New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-24
THE GREAT ICEBRiDGE At NIAGARA.

VIEW FROM 81 SUSPENSION BRfDGE-HOW THE GLACIER
Is FoRMED-A HARD ROAD FOR sNUGGLERS
fFEoM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPOND OF TUE TRIBUNE !
NIAGARA FALLS. Jan. 22.-The great ice
bridge across Niagara River just attracting
mucn attention aud drawing thousands or visitors
hither from near and far, most Of whom have
only n faint idea Of what the bridge is Ike
or where II IL, whether above below the
cataract whether It IA arched Hat. Many people
suppose that formation spanning the great chasm
from elf 10 cl beneath the arch OF which tho torrent
OF the river PUSHES. How such phenomenon could
form at height OF 200 feet above the surface Of the
water, they do not stop TO think. The first
view Of the bridge like the first view OF the Falls ia
many people disappointing Walking out upon the new
suspension bridge which hangs across the gorge few
hundred yaids below the American Fall, and reaching
the point whence the parachute man took his successful
flight into the water. marked by little platform OF
hree panks outside the parapet one can take In tho
whole scenery the Falls at glance The familiar Wow
Of consdernby changed BY the masses OF
icc which every object within tho reach OF the
spray. Below Is tho ice bridge arch no huge but
Of cleaning ice crystal piers with prismatic
colors dancing about them Nothing but great OK.
panse somewhat rough and seam-markcd leo at the
level OF the river and stretching from shore shore.
Just what any frozen river looks hke-dnd nothing
more
But what that black speck moving along the edge OF
the river At the foot OF the precpco the Canadian
side ratt dogl No. full grown man setting out
to cross the that level plain OF slightly rough
,ned Ice lie climbs. slowly laborously. pausing
to look bout him. now plungmg into chasm bigger
than ones hat, apparently. aud now completely hidden
by what looks like SNOWFALL cast from the hoof OF
horse upon the street looking upon tho passage OF
a traveller across the glacier | realize now the i'm
nense distance | am from him. That chasm into which
he entered was fifteen twenty feet Wide many
hat hall im
was half as big as the stone tower
OF tho suspension bridge. Tho takes
a interest. The traveller picks his way among the
must have taken him into tie water But no. the
deepest rent IA that vast eSpanse only down twenty
that Seventy feet and moro thick s yonder Ice, and
daily growing thicker. Tho traveller sits down In the
middle OF the Niagara rest He has his hat or
and is actually tanning himself with IT. His exertIons
In clambering and slipping and plunginB over and
among those Of Ice warmed him up pretty effect
ualy.
Looking toward tho cataract nj the base OF
tho American Fall tho Toe mountan-a moc-hl At this
distance There come moles OF tho lower end
OF cc-conceaed burrow which Ia tho covered stair
and inclined railway from the top OF the precipce
TO the rivers edge. These m0es, who walk upright on
two legs. slowly climb the moe-hn. which Is half the
height OF the falls whose da1hinR spray has formed It,
They arrive at the summit and point out each other
with their minute the supendous fall that thun-
side aud that vast aud silent expnnse stretch
ing s upheayed aud corrugated surface on the other
Meanwhile the traveller has ceased tanning himsefn tho
middle OF the river and has resumed his journey toward
tho American side. One sees here In miniature what
men climb the Alps 90 witness. The crossing or TINS
wild plain, however 10 attended with danger, other
than that OF tumble or sprain ana these are not o
quent.
The architect OF this stupendou structure ia the south
wind. A steady blow from this quarter causes the
Ice in Lake Erie, Twenty-Five miles away;
down the current OF the Niagara unt they shoot
the and plunge Sye s s @ Of
nous cakes lodge, here against rock, there upon the
beach at foot of cliff Others follow, and tossed by
the seethng pillows against their predecessors, fnd
Judgment also: They ara welded by tho frost and dash
ing foam, and this process goes on until the river Is
covered from shore TO shore Inc accumulation IN
cakes OF Ice bong forced under the mass by
the pressure OF the waters UNTIL now, the bridge ex
tends from shore TO shore and from the foot OF the great
cataract away down nearly TO the railway suspension
bridge three miles, and OF thickness often equa 10 inc
tallest OF city business blocks. .
the icebrdge this year is probably the most er.
tensve, measured supernciay that has ever gathered
here Excursions organizing from all the country
round about 10 view this great natural curiosity AZ
times surface OF the bridge covered with men ana
women, laDoriousy working their way across from
shore shore. There Ia danger or sudden break
np upesa extraordinarily warm weather should set In
and continue without abatement for some time The
bridge Constantly nSs aadsd to BY stray doe. Of
Toe and the combined action OF frost and spray and It
lasts far into May, the fresh green OF the
spring foliage being srkngy eontrasted with tho WILD
OF the glacier and the dark faces Of the overhang
ing cliffs. =.
more rugged In places than IN others IL may Do
supposed thnt offers excellent facilities for smuggng
doubtless taken advantage Of 10 some extent
Yet the difficulty OF crossing Is not so great as that OF
scendng and climbing up from Its surface The pre-
taken by the leeches who here bleed the seeker
after boupties far efectua than tho
barrier OF tue customs both Royal and American put
gether and II is question II smuggling over the ice
bridge would not pc the most perilous mode OF lhct
traffic, after all
-
THE REWARD OF VIRTUE.-Grandmother Sin