Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-08-13
HERE, THERE, AND ELSEWHERE
(BY REQUEsT.)

wa Asc%oA/
"Here" is Thurmont, place admira-
bly, adapted to the building Of stately
air-castles which, according to the law
of contraries, often develop into things
most desirable. With at least six times
the persistence of Bruce's Spider l had
built multitudeof aircastles which in
variably took me to Niagara Falls. The
last time these castles tumbled to de-
struction was July 3, 1908, but out OF
the ruins arose the reality.
The way led from Baltimore to Phila-
delphia by the B. & O.. R. R. through
section of Maryland and Delaware not
strikingly beautiful and not seemingly
productive. From Philadelphia to Beth
lehem by the Philadelphia and Reading
R. r. passing through farming and in
dustrial community giving evidences OF
much prosperity. At Bethlehem our
train uses the Lehigh Valley R. R. and
we soon see confirmation of the assertion
that the Switzerland of America" is
found in the central eastern part OF
Pennsylvania. | soon wished ! had the
number of eyes usually accorded school
teacher, for wanted to look east, west,
north and south at one and the same
time SO as to miss none of the beauties
of this glorious landscape which changed
with Kaleidoscope frequency as our train
moved rapidly along rendering it impos-
sible to specialize. Only little less
striking, because of the absence of bold
mountains, but not less beautiful is the
famous Wyoming Valley. Peace, quiet
ude and prosperity seem to abound now,
but often there are troublous times among
the foreigners employed in the coal fields
and the historic Wyoming Massacre seems
about to repeat itself unaided by the
Red Man of ITS.
Near Sayre we crossed into New York
and soon came to Lake Seneca. 1t is 36
miles long, | to 3 miles wide and $50 feet
deep. We saw it clear and placid so its
quiet beauty was most restful. AS we
neared the northern end of the lake the
sun was just casting its last rays for the
day over the peaceful waters lighting
each small wave and ripple with golden
glints of aureate beauty. Nightfall shuts
out the landscape but the mental picture
of things seen thus far is varied by the
glmmering lights from wayside farm
house, the humble village or the larger
towns along the way. But presently our
train is stopped on siding apparently in
the land of Nowhere. The seconds
merge into minutes which seem like hours
as we wait 6S minutes, and then with the
rush and roar of a strange monster the
"Black Diamond Express" which was
belated, dashes by and we are permitted
to move after the flying palaces of the
New York and Chicago Lords of Wealth.
At II. 30 instead of IL o'clock we ar
rived in the town of Niagara Falls and
having found our lodging place we soon
sought rest and were finally lulled into
forgetfuness amidst the mystic roar of
nightly turbulent waters. The next
morning we walked through most beau
tiful residential street of handsome homes
and fine churches and on through bust
ness street where all was hurry and rush
with the inevitable tourist always in
sight. Now business must halt for we
have reached the entrance to beautiful
Prospect Park, a reservation bought by
the state of New York, consisting of
some mainland and a number of islands
connected by artistic bridges. For Is or
rs cents you can take Reservation
wagon or Touring car, which touches all
points of interest on Goat Island allow
ing the tourist to remain at any point as
long as desired
Being strangers in a strange land we
followed others, eagerly anxious, and at
the foot of stairway near the entrance
to Goat Island we had our first view of
the American Falls of Niagara and thus
at last we were There" and aircastles
could be banished. But where is the pen
that can give even faint idea of the
effect produced by this almost unparallel-
ed wonder of nature. All else about it
beggars description. We passed by the
Gave of the Winds" but did not visit it
because of late years rocks have crum-
bled and fallen rendering it an unsafe
place for women. Next by passing out
on jutting point of land you are sud-
denly confronted by the Undesirable
beauty of the Horseshoe or Canadian
Falls whose waters are deeply, brightly
green.
Statistics tell us that the American
Falls are 1860 feet wide and plunge over
a rocky wall 167 feet in height whilst the
Horseshoe Falls are 3OlO feet wide with
a height of 1853 feet. The Niagara River
from the Falls to Lewistown, distance
of 7 miles, is about 180 feet deep with
rocky walls on either side of about the
same height.
According to the United States Geologi
cal Survey of 1886, the Horseshoe Falls
are receding at an average rate of Al
feet yearly. At one special point thu
recession from 1912 to 1875 or periot
of SO years was 100 feet or feet yearly
and from 1875 to 1886 or period of L
years was 200 feet or Is feet yearly.
The American Falls are receding yer.
slightly which indicates that the rockbet
over which they flow is less susceptible
to the force and action of water. Scien
lists claim that it has taken $4,000 tt