The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-18

niagara fatsss
THEY DID RUS DRY on THE 3lsT OF MARCH,
Is4S-LETTER FROM The RIGHT K@'' Dr.
FULLER, LoRD-BIsH0P OF NIAGARA.
To the Editor of the chicago Tribune
HAMILTON, ONT, June 9.-In the month
Of March last I delivered In the Guy OF
Hamilton, Ont, lecture entitled "Opper,
Canada as II Was Fihy Years ago, an.
Ontario AS IL Now Is" and in the course OF
INV lecture spoke Of the great difficulty OF
constructing the International bridge, be-
tween Buffalo and the Canada side opposite
10 that city, on account Of the great current
az water running at times down the Niagara
river. where the waters are driven by strong
westerly winds down Lake Erie, whereas
fbe quantity of water running down the
river is very much diminished when the
winds drive up Lake Erie. then re-
marked:
oThs fact caused an event, thirty-two
wears ago this month. OF which probably
yery few OF you have ever heard. l refer
10 the time when the Falls OF Niagara were
dry for a whole day! That day was The
3lst Of March, 1S4s. l did not witness 1t
myself, but was told OF 1t the next day by
my late brother-in-law, Thomas c. Street,
ESQ.,. III. p. Happening to go out TO his
place the next day, he told me that DIS
miIler-for he had a grist on the rapids
above the falIs-knocked OF his bed
room door about 5 O'Clock in the morh-
ing of that day and told him TO get up, as
there was no water in the mill-race, and no
water In the great river outside OF the race.
He said that he was startled at the intelli'
oence. and hurried out as soon as he could
dress himself, and then saw the river, on the
edge of which he had been born thirty-four
wears before. dru. After a hurried break
fast be and his youngest daughter tben un-
married, went down about three-quar-
tiers of a mile 10 the precipice itself,
over which there was so little water
running that, having provided himself
with strong pole, they started from the
Table Rock, and walked near the edge OF
the precipice about one third OF the way to-
wards Goat Island, on the American shore,
and, having stuck this pole in crevice OF
the rock, and Miss Street having tied her
pocket-handkerchie firmly on the top OF
the pole, they returned. He said that be
then turned his view towards the river be-
low the Falls, and saw the water so shallow
that immense Jagged rocks stood mp in such
a iriph,ful manner that be shuddered when
he thought OF bis having frequently passed
over them in the little Maid Of the Mist (as
! often bad done).
.He then returned toward home, and
drove from the Canada shore some one-half
mile above the Falls toward Goat Island.
When he told me this he reproached himself
very much for not having sent out for me,
about eight miles distant, but he said that.
though be had several times intended do
ing so. he each time concluded not TO do
IL. lest, before we could reach the wonder.
full scene, the waters should have returned
TO their old courses. OF course everybody
was speakipg OF the wonderful event when
was out there the next day. and have
heard others who witnessed II speak OF 1t
since that time"
So far can testify to the evidence of the
fact at the time Of lis occurrence.
Mr.. Streets theory was this: that THE
winds had been blowing down Lake Erie,
which is only about thirty feet deep, and
rushing great deal OF the water from ii
over the Falls, and suddenly changed and
blew this little water Comparatively speak
ing) I'D to the western portion OF the lake;
and that at this iuncture the ice on Lake
Erie, which had been broken up by these
high winds, got iammed in the river be-
tween Buffalo and the Canada side, and
formed dam which kept back the waters
Of Lake Erie a whole day.
Before delivering my lecture wrote to
the Hon. l.. +. Allen, OF Buffalo, we'll
known gentleman OF that city, giving Mr..
Streets statement, and asking him II be re-
collected anything about the occurrence,
and have his reply before Inc as / write
this, which Is as follows:
.sBUFFALo. March H. 1SS0.-Rev. and
Dear Sir,-Your favor OF the 9th instant re-
ceived. The fact relating to the low water
mentioned by Mr.. Street as having occurred
at Niagara Falls well recOllect, although
dnfo as IN N NM n nr
in which 1t occurred 1t was so remarkable
as to be noticed in Buffalo newspapers. Nor
do recollect whether the subsistence of the
river waters was caused by dam OF ice at
the outlet Of Lake Erie, or by strong
east wind. which sometimes, by blowing
the water up the lake, makes very low
water in the river for many hours.
i knew Mr.. Street personally very well,
and should have entire credence in any
statement he should make of bis own
knowledge. That Mr.. Street could have
driven his horse for several hundred feet
into the bare bed OF the river on the Canada
side have no doubt. / have lived In
Buffalo tfty.three years, have witnessed so
many extraordinary Quotations In the levels
OF the lake and river that | have perfect
confidence in the late Mr.. Streets account
Of the fact you name. He was a gentleman
% sucu dccuTutc stutIutHl tudt Ho ono
knowing him could doubt any one that be
should seriously make. Most truly and
respectfully yours, l.. II. ALLEN"
Since the delivery OF my lecture IN March
last short synopsis Of it was published In
our local papers. Amongst other things
given in my lecture this fact OF "the Falls
OF Niagara having been dry for whole
day" was mentioned, and shortly after
wards slip from your paper was handed
to me IN my sons Office, In this city, In
which was stated the fact that l. had made
such statement 10 recently-delIyered lee
ture. and your editor stated that s'some rii-
mors had bern af0at at times regarding this
matter" but that be looked upon IL as
"rather fshy story" When this was read
TO me IN my sons Office man Of the name
Of John Is. Smythe happened to be in
the Office at the time. On hearing the
slip read from your paper he said,
"There Is nothing lshy about that story,
for ! witnessed the thug myself" He
promised 10 give me q proof OF the fact,
taken before notary public las our laws
forbid taking oath Ia such cases, but allow
person TO make statutory declafationj.
Unfortunately, however, be has been Iii,
end has not been able TO attend TO II. How
ever, lam enabled TO send you TWO "declara-
tons lone from az aged gentleman, Nr. |
Harry Bond, OF Chippewa, and the other
from leading gentleman In the places
1usiice OF the peace and 0 notary public,
ands peFson doing'an extensive business