The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-05
NIAGARA RAN DRY.
Phenomenon of Years Ago Recalled
by Recent Events.
From the Pittsburg pisnatch.

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Niagara Falls, March 29.-Nearly a half
century ago occurred one of the most re-
markable phenomena that has ever been
seen at the falls of the great Niagara. The
recent low water in the river and the
fact that on one day the fore part of this
month there was little water flowing over
the American falls and almost nothing
over the part which forms the Cave of
the Winds, will lend additional interest to
the story of how the mighty cataract
went dry just forty-eight years ago, on
March 81. 1S4S.
There is some dispute with regard to the
date among historians. some claiming that
the important event occurred on the 18th
OF March, instead of the 31st. The ma
lority, however, favor the latter date, and
1t is now conceded to be the anniversary
of this most remarkable of occurrences.
The people who resided at the falls then
on both sides of the river were astonished
10 behold on the morning of the 3lst that
their grand old waterway was dry. and
where the waters had rushed and hurled
themselves over the brink there was now
but puny stream, and Niagara's pow
erful roar had diminished to an almost
imperceptible moan.
1t seemed that during the night nature
mad accomplished what the brain and
hand OF man can never hope to do The
winter had been intensely cold and the
ice which had formed on Lake Erie
was very thick. A thaw came and loos-
ened it around the shores. During tba
day of the 30th a stiff eaSterly wind moved
the whole field up the lake. About sun
down the wind Veered suddenly around
and blew a gale from the west Thie
brought the vast field of ice down again
with such force that 1t filled in the neck
Of the lake at Buffalo. and the outlet, SO
that the now OF water down the river
was greatly impeded.
OF course 1t only needed a short space
of time for the fal Is to drain off the water
below Black Rock. The American chan
mel had dwindled TO a little creek. while
the Canadian side, with its raging rapids
and massive flow over the Horseshoe,
looked as though it had been smitten with
quick consumption and was fast passing
away Far up from the head of Goat
Island, or Iris Island as it was then
called, and out into the Canadian rapids.
there was no water, as was also the
case at Table Rock and out to the very
brink Of the Horseshoe on both sides.
The rocks stood out bold, black and for
bidding. The scene is described as des-
olate in the extreme, and but for its
novelty and the certainty that it would
change before many hours would have
been gloomy and saddening.
George w. Holly in his history on Mag
ara recalls this phenomenon and in de-
scribing his experiences on that day says:
Every person who has visited Niagara
will remember a beautiful jet of water
which shoots up into the air about forty
RODS south Of the outer sister island in
the great rapids called, with singular
contradiction of terms the Leaping Rock
The writer drove horse and buggy from
near the head of Goat Island out to a
point above and near to that let With
a log cart and four horses he had drawn
from the outside of the outer island
stick of hewed pine timber twelve Inches
square and forty feet long. From the ton
of the middle island was drawn a stih
larger piece of timber. hewed on one side
and sixty feet long. There are few places
on the globe where person would be less
likely 70 go numbering than in the rapids
Horseshoe falls"
The late Thomas c. Street, member or
parliament, who resided on the Cana
and owned a grist MILL was quoted nv
his brother-in-law, the late Rt Rev. Bish-
op Fuller, in lecture which the vener.
able bishop. delivered In Hamilton. Ont.
in March Of 1850. '
The head miller at the mill awoke Mr.
Street early in the morning with the start