The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-08-02
balance of the day.

we joined the party who made this side
trip, leaving Toronto at II o'clock on
the steamer Corona, and a run of an
hour and half took us across Lake
Ontario and we were at the mouth of
the beautiful Niagara river. Here is
located on the American side of the
river old Fort Niagara, one of the HIS
torical spots in North America, bearing
within its walls the relics Of almost two
and a half centuries. Here in 1869
LaSalle, pursuing his Heroic explora-
tions, erected the first building other
than an indian wigwam to appear on the
frontier, and used it as base of sup
plies to facilitate his discoveries. Again
on this site in 1878 he built structure
which he named Fort Cont. On it's
ruins in 1857 DeNonville built the ill
fated fort that bore his name, which
was besieged by the Senecas as soon as
the army departed, and which was de-
stroyed the following year on the de-
mand of the Senecas acting under
British instigation. Fort Niagara is at
present a regimental headquarters for
the United States regular army. The
trip on the Niagara river was delight
ful one, it being seven miles from the
mouth of the river to the head of navi-
cation at Lewiston, N. Y, where we
were landed and found special cars of
the Niagara Gorge R. R. Co. waiting for
us. We were soon on board and started
on the journey to the Mecca of all tour
lists, Niagara Falls. The Gorge route is
a remarkable achievement in railroad
building, as the roadbed for nearly the
entire distance is blasted out of the
solid rock cliffs. Soon after leaving
Lewiston we pass under the great sus-
pension bridge connecting the Ameri-
can and Canadian shores, while high
above us are the dim remnants of old
Fort Gray, which was established by
the American army in 1912. Our atten-
tion is called by the guide to the DEVILS
Hole. weird spot, which was at one
time mighty cavern, famed in the
legends of the red men as the abiding
place of the evil spirits, which gave it
the name. History tells us that the
French explorer LaSalle, was the first
white man to see this cavern in 1878.
Not quite century later, Sept. IA, 1863,
this cavern was the scene of blood
curdling massacre soon after the French
and Indian war. At the top of the bank
an English provision train, guarded
by company of regulars, was ambush
ed by horde Of Seneca Indians, who
swooped down on the unsuspecting
Englishmen, and out of about 80 men
all but three were either butchered or
thrown over the awful brink-horses,
wagons and all driven pell nell over the
cliff. One drummer boy, named Matth-
ews, escaped death by falling into a
tree, being caught on the branches by
the strap of his drum. One of the
others to escape was an officer named
Steadman who broke through mounted
on swift horse. The cavern contains
many interesting features, the great
Council Rock, the Mysterious Cave and
the bed of Bloody Run Creek, 50 named
for it's running red with the blood of
the awful massacre in 1868. A little fur
ther on we see Giant Rock and then we
come in view of the famous Grand
Whirlpool at the foot of the whirlpool
rapids. The scene here presented is,
above all others, the most awe-inspiring
The great basin which lies at the foot
of the frowning walls has been formed
by the action Of the relentless rush of
waters which for ages have been swept
against it's granite walls. Here the
river rests after it's mad plunge through
| the rapids, circling aro1nd in a sallen
whirl. Huge logs are seen suddenly
tossing their ends high ia the air, to be
sucked down only moment later into
the vortex of the malstrom. Just above
the whirlpool is the rapids in which the
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Webb, on July "a, 1883, in brave but
fooIhardy attempt to swim them, lost
his life. Several years ago it was claim.
! ed that a man named Graham went
through the rapids in a barrel, but a
resident of the Falls told us it was all
fake, Graham getting into the barrel
below the rapids and then had an ac-
eomplice rescue him. Our cars began
the ascent from the gorge just be-
fore the steel arch and cantilever
bridges were reached and we gradually
made our way up the steep ascent until
we were in the city of Niagara Falls, a
bustling place consisting for the great
er part of hotels, lodging houses and
curio shops, dependent upon the thous-
ands of visitors for their support. We
crossed the river just below the falls to
the Canadian side and had magnificent
view of what is justly termed the great
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