Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
NIAGARA IN WINTER DRESS
The Frost Produces Gorgeous Spectacle
at the Fails.
Much Comfort to Be Had There Mt
Reasonable Cost Before
the Crowd Comes.

- vance to be avoided that quiet people
vhu like real things without mixture of
sham ought to know it. Winter has come
il ail Its finery. with nobody to see it, one
may cross the river afnOt where ice has
ehok-d the gorge and take in the cataracts
from that choice viewpoint accompanied
'orly by his meditations. The hot-drink.
wafInIug-pan pedd ers have dumped their
sllutles on the ice bridge. but it has not
act paid TO stock up, and this years infancy
If that nuisance is noiS''less and peaceful
Canadian paws insist on closing on the
American half-dollIr at Clifton for q ride
down tine bluff on the ramshackle freight
elevator which does service at that place
/; Tiry~ the visitor to give up coin for what
mis- ri.Ir. makes accessible Re ckoning by
thu standard of elevator service, he has to
Do about s. worth of work after leaving
the ELEVATOR to transport himself along the
Igtfh 20 the Horseshoe, but he really gets
il back in the end. Tie slippery way is
aVcrhuusr with icicIes as big as inverted
church stseples and resembling them. Some
of them reach below the path. and touching
its edge in their descent form stately
coIounadr. AS the visitor IN these daos
has the path to himSelf-the guide not
Crunting--he feels most as If the whole
thing had been devised for his benefit.
-Hher he has quit crouching in the dark
tunnel at the southern edge of the cliff and
firdS himself sound of limb, though badly
wiudrd. on climbing M the glossy steps into
daylight. he may well he thankful that the
crowd is at home. Looking on and holding
bis tongue is the only thing that fits the
surroundings. If the sight could be spoi.e
that would happen if some one were aaong
TO say How lovely as at a theater or
nne arts gallery or 4 flower show.
+Phe ice has done everything That nature $
cunning can devise. A field of boulders, all
OF lee. fills the immediate foreground,
+ spreading outward and below They zap
and overlie in mammoth shapes, massed
together while each holds its form, as If
the walls of a herculean temple had been
struck TO tine foundations but the giant
stones had refused to ne cruEc ned. StreWn
all around are the pillars, the columns, the
Ininarets, prone, topping, MANY ashanti,
some Yet erect, witnesses in their fallen
state 70 the SURPRISING skill that fashioned
them inches, cupolas and arches rest un-
/ 1ndrrrd on the stricken mass and although
, the crash has Uttered the field with frag-
ments Gothic here, CJrinthistn there, and
flmboyant touches in all directions, there
is 10 loss of master effects. Along the gray
cliff srpined roofs project. held in place by
living buttresSes. which in turn support
slim minarets garitnjed with balconies
ready Tor the muezzin to call the faithful
10 prayer. The sun. smiling in heavens
own blue sheds tintS Of onyx and rarest
opal over this scene One needs only in
moderate degree the faculty of RECONSTRUCT
lion - build anew for the minds eye the
temple. which could hardly have been
fsrand@r than in its ruins.
Beyond the immediate view is Niagara in
full glory. unfettered by winters grasp and
ptunSing resistlessly on its way Western
hEr'-ZFS. prevailing or late, nave carried the
mist from the falls to Goat Island and the
American shore. 1t has fallen on the wood
land there, converting the branches of the
trees into swaying iccles. An ice coating
from tfirSame source also envelopes the tree
trunks. covers the paths and slopes and
presents a bit of nature in its frostiest
r7"od. The wind must turn about to give
The Canadian shore this decoration.
An annoyance that may be avoided in
going close to the Horseshoe How is that of
rubber suits, They are of no use in this
weather. The drip from the cliff which
makes them necessary at other times is
frozen. and depending in rainbow icicles
j. becomes thing Of pleasure by adding
To the scene. From the same cause the
path along the cliff is simply u snow and
10 saith. on which one j. amply protected
1.y ordinary rubber Shoes
Quit" as acceptable as the absence Of drip
"u the Clifton side is the complete sub
erTVi-ucy Of the guides As Niagara visit
"rS hnow. the typical guide Is akin TO the
1yf'i'-I barber with a weakness for telling
IL story of his life or all occasions. When
. guide has You at the edge Of a precipice
~hsr~ his footing is strong and yours shaky
l'- tale Of woe has 20 be endured, even to
Ihe n. glect Of the thing you came TO see.
An open winter. with the babies wearing
out shoes as usual and credit AT the general
styrr running low. has taught the guides
that visitors are the first consideration. and
that autobiograp ply has dropped below par
Consequently they now CunfIne themselves
IL telling you what you wish TO know, and
In being most polite about it, Moreover,
f0r the expected quarter if it were
u"thI- eagle. brushing the tunnel dust off
Your hat. shaking out your oVercuat, press
ing swell creases in your trousers. bringing
luur sleigh from the stable, and looking
with such tender care after your welfare as
!" tempt You strongly to increase the per-
qUi<t"-
The usual and easy way Of seeing Mag
ara Il 10y private convey ance. but that way
J. NJ more necessary in winter than in
Summer if one has time Tor leisurely fnspee-
hat he.
air appetizing there is no advantage over
other times Of the year in looking else
where than at the American and Canadian
falls and their immediate surroundings. A
line "f trolley cars crosses the bridge, and
another line skirts the Canadian bluff One
may hli every minute with pleasure by
walking from the bridge 10 the Canadian
falls. about one mile. IL il q. fine road over
ltrd-packed snow, with the ice bridge and
h'.ih The American and Canadian falls in
view an the way.
Slack business this winter has made a
Crater variation Of tariff than usual for
prItd'" cguveyanceS. The best lfyerymen
chars. g 70 which may be added bridge
tolls. tips and special sightseeing with
guides amounting TO about 81 per person
From that price the scale drops 10 10 cents
~ which figure a passenger may expect to
L. carried where the driver may make a
fresh bargain with impmity. The art of
getting passengers in remote places and
.N;[icdting them only by compliance with
fresh demands has reached 4 high develop
nrnt here. Visitors who may not have
he-r here before and who wish private
conveyance will probably lind responsible
carriers who charge the top prices the
mos satisfactory The round OF places of
interest consumes two hours.
Causes which have made the guides polite
have contributed 10 other results which
those who wish to shun crowds class as
comforts. The souvenir seller at this time
- Var i indoors. Many windows contain
sN~1IiI1ii souvenir displays Of things made
il t'-rmany. New York or elsewhere, but
fHr S.I-s partition between visitors and
seller prevents the endless Importantly
wheel makes life here a burden at other
Sei>.uS One buys now only from choice
Iyf iAr gentle Indian to whom fate gave
lir'H fer trade purposes IN the Cave Of the
W lnI~ pr nearby has been frozen out
Another comfort to BE- hal here an pres
eu' . the hotel life. \ visiting party now
may feel reasonably confident Of enjoying
almost alone the dining room at any of the
best houses Evening dress Is going 10
waste on-some Of the most obiiging walters
10 De- found and hotel clerks ana managers
are meek and lowly 10 The poinF of putting
'Fery hing they have most gladly at the
service Of visitors
Stree the ice display this winter U-as roy,