Evening star., 1899-03-04
NIAGARA IN WINTER TIME
Its Majestic Beauty When Sealed Up With
Ice and Snow.
Conditions That Favor the Formation
of n Bridge-Life on the
Frozen River.
From the Scientific American.

From the Scientific American.
Long years ago 1t was said that those
who had seen Niagara in summer only had
but half seen it. and there is no doubt that
those who have visited the falls in both
summer and winter agree with the state
ment. In summers garb Niagara is beau
tiful, but in the spotless white robe of
winter it is doubly so.
This year Niagara has decided to make
the winter season still more entertaining
there by the construction of an ice palace
of attractive lines and size This palace
has its site opposite the state reservation
and 1t is expected to rival In beauty the
famous ice palaces of Canada. But the
great feature of Niagara in winter is the
ice bridge formation in the gorge. This
year bridge formed on Monday, January
y, ana 1t may be that several will come and
go before a bridge sufficiently strong to
Withstand the river currents and weather
arrives, for on January % the icy mass
moved nearly 1000 feet, to the imminent
danger of number of persons who were
on it, The conditions that assure a strong
Niagara ice bridge are a plentiful supply of
ice in Lake Erie a westerly wind to drive
1t into the river entrance and down stream
and good, sharp weather.
Gradually the pressure of the oncoming
ice continues, until the mass niles up along
the shores in great lodges. and before long
the pressure extending out from the ice
lodged on the shores and in the eddies is so
great that this ice becomes stationary, and
the only movement Is seen through a chan
mel in mid-stream. On either side the NOV
ing Ice cuts straight path along the sta
tlonary mass, constantly grinding and fre-
q0entiy p1iing the shore ice up still higher.
When this condition arrives it is evident
that an ice bridge is about to form. Dark
ness may settle before the curious watch
ers on the bridge and banks have their
hut wit h
of evening the movement of the ice in the
center becomes slower and slower until
finally its course is checked entirely.
rms, in many instances. may be but mo-
mentarily, but the effect is significant, and
soon the ice Is so tightly wedged from shore
to shore that even the strong current at
this point of the river does not move it.
This is an ice bridge. Over the falls the
ice continues to pour in great quantities.
The wind may have the effect of raising
the water to a considerable height in the
lower river, and this results in piling the
ice higher and higher strengthening the
bridge so that when the water falls to its
normal condition the bridge lowers and
wedges itself from shore to shore. With
great mounds here and there about the sur
face, from which it is possible to look
down 1nto deep creVaSseS, all forming a
rough, broken mass, the true appreciation
of the Niagara ice bridge is developed.
Should the bridge form during the night,
morning will hardly break before some ad-
shore in order to win the credit of being
the first to cross.
The beauty that one sees today may be
gone tomorrow, or it may be intensified a
thouSandfold While standing in the center
of a Niagara ice bridge, views of the falls
are obtainable similar to those enjoyed
from the deck of the Maid of the Mist the
little craft that plies about the falls in
summertime. While standing in the center
of some of the famous ice bridges of the
past it has been Impossible to see the shore
line, owing to the mountainous nature of
the bridge. 1t is estimated that only about
one-third of the mass of ice is above water,
and this basis of figuring would give a
depth of from ninety to 100 feet to the
bridge
After an ice bridge has given evidence of
being strong, men put out from either
shore with lumber and build small, rough
shanties near the center as the eye can
judge. In these shanJies liquors, cigars,
eatables, &c, are sold. Tntype galleries
are also established, and when these condi
tions are reached the Niagara winter sea-
son may be said to be in full blast. The
liquors being sold without a license, raids
are made by the Canadian and New York
officials on some of the shanties, and ar
rests follow. Convictions, however, are
few. On the New York state side just TO
the north of the American fall, an ice
mountain forms. 1t is usually of immense
proportions, and affords an excellent coast
ing place, where, on a bright day, people
of many nations may be seen enjoying
themselves to the utmost.