Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-01-11

goes on gradually, and IN 1868 large
projection on the Canadian bank
known as the Table Rock, fell into
the river.
The Horseshoe Fall is over 900 fee
in breadth and 154 feet in height. The
water rushes over the precipice with
such force that it is thrown so feel
from the base of the cliff. The visi-
tor may don an oilskin dress and en-
ter several yards behind the waved
sheet of water, but the spray is sc
binding, the din SO deafening ano
the current of air SO strong that it re-
quires a toler ably calm nerve and
firm foot. The separation caused by
Goat Island leaves a large wall OF
rock between the Canadian and
American falls, the latter being again
divided by an islet at short distance
from Goat Island. This fall is 10 feet
higher than the Horseshoe, but only
about $50 feet broad. Formerly
small tower, approached by a
footbridge from Goat Island,
stood on rock over the brow of the
Horseshoe Fall, but its location was
regarded as dangerous, and it was
taken down.
The Columbia River Valley has
many notable waterfalls, the most
important, perhaps, and most pic
turesque being the Multonomah Falls,
which plunge downward a distance of
760 feet, in a ribbon Of white, but long
ere they reach their craggy bed or
the heavy forests far beneath they
are dissolved in snowy drops of spray,
which are whirled in every direction
by the lightest zephyrs. After unit
ing below, they pillow their way
in a tortuous course through moss
lined banks and tangled gorse until
they make their final leap into the
Columbia in broad and thin sheet of
silver water. The popular local name
is Horse Tail Falls, owing to the re-
semblance which the two leaps bear
to the equine appendage.
The White River Falls, in a mount
ain stream tributary to the Columbia,
are formed by three leaps, of so feet,
80 feet and 80 feet.
Two falls in the Columbia Valley,
which are worthy of special atten-
toe, are the Peluse and Spokane
Falls. The former are unique on ac-
count of the eccentric character of
the rocks that surround them-as
tbav occupoo tho out1iroc n obi ropouo
columns of all shapes, broken pin
nicales and sharp needles, while the
banks are ranged in the form of ter
races, one above the other, often to a
height of 1000 or 1000 feet. These
falls are produced by the Peluse river,
nine miles from where it mingles with
the Snake river, the largest tributary
of the Columbia. This stream flows
through three canyons with great
velocity, but it is in it's passage
through the second that it forms the
falls. Where these have their birth
the canyon is 80 feet wide, and out
of this they come with an angry hiss
and plunge downward a distance of
125 feet.
The falls Of the Spokane are form
ed of two leaps, the upper one being
about II and the second about 100 |
feet.
Probably the grandest cascades in
the Northwest are the Shoshone |
Falls in Idaho, and for their volume |
they are the highest on the continent.
They rank next to Niagara and the |
Grand Falls in massiveness, and ex-
coed them in altitude by from 40 to 20 |
feet, according to their estimated |
height, some persons placing it at 1876,
and others at 23O feet.
The Grand Falls of the Snake river
are exceeded only by Niagara and the
Falls of the Missouri in volume, while
they outrank all in diversity of form
and contrast of surroundings. Mas
sive in power and vigorous in action,
warm in color, yet environed by |
gloom, picturesque in immediate ac
cessories, yet encompassed by savage
grandeur-they possess all the ele-
ments that make such scenes attrac
tive to the lover of the beautiful.
Their very situation in the midst of
desolate artemisian plain, and hem
med in by canyons whose dreary
depths are impenetrable to the sun
light for many months in the year,
adds to their interest and enhances
their impressive magnifcence. The
main falls are estimated by those
dwelling in their vicinity to be 22O
feet in height, but this is proba bly,
beyond bounds, though judging from