The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-03-03
NIAGARA FALLS BARE
For One Whole Day the Rocky
Precipice Was Dry.
THE WATER CEASED TO FLOW

This Curious Phenomenon Occurred on
March 81, t848-Terrified tho People
In tho Vicinity-Return of the Tor
rent and tho Cause of tho Stoppage.
In the early spring OF ls4s occurred
natural phenomenon so strange, go
sudden and so stupendous that the old
or Inhabitants OF western New York
still speak Of 1t with awe and wonder.
This phenomenon was nothing else
than the running dry Of Niagara falls,
The story is seldom recounted now,
but it was nine days wonder for the
whole country when II appeared in
the newspapers. For the first time in
history the roar of the grandest cata-
ract In America was hushed.
In the early morning of March 81,
1913, people living in the vicinity OF
the falls were awakened by peculiar
hush. as startling in its suddenness
and intensity as the most thunderous
explosion could have been. Many
dressed and hastened outdoors, urged
by u fDhNHstipIt tHhl holuetubt& dpBab
ing had happened or was about 10
happen. Some thought the end OF
the world was at hand. Others imag
lned that they had grown suddenly
deaf Still others thought that the
hush preceding a terrific hurricane had
fallen upon the air. All were Cypress
ed with a feeling OF profound awe and
dread
1t was soou discovered however
that the cessation Of the roar of the
falls was the sole cause Of this com
mon panic. As the dim light of early
morning grew stronger the people
were able to see the almost bare preci
pice OF the falls over which but
short time before thousands Of tons
Of water had been pouring. Only
here and there small streams, con
stantly growing smaller, now tricklcd
down the face Of the towering wall
Above The falls. instead of the rush
lug. foaming river. only naked chan
mel studded with black and Jagged
rocks. appeared The bed OF the river
was practically exposed from shore to
shore. except for small streams. like
mountain brooks. running SLOWLY to
The verge Of the precipice. The spec
tators could hardly believe their ewes
Some remarkable feats were per
formed on that day when Niagara ran
dry. People walked from The Canadian /
side OF The river along the edge OF
the frightfui precipice, nearly as far
az Goat island on the American side
and never even wet their feet Some
went exploring In the river bed above
the fails and discovered n number OF
ancient gun barrels, lost probably by
sportsmen mp the river in long gone
days and still after the rottng away
Of their stocks slowly forced down
stream hy the current, Caves and
curious formations in he rocks were
discovered the existence Of which had
never been suspected before
All that day March II. 1s4s. Niagara
falls remained dry. and people who re
malned up until late ut night. expect
ing To see a change, went To bed with
out witnessing It But In the early
morning Of April l the familiar thun-
der Of the great cataract was once
more heard. and every one knew that
the mysieriously drained river bed
was again pouring Its flood over the
falls
Now for the explanation OF this
strange phenomenon II proved TO be,
after all very simple. The winter OF
lS47 and s4S had been one Of extreme
severity. lee OF such thickness had
\ Ia.
Erie that season. When the break up
came, toward the end of March, a
strong oriheaSt wind was blowing,
which piled the great fields Of ice IN
foes aud then In banks as high as
miniature lcebcrgs. Toward night on
March 30 the wind suddenly changed
10 the opposite direction and Increased
to terrific gale which hurled back
the piled up ice and drove II into the
entrance OF Niagara river with such
force that n huge and almost lmpcnc
trabe dam was formed For whole
day the source Of the river was stop
ped up, and the stream was drained
Of It's supply. Ky the morning of the +
!lst the river was practically dry. and
thus for twcniy four hours the roar OF
Niagara falls was stilled. Then in the +
early morning of April the Ice
pack gave way under he tremendous
pressure from above, and the long re
strained volume OF water rushed
down and reclaimed It's own-Ex
change
Few Beds In Bsqdad