New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-04-12
NIAGARA LOSS MILLION
THE TOTCE OF THE RIVER
Is MUTE.
Still Greater Damage Feared Unless
IY MeIfs Gradually Silence SAID
To Be appalling.

Buffalo. April 11-Twice this year for the first
sne since the white man has come to the banks
4 the Niagara. the voice cf the river has been
umte The first time was late in February.
-ben. following q severe northerIy blow, the
Falls ran dry. and now. for the second time. fol-
lowing severe sou 'wester. when the food is
frozen solid from bank TO bank. The damage
Is estimated conservatively al S1.o00o00.
Unprecedented weather has brought about
the conditions On Wednesday of last week the
worst gale Of the season and the most violent
that the records Of the Weather Bureau ever
recorded for april tore out of the southwest.
and following the lakes and the channel of the
Niagara left ruin in It's wake. The solid fee
fields Of Lake Erie were churned from end to
end and piled in hinge conglomerate at the
lower enc Of the lake.
At Niagara Falls there had been a heavy ice
bridge in the pool below the cataract since the
middle OF The winter Under the impact Of the
mass OF ice from the lake above and the added
foods brought down by the wind. the bri6ge
gave way. ana began 10 surge down the rapids.
but before it could win freedom in the ample
waters Of Lake Ontario the wind shifted again
II The north. Instantly the moving foes packed
al the mouth Of the river Each instant Of cold
eoHsealed the pack more solidly. and each hour
Unable To escape by its natural channels the
sFel Of the river rose by leaps and bounds
The highest food level recorded from previous
Years is tWenJy-eight feet above the normal
IN Friday night The river was forty feet above
Ire normal
water poured over the windowsills OF the
power house OF the Ontario Power Conpany-
winch had been placed at what all engineers
hought 20 be 2 safe height above any possible
osnger, and flooded the machines The tracks
u NE Great Gorge route We're with few
stretches excepted covered from the lower steel
sfcn bridge to Lewiston. In the lower stretches
q the river whore the ice is packed the hard
Isl every boathouse, every fishing shack. with
is traps, often the sole capital Of the owner;
very private pumping station that supplied the
sumner homes that line the shores every pri-
'ste landing and piers Of both the international
railway and the Niagara Navigation Company
& Lewiston and Queenston. are buried beneath
'housands Of tons Of ice At Niagara -on-the-
lake the wharf is also overwhelmed. and I'll the
osihing houses have been swept off their foun-
cations
he Ontario Power Company finds it neces-
- to rewind its huge generators the cost will
y Tremendous. and then there is the widespread
eject Of the interruption of the power service Of
ne current Of this station across the river from
,snada TO the United States has been damaged
me Of the towers on the Canadian side having
1een torn from its feet and thrown against an
djoining tower. It is likely that the three Will
= carried away by the ice when it moves
The ice is crowding hard about the abutnents
{ the great upper steel arch bridge reaching
nto the network OF iron. There are tremendous
nssses OF ice between this bridge and the falls
md should it move toward the bridge the via
iuct might be swept away. for the Falls of Nj
'gsra are a frightful engine when exerting full
bower. At Lewiston a careful watch is being
sept on fhe ice to protect two large hotels, al
hough thought to be far out Of danger until this
am occurred.
All day long constant stream OF visitors
poured down the railway tracks. the trolley
tracks. packed the trains and the cars and even
r'oe and walked across country to see a sight
mat is not likely TO repeat itself within the
''su'ne .of the present generation. Under
. iiiant sun, the river lay white and glistening
!" lhe horizon And il was silent. absolutely
'oiceiess. FOR the first time within their memo
eS The weight Of that silence i'm
: ssOaaeratle thing. bat ii hung heavy on all who
aA'eised with chilling solemnity more awful
ssh the roar Of the rapids.