Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-07-23
An Immense Gathering OF Citizens and
State Troops In Honor OF
the Event.
Niagara Falls special


as to- day attended the opening of the State
Park. Seemingly all Western New York
poured itself into the village. A score of
special trains brought delegations from
many States and from Canada. The word
Welcome" greeted the visitor Mt every
turn. Bunting is displayed in every part
of the village. The Union Jack, the Irish
Green, and the Tricolor are mingled with
the Stars and Stripes The hotels are law
ish in display. The fronts of the Inter
national, Cataract. Spencer and others are
almost hidden from sight by rich hued
decorations. In front of the Cataract is q
fine arch. Many handsome decorations on
the Canada shore show sympathetic re-
joicing.
The Reservation Commissioners met at
the Cataract House at 1890 a. m. There
were present Commissioners Dorsheimer,
Robb, Rogers, Anderson, and Green, and
Secretary and Treasurer Leighton Will
Jams. The following cable dispatch was
read:
LONDON, Eng, July IA.
"To the Representatives of the State of New
York at Niagara Falls
The Commons Reservation Society con-
graduates the State of New York on secur-
ing the Falls to the public"
About 11:S0 delegation representing
the Canadian Government drove over from
the Canadian side to take part in the cere-
monies. 1t included Lieut.. Gov. Robin
son, of Ontario; the Hon. Oliver Mowatt,
Premier of Ontario; Provincial! Secretary
tHerdEi Tie dEI1hispt 1hispt r G9 GzQEsa Sb2iGmfanPo o9f
Commissioner Langmuir; and the Govern
or Generals secretary. An informal
reception was held during the morning in
the hotel parlors occupied by Gov. Hill.
The Canadian visitors were presented to
him and remained until the time arrived
for the ceremonies OF the day.
THR OPENING CEREMONIES.
The formal opening ceremonies were held
in Prospect Park, whose well-kept domain
was early given over to the lawless tread of
a public which needed police restriction,
and had it not.
At 1915 o'clock Gov Hill Hon. Eras-
tus Brooks, James G. Carter, of New
York, the orator of the day, and Bishop
Coke, made their appearance in the
pavilion, escorted by President Nelson of
the Prospect Park Company. They were
followed by the staff of the Governor, State
officials, Niagara Reservation Commission
ers and others of prominence. The cere-
monies, carried out according to program,
included fine vocal and martial music, the
latter by military R9pds ts0p lRattaQ apa tRs
written for the occasion, and the Hon.
Erastus Brooks, President of the day,
made long address. The formal presen-
tation of the Park to the State was made by
the Hon. William Dorsheimer. Gov. Hills
reply went into details. He gave the
crowd q history of Niaaara s~id =, ti.-- '1s"to
would undertake to care for the reserva-
ton. and wound up with merited praises
for the Commissioners, and none the less
merited eu' ogies for the cataract. The ora
tor of the day was the Hon. James G. Car
ter, of New York City, prominent lawyer,
who has been active in The Niagara Falls
Association of New York" His Grafton
dwelt upon tho sublimity of the falls. free
access to which the park is intended to Sc
cure, the evils Of private proprietorship in
Natures wonders, and reviewed the pro-
ceedings and negotiations which resulted
in the purchase of the park by the State.
Letters of regret and congratulation were
read from President Cleveland, the Cover
nor General of Canada and from Samuel
j. Tilden. Lieutenant Governor Robinson
of the Province of Ontario and Premier
Mowatt of the Dominion Government
maue pr1gnt speeches..
The military parade in the afternoon was
brilliant. 1t was reviewed by Gov Hill,
who left early for the East.
MOTLEY CROwD-SwEPT OVER THE
FALLS.
The crowds fingered to enjoy freedom"
and fireworks. A sergeant of the guard
during the parade having orders to keep
horses from the line of march attempted
to enforce them. A mounted orderly at
tempting to ride past him, the sergeant
thrust his bayonet into the horse, killing
it. The sergeant was arrested. The
friendly Canadian from the near
towns, pipe in mouth and girl
community Of all Western New York SEEM
ed to have hitched up and driven to the
village. Prospect Park looked like mon
strous picnic ground. Even the Tona-
wanda reservation sent in its Indian dele
cation, gay In cambric and red feathers.
All day long these throngs walked the
streets. The hackman, as a feature of Nj
agara, was wiped out of existence. The
crowd was the great thing. People trooped
over the bridges in endless battalio ons and
marched shoulder to shoulder through the
moist and shady pathways of Goat Island.
Farmers hitched their teams among the
shrubbery which private management had
hitherto 80 sedulously guarded. The deep
woods of the island looked as though given
up to vast camp-meeting. The Biddle
stairway was free, as it always is; and
the number of people who went toiling up
and down its tedious spiral was so great
that further admission was repeatedly de-
MED. The trip to the Cave of the Winds
cost dollar apiece, but the lessees reaped
harvest. The inclined railway in Pros
pect Park was run at twenty-five cents a
head as usual There was total lack of
police supervision, and it was a constant
remark during the day that accidents were
being invited. About six o'clock two Buff
falo women were about to cross the first
bridge to Goat Island when one of them, a
Mrs. Mcintyre, ventured upon the un-
guarded planks at the edge of the pier
Tuning she called to her companion,
You're a coward! Come onl" As she
spoke she lost her balance, fell into the
rapids, and was swept over the American
Fall
THE Mayor of Helena, M. T., is bar
Der, and after enjoying "shave" at his