Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-08-12

correspondent Of the New York
Tfu.es writes as follows from Niagara
Falls.
The inaniring and speculative visitor at
Niagara has read many items in the pa
uers about changes in The physical aspect
Of The falls, and from the appearance OF the
irregular line of the American fall and the
deep angle Of the Horseshoe he 10 apt To
imblt,e erroneous notions in regard to the
rauidity of the change. He often sup
noses that If he were 10 return here next
wear. and annually for years following, he
would be able 10 mark the progress Of the
cataract on its backward journey toward
Buffalo. tD the extent Of some feet. But
tbis il erroneous. The oldest residents OF
tho vicinity can see hardly anyappreciable
difference between the falls as they now
are and as they were fifty years ago. Is
true that the constant friction Of The water
lo0sens and chafes away the limestone
rock at the edge al the fall but the'proc-
css IL 40 slow that it, effects cannot be said
10 yisibly alter the general appearance.
AT rare intervals great masses 81 rock are
detached. and piles of them may be seen
below except, of course, within the Horse
shoe where the water Is Of vast depth and
the mist IL always hanging like curtain.
But the general effect Is always the same.
n Is difficult for an old habtue Of the place
10 point out any particular feature in the
whole face Of Niagara that is substantially
different from what IL has been in the past.
Gc0lDeists tell Us, taking along series or
wears together, tile rate Ofrecession may be
about one foot per year, but, considering
the stability Of the present location for a
very long series Of years past, this seems,
after all, little better than a mere conject-
ure.
The earliest visit 10 the falls of which
we have any record was that of Father
| Hennepin about 200 years ago. The good
priest was so wonder-struck with the sight
| that he estimated their height at about four
| times the actual truth. lie left sketch of
| the scene, showing their appearance at
| that time, and il does not materially differ
| from The views OF Niagara at the present
| day, excepting as ~ one feature, described
| as follows "This il a third fall from the
| Canada side toward The east, facing the
| line Of the main fall, and caused by a
| great rock that turned the divided current
| In this direction" In 1876, swede, one
| Kahn visited the place and found that
this rock had fallen, and that this side
| channel had been thereby turned back in
| TO the great stream And this IL really the
| only marked change In the appearance of
| Niagara that can be discovered from the
| first day that Ii was known 10 white men /;
and this made no difference in The position
| Of the cataract The rude sketches Of the
French missionary exhibit the same Mag
ara which we see to-day, and apparently
M the same place. do not apprehend
that our elaborate engrayings OF the scene
will lose much of their fidelity when ex.
amined two centuries hence tits unques-
tionable that al some time, cycles ago,
the falls were seven miles north of
their present position, and poured their
waters over the face Of the mount
ain ridge at Lewiston; and the best
contemporary authorities agree that
i cycles hence they will have worn their
way to point about -four miles up the
river, where, In the course of other
indefinite cycles, their character will en-.
tirely change. The weariDg.away process
will then be confined entirely 10 the crown
Of the fall, 40 that after the lapse Of sui.
ficient number Of hundreds OF centuries
there will be no cataract Ut all, but an i'm.
mense inclined plane, down the bed Of
which the water will shoot with an amaz.
Ing velocity unknown 10 the rapids of the
present Niagara.
These are the wellfounded speculations
of geology, which are supposed 10 DC we'll
known to every hotel.keeper, hackman,
/ guide and trinketseller here, and which
are regarded by them with smiling com.
| placency They should be no less com.
iorting 10 the general public Of tourists
and sightseers. The stability of such
| grand works Of nature Ii not the least
wonderful of their attributes. Were Me.
thuselah himself alive. and permitted to
approach Niagara by way Of The Prospect
Park entrance ION payment OF 25 centsl, Ii
would be great satisfaction TO him To
know that he could return in 500 or 900
years and find no especial change In the
appearance of the cataract, and, jim less
degree, we may enjoy the same assurance
| - -s-s.v~-~-z-
TUE New York Tribune gives the cost
OF n flrstelass funeral In that city, ms fol
lows; One rosewood coffin, lined with
velvet, $500; one coffin plate (name and
all the virtues engraved gratis), SIC; eight
| full extension silver plated handles, $50;
one coflin.box TO protect coffin, o.: one
ice,box second .hand), SIS; one STROUD,
*25 one hearse, $40; ten coaches to Green.
wood, $40; eight pairs gloves TO pail
bearers, SEQ; eight acarfs for pall.bearers
and one for the door, $10 one under
takers fees for personal attendance, $25;
four porters 10 carry vllt coffin, 90; one
sexton at church, SIS; one organist and
choir, $40; flowers, 500; one lot in
Greenwood, $500; one gravedigger, Is;
one monument home manufacture, of
Quincy granite, $500. Total, $2,lg1.
| - -
THE man who was hemmed In by the
| araxd has haa,a trn,, Had NTH "a a,stsL a.