Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-06-28
At the Falls.

NIAGARA FALLS, June 20, 1873.
The village of Niagara is the same that |
tourists remember, but with fresh paint |
everywhere, and patent attempt to
look bright and fashionable. The Curl
osity shops exhibit the same array of |
ugly and worthless articles, and the |
hack and hotel runners are as assiduous
as ever. The season has opened, and
the hotel corrodorss are not so lonely
as week ago, though they are far from
being fashionably brilliant as yet. In
deed. the season at Niagara can hardly
be said to have fairly begun until after
the Fourth of July. At least, it is not
till then that the rush of visitors begins.
Niagara in summer has a short, butter
fly existence, But some Improvement
about the village are noticeable. The
hotels are bright and clean. / believe
there has been no change in the proprie-
torship of any of them. The Interna-
tional has put on dun colored suit out
side, and looks all the better for it. The
proprietor has added parlors overlooking
the rapids at the bridge to Goat Island,
with balconies overhanging the stream.
The Cataract looks as brand new as paint
and upholstry can make it, and its reg
lister shows a large entry of names. The
Clifton House, i'm Canada, is in the same
catalogue, but business is dull there as
vet. This house catches most of the
foreign trade.
Goat Island is the same leafy laby-
lrinth. The old stone tower was recent
ly blown up, being considered unsafe.
But small outlay would have made it
safe for another half century. One can
go out to Terrapin Point, but the attrac-
ton of going has disappeared. How
many fiirtations-how many soft words
have been whispered in that winding
stairway, or OH the old breezy gallery
But some day a strong iron tower is to
go mp on the spot.
| clambered down the Biddle stairway
and interviewed Prof. Tyndall's guide,
Thomas Conroy, who took the Professor
on his famous trip under the Falls. Con.
roy swears by what Tyndall said, and
probably both deserve some credit, for il
was in the autumn when the trip was
made, and the water was cold snd some
what high. Concerning the last mat
, ter. Conroy gravely says that rise OF
fall of one inch in the river above the
falls makes a corresponding difference
of seventeen feet below. Already there
| is an enthu Eiast here waiting for a sub
, sidence of the waters to outdo the Pro
, fessor's feat which he can do easily, a
. each guide tells the last person with hin
he has gone farther than any previou
e visitor.
e A new and strong bridge has beei
thrown across to Luna Island; other
S wise the islands are just as in forme
e years. The Suspension Bridge look
like skein Of white thread suspende'
:, over the chasm, with its coat of brigh
: white paint. But Phoebus! what
i charge for the mere crossing of a foo
e passenger-50 cents. And, by the way
that is the charge to Goat Island. Price
$ are looking up at Niagara. All the oil
f grove about the American side IS hov
an enclosed park, with an admittanc
e fee charged. Practically there is n
: view to be had of the falls on the Ameri
o can side unless you pay for it. The.
e are more liberal in the Dominion, ,thougl
r it is likely the same system will shortl.
prevail. The truth is about Niagara
: that the hotels are good aed reasonable il
: their charges. You can ride as cheapl.
as anywhere. You can get houses an
a lots rather low. But if you want to &c
: to any eligible point on this side for
. view your pocket must bleed for tn
g privilege. Strict ordinances against ex
= tortion and a better police system pre-
q walls than in former years. The inclin
. to the ferry has been solidly arched owe
4 and filled up even with the face of tn
: cliff. The stairway and incline hav
q been improved. and a steamer is to b
}, constructed to run up and around tn
q foot of the falls, as the Maid of the Mis-
| l. T. kI,o1 1<>kr
v registers one does not find many well
4 known names. The hop season-whe
Y the Rapids, parlors of the Cataract an
a International will be brilliant wit
y jeweled toilets-is not yet begun.
MAX.