The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-02-16
PICTURE IN CRYSTAL.
King Winter Has Decorated Amer
ica'S Great Cataract in Fan
tastic Sty:e

Niagara Falls, N. Y, Feb. 3.-King
Winter has at last seized the great cata-
ract and surroundings within it's grasp,
and the Niagara ice festival is on in all
its glory. The trees Oh the islands and
| in the park are clothed in their icy dress.
and the brightness of it all as it glitters
in the winter sun is magnificent and
startling. The high winds have driven
the spray cloud far back into the woods
and the trees stand out, when viewed in
certain directions, like wall of marble
The icy garb Oh the bushes, shrubs,
ratings, etc, creates a most wonderful
transformation scene, and the picture is
new one. The Niagara winter scene is
ever changing. \ single night brings
about changes that are wonderful. The
wind drives this way, then that way, and
as the spray falls it is seized by the grasp
of winter and frozen in weird and beauti-
full forms.
From the cliffs on both sides of the
gorge hang huge stalactites pendant al
NEST to the debris slope below. Near
the Horseshoe Fall and north of the
American fall these forms are magniti-
cent, while the ice mountain is climbing
upward with wonderful rapidity. From
shore to shore stretches the great ice
bridge, a marvel of construction, all its
parts being made from small pieces OF
ice that have been broken by the rough
passoge through the upper rapids and
over the falls.
In front of the American fall the ice
is piling up on the rocky talus until it
seems as though it will soon be as high
as the cliff. In front of the Cave of the
Winds there is a mighty mass of ice,
and people are hopeful that it will bt
possible to enter the cave this winter
as it was for the first time in 1896. Tha,
| was a memorable incident. and even the
| oldest resident could not remember if j,
| was ever done before.
The present ice bridge is of goodly pro-
portions and there is every prospect that
cold days of the latter part of January
had the effect of freezing the mass in a
solid block from shore to. shore, and it
will take many days of soft weather to
destroy the bridge so that the current can
sweep it away and carry it through the
rapids. Every day large number of
people cross the icy structure and find
pleasure in strolling across the river on
this remarkable construction.
Out in the center Of the bridge the first
hotel has made it's appearance, and this
will no doubt be followed by many others
within few days. All the railroads re-
port many inquiries from elsewhere in
regard TO the Niagara Ice scenery, and
for this reason they expect the travel ia
Niagara will be unusually heavy this
winter.
The people of Niagara Falls were much
disappointed in the ice palace they built
last winter, and will not undertake an.
other this winter. 1t is felt that the ice
bridge and natural beauty of the falls in
winter dress will go further toward
pleasing visitors than any structure man
| can build out of ice. Then. too the ice
palace of last year was a financial fail.
ure Of the most distressing kind, and the
stockholders want no more of them at
Niagara.
The thrilling incident of Sunday, Jan.
uary %, 1899, when the ice bridge start
ed down stream with about 100 people
on it, all but three Of whom reached
places Of safety without any difficulty.
has served to make people who start
over the bridge very cautious, and they
are constantly watching the cliffs to
learn whether the ice is moving.
AS long as cold weather lasts there
is little danger of renewal of that ex-
perience, for it is only after the sun and
wind have rotted the ice that the bridge
is in danger Of going out. There never
has been a life lost on Niagara ice
bridge