The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-12-22
THE SIGHTS OF NIAGARA.
Beauties of the Falls when Winter
Gets Them Bound with Ice
and Snow.

Long years it was said that those who
had seen Niagara in summer only had
| half seen it, and there is no doubt that
| those who have visited the falls in both
summer and winter agree with the
| statement. In summers garb Niagara
is beautiful, but in the spotless white
robe of winter it is doubly so.
This year Niagara has decided to
make the winter season still more enter
tanning there by the construction of an
ice palace of attractive lines and size.
This palace has its site opposite the
state reservation, and it is expected to
rival in beauty the famous ice palaces o.
| Canada. But the great feature of
Niagara in winter is the ice bridge for.
nation in the gorge. This year bridge
formed on Monday, January 9, and it
may be that several will come and go
before bridge sufficiently strong to
withstand the river currents and wealth
er arrives, for on January % the ice
mass moved nearly 1000 feet, to the inn
minent danger of number of persons
who were ON it. The conditions that as
sure strong Niagara ice bridge are
| plentiful supply of ice in Lake Erie,
westerly wind to drive it into the river
| entrance and down stream, and good,
sharp weather.
Gradually the pressure of the oncom-
ing ice continues, until the mass piles
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 be-
comes stationary, and the only move
ment is seen through channel in mid
stream. On either side the moving ice
cuts straight path along the sta
tionary mass, constantly grinding and
frequently piling the shore ice up still
higher. When this condition arrives it
is still evident that an ice bridge is
about to form. Darkness may settle
before the curious watchers on the
bridge and banks have their hopes real
| lied, but with the usual GOODNESS of
evening the movement of the ice in the
center becomes slower and slower, I'M
til finally its course is checked entirely.
This, in many instances, may be but
momentarily, but the effect is signif-
cant, and soon the ice is so tightly
wedged from 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 con-
siderable 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 into the deep crevasses, all form
ing a rough, broken mass, the true APP
probation of the Niagara ice bridge is
developed. Should the ice form during
the night, morning will hardly break
before some adventurous person will
hurry from shore to shore in order to
win the credit of being the first to cross.
The beauty that one sees to-day may
be gone tomorrow, or it may be in
testified a thousandfold. While stand
ing 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 summer
time. 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 depth of from 90
to 120 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 as near the CEN
ter as the eye can judge. In these shan.
ties liquors, cigars, eatables, ETC., are
sold. Tintype galleries are also estab-
lished, and when these conditions are
reached the Niagara winter season NAV
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. On the New York state
side, just to the north of the American
fall, an ice mountain forms. 1t is usual
ly of immense proportions, and affords
an excellent coasting place, where, on
a bright day, people of many nations
may be seen enjoying themselves to the
utmost.-Scientifc American.
Curry Soup.