Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-24

stick . cane or umbrella into the water
~ Il COMES over and fslis los feet upon
the pale Of great boaideEs bslou. A
seDaAtl on Of Guinness overcouaes one ~
he looks down ibto the great rushing
mass ef water and an almost irresistible
dsslrs u felt - jump over aud 60 down
with u Many travellers have
spoken Of this feeling aud il may
account for the many nnexpiainxD.e
suicides which occur taere every year.
By gong into little stone haiidlng Ne
stood ~ the upper end Of long IN
cilned tunnel, ia which the government
operates line Of cable cars, carrying
passengers below Tor 10 ctntA. The
ride IL steep and . timid person feels
afraid ali the time for fear the cable
will break, but We arrived safely Al the
bottom. BY climbing over = rough
path We stood almost under the great
falls. where the mist fell like heavy
spray. The roar OF the water - so great
that you can hardly hear yell few
feet away. After We returned TO the
platform an Official showed us where
Captain Webb went over the falls in .
barrel. only 70 lose his life ia the rapids
below. He said il had been reported
that one man went aver the falls safely
and lived. but the officials there always
doubted IL.
After leaving the falls We entered .
carriage and were taken TO the rapids.
half mile or 20 down the river. The
river roars and rushes Through . deep
canon. with the banks rising up like
great walls OF rock over hundred feet
high. The only way 70 get down 70
the water from the top OF the banks Is
by means Of private elevators and
chutes. We went down and down until
1t seemed 90 II We never would stop.
but were finally let ont of the cage At
the waters edge. The rapids are as
great . sight a. the falls themselves,
the waters foamiug and rising high IN
the air. forming wild scene. Below .
little farther il tho whirlpool, where the
eddies 20 round and round, down and
up. and one can readily believe what
the officials cay about the water being
over hundred feet deep. Photo.
graphs are numerous all over the
place, especially At the rapids. and the
dealers do land-ofice business. They
have novel scheme for taking groups,
and 1t takes well. They place the VIC
Tins upon q rock or . collection OF
rocks, with . big white sheet for
background 20 that nothing else 10
taken. Then, by means Of some pro-
cess, they can place the group on
rock above or below the falls, on Goat
island, At the rapids or anywhere they
desire, Just 20 if they had been shot at
all those places.
"In the shops aud stands there 10 no
limit 70 the bead work and the fair
young ladies In attendance unhesl-
tatingly assert that il was ell made
there, even TO the silver souvenir
spoons which bear Roger Bros mark
on tie back. The souvenirs are fully
a. dignltied and majestic In price as the
river 10 by nature aud We didn't buy
any. lite cheaper to buy trinkets 1t
home, put them in your valise and tell
your friends that you bought them At
Niagara. After we boarded the train
at 3 o'clock. 70 return, We began hgur-
ing upon expenses. We find that .
man can leave Grand Raplds, zee at all
the sights, live we'll, and return on
less than IS. Even ct that figure We
have allowed him couple dollars for
iucidentals. II he wants TO take .
lunch basket with him when he leaves
home, he can get along much cheaper.
There are yestuarants there where
cheap meals can be obta ined. The
trains run directly to tho falls and
everything with which the government
is connected 10 free. The street cars
run from the falls to the rapids below,
or q good carriage can be secured for
four hours for dollar . person"