Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-28
WADINC ON NIACARA'S BRINK
Rare Winter Spectacle Presented bS
the Great Cataract.
TURBULENT WATERS TAKE REST
AdvsntuPous Persons wade Across
River Bed and Plant Flags ON
Rocks Hitherto Sub
merged.

For the third time in known history
Niagara river above the rapids was ice
bound on the 18th, 18th and 18th instant, and
the American Falls was practically dry.
Only twice before has this been known to
happen. March 20. 1sts. and March q, 1906.
For DAYS a cold northwest wind held back
the waters and barred the channel so the
ice found Judgment first in the upper rapids
and then In the long reaches up to GIL
creek. The result was a great wall OF ice
from Goat Island TO the American bank
and some 200 feet into the Canadian cham
mel. From Goat island all that may be seen
was the long stretch of ice, in hillocks and
hummocks ten feet and more high. be-
tween which an alert man might find II
very easy TO cross.
The ice choked the American falls. and
the great Horseshoe fall. which seldom
knows a check was blocked by a wall or
ice that jutted out beyond the third Sister
island and shut off all the flow west 70
the outward sweep Of the Horseshoe. a
wall OF ice also jutted out from the Canad-
ian side, so all that was left was the very
center Of the fall, and that was robbed OF
half its normal volume.
In the gorge below the Americans fails
great hummocks Of ice from forty to sixty
feet high fronted the catarsct's face. On
what was left OF the ice bridge one could
make easy passage across the front OF the
falls to the Cave OF the Winds.
Rushing waters stiII.
All along the gorge to Lewiston the
mighty torrent was held in the fierce grip
OF the ice king. The furious rush of the
rapids was stilled. The great rocks opIN-
81 D.st.-.r oto.atnr aGaiuqf which
the waters smash into spray. were bare.
Rocks that old rivermen say have not been
seen for forty years were naked. The
whirlpool was sluggish. At the pevirs
hole there was only a pebbiy brook. The
low water crippled the power plants tire
mendously. Power wa sent out. but It
was difficult to carry the load. The Cansd-
ian plants were much better than the
American plants.
when the word spread that the river was
bare great crowds flocked to the ice for
the excitement of reaching the little Islands
that are inaccessible at other times. There
was no need for the bridge from Bath Is
land to the shore. BY keeping to the center
OF the stream It was possible to make
ones way up beyond the head OF Goat
island. Early one morning two reservation
officers donned rubber boots and tried to
cross at the very brink OF the American
falls. They were baked by a stretch OF
water twenty feed wide which was over
their boots. They gave up the attempt to
avoid a wettinE. There was not force
enough in that stretch of water to have
swept them over, even had they lost their
footing.
All Sunday and Monday there was a
steady stream of visitors, most of them
from Buffalo. but many from distant
points, who came to see the unusual sight
OF a dry Niagara. And they were the days
for adventures. So intent were the holder
spirits on attempting a crossing at the
brink that Superintendent Edward II. Perry
had warning signs placed along the bank
and gave his officers instructions to see
tina no one ventured in the more dan
gerous sections. He was fearful that. witt
a sudden change in the wind. the water
might rise above the retaining wall of ice
and pour down in a torrent.
A candymaker named Carlo attempted q
crossing at the brink and was in a fail
way to get over when he was waved bach
by an officer on the brink he was ap'
preaching, CARO- was then over his boot
tops in the only part of the stream. Johr
Lynch, Francis Richards and John Cos
were others VINO tfled 10 make their way
from the mainland to Luna island. a feal
which has never been accomplished.
George Roache of Riverway, however
succeeded in planting in the middle OF thu
cataract an American flag. Another PLACED
a flag on Avery's rock, which until Sun
day, was never touched by the foot of any
man but Avery the unfortunate,
The power companies have had a hare
fight against the ice. On the Canadian sid'
men have been kept at work dsy and night
blasting the floes In the forebsys. The Ca
madam Nigara has suffered most. The sam,
is true on this side. where the foreba!
tugs have been kept running up and dowr
the intakes, keeping the cakes from the tur
blnes. AT the municipal waterworks sta
ton the conditions became so bad that hell
had to be had from the pumps of the indie
pendent company for five hours.