ders in themselves-we hurry away. The city
! had to be inspected 90 foot, as most ot:the
horses are sick or dead. The epidemic which
is sweeping through this entire regl0n~is "a
familiar fact to you. Hacks or carriages sre
not to be had, street cars are scarce, and every
body is atoot So we walk 10 the depot and
take the train for the place and sight which no
one who travels must imiss-Niagara! Ourroute'
is by the river shore, placid stream to have
80 tempestuous and engulphing finale. Land
ing at the depot at ten o'clock at night We are
met By the porter of the International and IN.
vited to walk into town, as the horses are all
sick and no omnibuses running. So of We
start, with lantern for help, the roar and
tempest of the falls coming With an awful
aud mysterious sound over the still night air
and telling more plainly than words of the near
presence of this wonder Of wonders
The hotels are empty, or nearly go DOW, the
guides without occupation, the dealers IN In
dian curiosities so-called, anxious to sell out
at very low figure and all things betray that
the season" at Niagara is over. And yet it is
the most pleasant time in our judgment to visit
here. There is no crowd, no dust, on heat;
everything is quiet aud comfortable. The pick
pockets have departed, the swindlers are in-
nocuous, the guides have plenty of time and no
one is bothered with anything. The day is OF
soft balmy Indian Sumner righteousness. The
pleasant Southern breeze, the foliage Variegated
in hundred tints by the frost, the genia sun
light, all conspire to make the day plensur-
able one.
No one can describe Niagara. 80 many nave
tried and failed that we omit the attempt. We
saw the various sights crossed the high bridge,
went under the deep places, got wet under the
cataract at Table Rock, and paid the usual fees.
Our guide under the cataract was rough
looking darby whose speech bore the unmis.
taxable indication of Old Virginia corn-6eld
'nativeism. Aud so it turned out on question.
ing him, that be wae FROM the nelghborhood OF
Upperville, Loudoun county, and formerly be.
longed to Sydnor Bailey of that place, whose
Christian name be still retained. We enquired
how he was getting on and he said he had "ac-
cumulated considerable property here that he
ran away in 1856 He was much interested at
meeting a Virginian and begged to be remem-
bered to certain friends of his in Alexandria.
Niagara being done we take the train for the
celebrated 'Genesee Valley of New York, .
country alone worth coming to see, and worth
separate letter. n.