Ottumwa weekly courier., 1878-07-31
NIAGARA.


put up by twelve different wholesale
dealers, found copper in ten Of them.
NIAGARA.
Romance and Tragedy Of the Great
Falls.
From the New York Herald
The trip under the fall through the
cave, though not really dangerous to
any one OF nerve, is often quite ap-
palling to inexperienced adventurous.
The gradual wearing away by the
water at the foot of the fall of the
shaly substratum of the precipice
has left the limestone rock above,
from which the water plunges, pro-
jecting at least thirty feet out beyond
the base, thus making great cham
ber, over which descends in deep
folds of azure the magnificent cur
tain of the central cataract between
the American and Canadian shores.
The compression of the atmosphere
by the falling water is SO great that
the cave is rendered as stormy and
turbulent as tho tabled abode of
Holus, and the approach aud descent
into it-down a staircase swept by
gusts and occasionally deluged by
volumes of foam-is slippery and
difficult. The guides, shod with felt
shoes, and familiar with every inch
of the way, may be implicitly trust.
ed, and do not hesitate at times to
literally lift the timid voyager into o
region OF thunders, where, having
nearly lost his breath, he hesitated to
venture. Arrived at the bottom of
the cave, behind the vail Of waters,
he stands and admires, or fishes for
cells or trembles with apprehension,
according to his temperament. In
nine cases out of ten the guides gay
visitors are sorry they came, and
wretched until they have escaped
this being the case particularly when
the wind is in such direction as to
press the sheet Of water inward to-
ward the cave.
RESCUING LOVER.
On the occasion Of which 1 speak
the whole party of Western excur-
siOnists, who had arrayed themselves
in oil-cloth and descended the Diddle
staircase, backed out at the entrance
of the cave except Milwaukee young
lady and her lover. The wind was
in the wrong direction the staircase
was drenched and obscured the
noise of the water was deafening, and
even the young lady's escort would
fain have foregone the trial. She in
sisted though, and, the the guide pre-
ceding them, she placed herself be-
tween her young man and the guide.
No noise could be heard as they
began the descent of the stairway
and felt the increasing bullets Of the
foam. Clinging to the guides hand
the lady proceeded, but had hardly
reached the bottom of the cave before
she missed her lover. With a shrek
that tho guide says he could see and
feel, rather than hear. she sprang
back and up the wooden steps. The
guide was at her heels; she was jus,
in time. The young man from the
West had tainted dead away under
conditions which usually bring faint
ing men to their senses, and was Just
slipping into eternity as his sweet
heart laid hands on him and carried
him down by main strength into the
comparatively open den Of tempests
:Why, Jim !" she screeched affec.
tionately, "what's the matter with
your"
Opening his eyes after frequent
cuffs he managed to motion his desire
to get out. The guide good natured.
ly conducted the pair out at the other
end of the cave and across the rocks
in front and restored them to Their
companions.
TRAGEDIES OF NIAGARA.
This slight mishap calls to mind the
many serious and fatal ones that com.
prise the most fascinating annals Of
the falls. No one can fail to be
struck by some of the strange stories
of life and death that cling around
the precipices of the cataract, among
which two that strike deepest are
these:
One August afternoon, Miss Lottit
Philpott chose one of the most dan.
gerous currents below the Cave of The
Winds in which to bathe. A young
man, named Ethelbert Parsons, stood
by to protect her, if possible, from
her rashness. She was suddenly
swept away. He swan after her
reached her, and, turning on his
back, bade her place one of her handt
on his shoulder. She did so, and, as
both behaved with coolness, the
friends who watched them hoped thai
both would regain the shore. Blu,
the eddies grew too strong, and
threatened to engulf them. The
young girl,perceiving that her would.
be savior was overburdened, released
him, threw up her hands wita de.
spairing gesture, and sank from
sight. Instantly he turned and dived
for her. The swirling pools beneath
witnessed their last struggles, and on
the next day both their bodies were
recovered from the whirlpool.
At Luna Island young man named
Charles Addington, of Buffalo, play
fully lifted the little daughter of the
lady who was with him and said
eli, now Pm going to throw you
inw The child, with q spasmodic
leap, escaped from his hands and fell
into the fierce current of the river.
"Oh, my God y shouted young Ad-
dington, and sprang in with a hope
less impulse to save her. In less than
minute both these waits upon the
rapids were borne over and mangled
beneath the falls.
A STORY OF BLoNDIN.
Every spot here has its romance or
its tragedy, and the fairy suspension
bridge for carriages and foot passen-
gers, which was stretched in 1869
one-eighth of mile below the Amer.
lean cataract, revives the memory of
several curious occurrences. When
Rlondin came in 1859 he had at first
a good mihd to stretch his rope across
where this bridge is, but the space
was too wide (the bridge itself is the
longest suspension bridge in the
world, its roadway being 1900 feet
from bank to bank.) Consequently
Blondin had his rope stretched about
a mile below the falls, and even there
it was ], 200 feet long. On both sides
Of the river Enclosures were built
around the rope, into which ticket
buyers were admitted, and where the
acrobat had his dressing rooms. He
was to start on the first occasion from
the Canadian side, and within the in
closure there were q number of invi-
ted guests. Among them were Hen
ry w. FaKon, then the "local editor"
of the Buffalo Republic newspaper,
and the writer. FaxOn was q wit of
more than local renown, and Blondin
had for some reason taken great
liking to him.
FEARFUL PRACTICAL JOKE.
While Faxon stood-laughing and
jesting, as was his way-on the edge
of the precipice overlooking the river
lao feet below, Rlondin appeared q
few feet behind. lie was just about
to attempt the most daring feet upon
a tight rope that had ever been per-
formed, and what took place will
show his iron nerve and reckless tenn
per. He saw that Faxon, gazing out
across the river, was unconscious of
his presence. Motioning to me for
silence by pressing his fingers to his
lips, he seized Faxon under both arm
pits and held him out for second or
t~n nu0r Tho uornn Eovon vuuot