Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-10-05
NIAGARA FALLS DELIGHTS
A LOOK AT THE CURiOs!TIES
WITHOUT CHARGE.
THE VILLAGE, THE RIVER, THE ISLANDS,
AND THE CATARACT, AND WHAT IT
COSTS TO SEE EACH OF THEM
ARE THE EXTORTIoSs ALL
DONE AWAY wITHl-
HOW THE FALLS
ARE FENCED

| N. Y, Times correspondence.
There may be persons now living
who have seen all the sights of this
place but | doubt it, Mr.. Vanderbilt
has not been here lately, and there are
few others who could afford it. There
are great many things here worth
seeing, but it is inconvenient to carry
more than one or two satchels full OF
money when travelling. The visitor
to the Falls, as far as my knowledge
goes, usually drives to a hotel-for no
man has ever yet mastered the myste.
ries OF Niagara Falls streets-eats q
meal or two, and drives out to see
what he can from a carriage window.
Alter paying the carriage bill he gets
out of the town while he is still able
to move about and before he is utterly
paralyzed. | have succeeded, during
brief stay, in iamiliarizing myself
with the topography of the surround
ing country, in seeing most of the Gu.
riosities, and in escaping, to great
extent, the snares of the hackmen.
He who can do this will find Niagara
Falls place OF beauty, full of won.
ders, and well worth visiting My
miraculous escape from the hackmen
was due to some experience with them
on former visit. have been look
ing for the last four days for the man
who has been writing newspapers par.
agraphs saying that the swindling at
Niagara is all done away with and
that everything this year is marvel.
ously cheap. Anybody who meets
this person will please stop on him he
is humbug.
In driving up the Canadian side of
tho river toward The hotel | had Sc.
lected, | noticed sign on the edge of
the cliff, "To the ferry" with a wood.
en- hand pointing down the hill, and
the beginning Of steep road. Away
down below, looking like bug swim.
ming across wash.tub, was a small
row boat crossing the river 1t went
up almost under the Falls while |
watched it, Later in the day, having
some business TO attend TO over in the
town, | determined to cross by this
little ferry, and here begins the brief
description of a little recent experience
with the Niagara Samaritans. 1t re.
minds one Of travelling in the Bible
lands, where he can say, as he rests
by the wayside, 81 was stranger,
and ye took me in" | went down
the steep road, with many windings,
to the rivers edge 1t was a very
exhausting walk, in the hot sun, even
though it was down bill, and | cannot
too strongly warn any delicate person
from attempting il. The road is so
steep it is harder work to hold your.
self back than 1t would be TO climb up.
Half way down the bill there was
standing an undeniable Methodist par.
son from tho Interior whom | bad
seen in the cars a day or two before,
making anxious inquiries about the
Falls. He stood upon a grassy knoll,
under a tree, with all bis treasures
about him--a delicate wife, two babies,
and little girl-and was dragging
them about the scorching town. He
was fearful and wonderful example
of the man who goes off in the Summer
looking for pleasure. At the foot OF
the bill there were three buildings all
made Of rough boards, Two were
little dwelling houses a short distance
from the water, and the third was
shed at the starting place of the tiny
ferry boats. This shed was filled with
bits Of pottery, pieces of wood carving,
moccasins, bottles, pin cushions, canes,
whips, and all the truckery that goes
here under the general name Of Indian
curiosities. Taking pin cushion at
81 and q ten cent cane at 10 cents,
the prices of the things may be easily
gauged. The goods were guarded by
a sweet young oreaturei in short skirts,
who was very well to firt with until
q better looking .ono put her head and
out of the door OF one Of the
houses and waved her
handkerchief at the passengers who
were waiting for the boat. Fifteen OF
us were sent across at once in the row
boat, but il was good solid convey
ancc, and could have easily carried 10
more. The boatman took us up to
the very edge of the mist at the foot
of the falls till we were almost drench.
cd. Then the current, the instant we
touched it, swept us flying down the
river 1t was like riding IN a boiling
lea.kettle with the spray, tho tnrbu-
lent water, and the scorchlng sun.
The minute we landed (havlng paid
over 25 cents each, which was cheap
we were seized by a squad OF
terrible looking creatures clad in oil.
cloth clothes, who wanted 10 take us
under the falls. They would not let
US 90, but fairly dragged us into their
place, at tho foot of the cliff. | do not
use this word dragged in a metaphor.
cal sense. Ono OF them seized me by
Lbe arm and pulled me by main force
nto hia den. When thew became |