Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-09-15

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ioying the quiet of old age. and that rest
which a well-spent life of near three score
and-ten so richly deserves. I have had the
pleasure of meeting the Humphries family,
defendants of John Humphries, who was a
| brother of Finley Humphries. Also the
Gilkesons. who decended from brother of
| William Gilkeson, father of DR.. Gilkeson- =
The parents of these families moved to In
diana when it was ION the border" Being
men and women of energy and character,
| and the children of Christian parents, they
| succeeded in founding good homes, and
rearing children that are an honor to them
and the country of their adoption.
Of others, | will mention Isaac N. Nc
Fadden, one of the leading building con-
tractors here, Robert Christian, Howard
Brubeck, Edward Beacham, VIM. Craig,
Alex. Craig and Polk Whitsell. These are
all doing we'll Being honest, industrious
and good citizens, they reflect credit on
their mother county. DR.. J. F. Cross came
to this place the fall after the war. and has
lived here since, being one of the leading
physicians of the place. He has a fine and
lucrative practice, and bears the rare dis
tjpction among men of his profession of
never having tasted any kind of intoxica
ting liquors during his life. DR.. W. Fl.
Gillum came in the Spring of 1878. He
formed a partnership with DR.. Cross, which
continued eight years. The doctor has been
successful in practice and business. He is
now engaged at his profession and farming,
having farm mile or so from town. He
lives, however, in town. He also OCCASION
ally takes turn at politics, having for the
past four years been member of the Demo
cratic State Central Committee Chairman
of the County Committee, and Chairman of
the Congressional Committee of the district.
He is pleased with the present Administra-
tion, and predicts victory for the Demo
Gratis in Indiana this Fall, and the return of
Joseph E. Mcdonald to the Senate. There
are many others, who deserve special men,
tien, but time and space forbid.
Business prospects of the country are
looking up. Crops are fine. The wheat
and oats crops were successfully harvested
and marketed, and while the price was
low,-wheat averaging sixty-five to seventy
cents-the immense yield made up for the
low price, and 9s consequence, tho farm
ers are feeling happy, and when they are
happy everybody else should feel encour-
aged. Farming is much easier, and con-
sequently more profitable here than in Vir-
ginia. Machinery can be used to greater
advantage, and fertilizers are dispensed
with. Corn is going at fifty cents !; oats
twenty-five to thirty; hay six to eight dol
lars.
find the climate hotter here than in Vir-
ginia. The nights are especially so. On
account of the hot weather a great many
people resort to the lakes, while others go
to Chatauqua or Niagara Falls. We had
the pleasure last week of trip to the latter
place, and on to Toronto, Canada. We
.oI hr,n md
and several others. We went MA Indiana
polls, Cleveland, and Buffalo, and hesitate
to attempt description of the trip.
The greatest attractions at the Falls are
on the American side, and they are free
This includes Prospect Park, Goat Island,
Lura Island and the Three Sister Islands.
The grandest view of the Horseshoe or
Great Falls, can be had from the "Point of
Goat Island, and the best view of the
Rapids is gotten from the Three Sister Is
lands, while the Lura Island affords the
best of the American Falls. A magnificent
view of the entire Falls-both the Ameri
can and Horse-Shoe-as well as the river
and suspension bridges can be had from
Prospect Point. I think, however, the most
complete view-one that more nearly takes
in the entire scene-can be had from the
Suspension Bridge. Standing on this and
looking up the river one sees the beautiful
hotels and observation buildings on the
Canadian side, and on the opposite shore
the beautiful little city of Niagara, while
between and almost at his feet rolls the
water of an empire of country over prec-
ipice one hundred and sixty-fve feet high,
and nearly mile in length. Then turning
about he sees to the North the same river,
bounded on both sides by perpendicular
walls, two hundred and fifty feet in height,
| lashed into all the fury of mid Ocean in a
storm as it passes over the Rapids and on
| through the Whirlpools TO the peaceful
calm of Lake Ontario. But why attempt a
| description. 1t must be seen to be compre-
hended.
From Niagara we took the New York
Central and Hudson River road down the
bank of the Niagara River. Leaving the
depot the railroad runs near the bank of the
river for two miles. Here you pass close
to-, and in full view of the great double
Gable Suspension and New Cautilever Rail-
road bridges over the Niagara River. The
weight of the bridge is about 800 tons. 1t
is 800 feet long, "a feet wide, and 245 feet
above the water. 1t is supported by four
wire cables, each about 10 inches in diane
ter, containing in all a, 600 miles of wire
A little below the bridges the railroad
drops within the banks of the Niagara
River, and before reaching Lewiston-a
distance of seven miles from Niagara Falls,
and five from this point-you descend about
600 feet. At Lewiston, where Niagara
Falls first began, and were about 800 feet
high, the bluff ends, and the rapids change
to beautiful navigable river. At this
place you are near and in full view of
General Brooks monument, which stands
on Queenstown Heights, on the Canada
side. The monument is 1856 feet high, sur
mounted by statue, and marks the place
where General Brock fought his last san
culinary battle, fell, and is buried. From
Lewiston we went by steamer seven miles
down the Niagara River, past Fort Niagara,
into Lake Ontario. Thence acress the lake
36 miles to Toronto, Canada. This is a
beautiful city of about 10000 population,
is the Capital of Ontario, and the prettiest
city in Canada 1t is known as the "Queen
City," The principal places of interest are
st. James Cath edral, which has the highest
spire 1906 feet) on the Continent. st.
Michael's Cathedral; The Horticultural
Garden Queens Park ; The University
Parliment Buildings The Museum Fe
nian Monument, and the 1t. Governors
residence. On our return from Toronto
across the lake, we came on the historic
Confederate blockade-runner known during
the war under the name ''Let Her Be-
This vessel is steeLclad, and was built il
England for the Confederate Government
with special reference to speed, for the pur
pose of running the blockade. She ran tn,
blockade sixteen times and was neve
caught. She has made four trips to Eng
land since the war, and is now the propert,
of Niagara Navigation Company. She still
carries the bell with the letters, "Let He
Be- on it that she carried during the war
L.
METEOROLOGICAL 1885,