The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-19

years ago unoer the uSnl OF an carry
summer morning when I tramped up
and down stairway n over Goat and
/ Luna Islands before breakfast, en-
chanted with the first view of superb
Niagara The warm light of an early
morning lit up the radiant waters, and
three shifting rainbows played X
dancing spirits on the pillows Of mist
that rose high in the face of the rising
sun. Birds sung in the trees. and there
was an undertone in the roar of the
waters that suggested the music Of a
mighty riga That La I shall never
forget. Nor can the memory of frozen
Niagara eve fade from the mind OF
one who has seen it The roaring cata-
ract dashed a relentless emo down
its ice-bound lodges. h white mist
o. to b clouds IN changing vol
umes, the winding stairways were
covered with untrodden snow. the ice
bridge which had formed Just below the
Falls was covered with snow which
did not, however. concealed the treach-
erous riffs in the ice beneath, for the
March sunshine had begun to pierce
it's thickness. The rock over the cave
Of the Winds was a mountain of snow
n the mist that rose from its top
looked like smoke coming from the
crater of a Snow-crested volcano. The
great rock near the foot Of the Horse
Shoe Falls was also a snow hill with
a dangerous looking rift at it's apex.
AROUND these mounds of snow. whit
sea-gulls flew in a vain search for food.
Platoons Of ice were constantly float
ing down the river from Lake Erie,
were tossed over the precipice, ground
into pieces and stopped at the ice
bridge, forming a swirling. glittering
edge to the long natural passage way
that spanned the river. This ice bridge
alone is worth a trip to Niagara. 1t
extends across the river Just below the
American Falls. to the outlet of the
tunnel which supplies the water power
for the Electric plant of Buffalo.
Several small refreshment houses are
built at intervals along the path that
runs through the middle Of the bridge.
They and their tenants were still there
in spite of the great cracks in the
bridge, through whose dark ~crevices 1
looked to see nothing but dark masses
of broken ice. cemented by the cold
into grotesque shapes. No running
water was visible. Local ,Munchausens
have some blood-curdling stories to re-
late of people who disappear forever
from this ice bridge every year, or who
accidentally float off on detached raft
| of ice to the whirlpool rapids below.
The serenity of these temporary res
taurant keepers and the nonchalance
with which citizens and visitors walk
| over the bridge discredit the truth of
these alleged mishaps. The guides and
\ carriage drivers aroun the falls never
do things by halves. however. The
publication of the assortment of mar
wells which the average Niagara guide
relates to the visiting stranger would
injure the sale of every dime novel
series in the United States.
This wonderful ice bridge and the
weird, magnificent effect winter pro-
duces along the romantic channel of the
famous river and mighty falls are
enough to excite their imagination. A
recital of these adventurous stories,
perhaps adds a Zest to the enjoyment
of the hour.
Early in the morning when the snow
first fell On the ice bridge. the spirit
of the north I'll seemed to hav put
on the soft covering in graceful waves
that shone in every glittering curve un-
der the sunlight. And as I turn in
angle to get another view a single rain
bow, poised IN the clouds of mist from
the American falls. formed an ideal
archway to the long shining bridge OF
spotless white. The trees on every side
dropped low Under their bundenS OF
snow, ice glittered on every rock, and
this fair bow of promise was the only
point of bright color in one of the most
remarkable natural scenes in the world
Next spring n summer the softer
picture must attract millions of Pan
American visitors. A great electric
search light is being placed in position
which will illuminate the falls, the gor-
ges, and Coat and Luna Stands. AL
that nature. art and science can do
will be DONE. to make this marvellous
natural attraction a notable adjunct
to the charms of the magic city, now
approaching completion in it's vicinity
CHARLES EDWARD LLOYD.