Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-30

shaped barricade, plunges perpendicularly
eighty feet at least to the seething chasm be.
low, and rushing down succession of rapids
for a mile or more, finally finds rest and
quiet in another extended basin, which is the
''head of navigation" for small steamers that
run during the season of high water in spring
and autumn. The entire fall from the upper
to the lower basin is one hundred and sixty
feet. A fine wire suspension bridge spans the
river about one hundred yards below the main
fall. This bridge is massively constructed in
good solid English style, and is one hundred
and twenty feet above the bed of the river, and
two or three hundred feet long. 1t requires
steady nerves to look over tho frail looking
parapet of the bridge without flinching, down
to the boiling, rushing cataract below. A
beautiful double rainbow flashes in the mist
Of the fall whenever the sun shines; and to-
day the brilliancy of the spectacle could hard
ly be surpassed. Our party manifested much
| enthusiasm while viewing the magnificent
panorama, and watching the fearful plunges
OF huge logs over the main fall. We applied
at the photograph rooms ION trucks near thc
| hotel for stereoscopic views OF the fall ana
surrounding attractions; but the proprietor
| has not sufficient enterprise or Yankee lnge-
1
which would be so highly priced by every one
who visits the locality.
The distance from the city of st. John at
| the mouth of the river to this point is about
two hundred and twenty miles. The river is
navigable at all seasons to Fredericton and
Woodstock, and during the rainy seasons
smaller steamers reach Tobique and Grand
Falls. The route from PresQue Isle to this
place is through a fine farming country, most
4 q H. inn, do
indicating thrifty husbandry and commenda-
bic enterprise. Fort Fairfield has increased
in wealth and business appearance wonder
fully within the past fifteen years since our
last visit. There are but few relics of the
"Aroostook war" left the old block house
having been demolished to give place to
a blacksmith shop, which in its turn was re-
Gently destroyed by fire. The ''ofiicers'
quarters" and earth works on the hill still re-
main, and should be jealousy guarded from
vandal hands, that remote generations may
not forget the times when the valiant heroes
from Bangor and elsewhere bearded the Brit
ish lion in his very lair, and won bloodless
victory for want of an enemy to fight
We passed the falls OF the Aroostook about
four miles from Fort Fairfield, on the road to
this place. Unlike the cataract here, that of
the Aroostook is the terminus of a succession
of rapids for mile or more above, where the
river contracts to a narrow, rocky channel,
taking the final plunge into the lower basin.
Manufactured lumber that is RATED down the
Aroostook, as well as the St. John, is con-
veycd by teams around the falls and rapids,
and re RATED below, to be sent to its final des-
tination.
Our course TO- morrow, according to present
arrangement, will be up the ST John, through
the Madawaska settlements; thence to Carl
bou, New Sweden and other points of interest,
thus "swinging round the circle back to our
starting point on the Pressure Isle river. You
may possibly hear from me again while tray-
ersing this almost boundless, and every way
magnificent country. We find the roads will
compare favorably with those of our more
southern counties; and most Of the way fine
farms, comfortable dwellings and mammoth
barns are in near proximity. Back from the
roads are magnificent forests of maple, birch,
spruce and cedar, stretching far as eye can
reach, inviting the sturdy yeomanry of our
own and other lands to effect their subjuga-
ton; converting them into fertile fields, and
dotting the landscape with thriving villages.
Hastily, &C.,
T.. II.
,, p. S.-Just word politically-,he nom
nation Of Dingley, and the resolutions of tn,
t nominating convention, are particularly graft
flying to the people of Aroostook county j.!
successful republican campaign is sure.