Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-07
FROM NIAGARA TO SARATOGA.

4
of the Gazette will no doubt accept the
truth of this dictum as be has had the
promise Of this letter for the last two
or three weeks. When we left old
Alexandria just one month ago today,
we expected that the crisp sir of Nj
agara would quicken our faculties, but
il only served 10 induce Incidence dur.
lug our period of rest. The trip along
the Pennsylvania Railroad through the
great Susquehanna valley is picturesque
and delightful. The country is more
open and rolling than along the Lehigh
valley route which takes the traveller
! through much bolder scenery. The
! citizens of Rochester were having an
International celebration of the "glori-
Gus FOURTH" number of Ca
nauian soldiers took part in the process
sion and the city was gaily and beauti-
fully decorated with bunting and nu-
merous combinations Of the Stars and
Stripes with the old Union Jack, show
ing the happy feeling existing between
TINS country and Britain's daughter
across the lake.
Niagara was just as impressive and
mal 4stic as when we saw il before. 1t
is impossible TO say which is the grand
or, the great plunge of the waters over
the precipice or the wild swirl and rush
If the magnificent rapids above. Both
The falls and the rapids make marvel
!ous combination o! glorious sublimity.
Then there are the beautiful walks
and drives through Prospect Park
and Goat Island, On the Ameri-
can, and Victoria Park and Dufferin
Islands on the Canadian side, ahording
superb views OF the falls aud rapids.
Among the improvements at Niagara
since our last visit are the great cleo
cric power house, new steel arch
bridge lust below the falls for carriages
and pedestrians, the great steel arch
bridge OF the Grand Trunk Railway
which takes the place of the celebrated
suspension bridge, and last, but not
least, the wonderful electric road
through the gorge on the American
side to Lewiston. A new suspension
bridge has also been built connecting
Queenstown and Lewiston in the place
of the one which was blown down
years ago.
After q weeks stay at Niagara we
took the delightful trip across Lake
Ontario to Toronto in one of the tiae
boats of the Niagara linc. The Gay,
river, lake and boat were all that could
be desired aud as Brooks monument
and historic Queenstown Heights faded
away into blue haze the opposite shores
of the lake rose in the distance before
our eyes. The entrance into the bar
| Dor of Toronto is beautiful, while the
CITY itself shows evidences on every
| hand of that prosperity which has won
for it the name of the "Queen City of
| the West"
After remaining in Toronto and its
neighborhood for few days, our next
objective point was the Thousand Isl.
ands. Leaving Toronto early in the
afternoon on the fine new steamer
Toronto" which very closely resem-
| bles our Norfolk steamers, we were on
the beautiful waters of Lake Ontario
until about six O'Clock the next morn.
ing when the vessel touched at the
quaint old city of Kingston. In short
tine we entered the mighty st. Law
! ence and the romantic scenery of the
| Thousand Islands, reaching our
destination among the group al
Alexandria Bay, N. Y, about eight
| o'clock. This town is beautifully sit
u.ted in the most picturesque and POI .
ular portion of the island district. All
around are islands upon which are built
the palaces of the rich who come from
the various great centres of the east
and west and the far south. Il is i'm
possible to describe the beauty of this
region. Islands of ali sizes from the
lovely rock up to the respectable pro-
portions of Wolfe Island lie dotted every
where on the sparkling bosom OF the
Saint Lawrence, while as you sail
amongst them you see the various
channels between them like beautiful
canals, and only want the gondola and
ancient palaces to make old Venice IN
America. But indeed it is an Ameri.
can Venice, for from the modern palaces
on the several islands start forth ele
CANT steam launches and yachts bear
ing their favored owners and friends
from island to island or mainland, or IL
pleasure cruises down the river. Ihe
river is full of life. In addition to the
luxurious launches of the rich are the
numerous steamers going from place
TO place and rowboatsan sailboats lnnu
merable bearing fishing parties to the
we'll known points of bass and percn ane
pickerel. On Wednesday and Satur
day nights the islands are illuminated
by their owners, and as we glide among
them with the searchlight OF our DOG
revealing hidden scenes OF beauty, !n' ~!
merry party or romantic lovers sitting
under the trees or on the shore, i
seems as if the days of fairy land have
come back to earth again.
On Sunday nights the illumination
are changed and instead of the various
emblems of the islands which are out
lined by electricity, a flaming eros
q .shes forth from q height on each Is
land as a fit emblem for that sacre'
1 xyiltoS has 10