The sun., 1909-02-15
NIAGARA FALLS ICEBOUND
WATER FL0WING ONLY OVER
THE HORSESHOE.
the American FalIs Choked with Ice and
the Channel Practically Dry The
Furious Hush or the Rapids Stiiled
ana the Whirlpool Tame and Sing glsh.

BUFFALO, Feb. 14.-The cataract at
Niagara Falls Is icebound to-day and the
American Falls are practically dry. The
stream is a mere brook at the brink. Only
twice before has this been known to
happen. March 2s is4s, and March 20,
1908. Any venturesome fellow might
cross safely from Prospect Point to Bait
Island without risk other than a slip on
the rocks and a ducking. There is not
force enough in the stream TO carry a
pulp log over the precipice.
For days now a cold northeast wind
has been holding back the waters and
barring the channel so the ice finds lodg-
ment first in the upper rapids and then
In the long reaches Up to Gill Creek. The.
result Is a great wall Of ice from Goat
Island to the American bank and some
200 feet into the Canadian channel. From
Goat Island all that may be seen Is the
long stretch OF ice. in hillocks and hum
mocks ten feet and more high, betwe cen
which an alert man might find it very
easy to cross.
The ice has choked the American Falls,
and the great Horseshoe Fall. which
seldom knows a check. is blocked by a
wall OF Ice that juts out beyond the third
Sister Island and shuts OF all the flow
west to the outwsrd sweep Of the Horse
shoe. A wall OF =. also juts out from the
Canadian side. so all that is left is the
very centre Of the fall. and that to-day il
robbed Of half it's normal volume.
In the Gorge below the American Falls
great hummocks OF ice from 20 to 90 feet
high front the cataract's face. On what
was left Of the ice bridge one could make
easy passa go across the front OF the falls
to the Cave OF the Winds.
: All along the Gorge to Lewiston the
mighty torrent y held in the fierce grip
Of the ice king. The furious rush OF the
rapids is stilled The great rocks oppo- |
site the B,ittery elevator. against which |
the waters smash into spray. are bare. |
Rocks that old rivermen say have not /,
been seen for forty years are naked to- |
day. The Whirlpool Is sluggish. At |
the DEVILS Hole there Is only a pebbly |
brook. The low water has crippled the
power plants tremendously. Power is |
being sent out, but it ~ difficult to carry /
the load. The Canadian plants are doing /
much better than the American plants.
Whom the word spread that the river
was bare great crowds focked TO the
ice for the excitement Of reaching the /
little Islands that are inaccessible at
other times. There was no need for the
bridge frep. Both ,IS|ARds q tbR sAars.
was possible to make one = way up Beyond
the head Of Goat Island Fairly in the
two reservation officers donned
rubber boots and tried to cross at the
very brink Of the American Falls. They
we're baked by a stretch Of water twenty
Ieet wide which was over their boots
They gave up the attempt TO avoid a wet
ing. There was not force enough in
hat stretch Of water to have swept them
over, even had they lost their footing.
The conditions responsible for the
barring Of the falls are peculiar to the early
'pring. There must be a strong north
'ast wind for several days to back up the
water and there must be enough ice run
hing to ground on the bare rocks. The
resent northeast gale has been blowing ,
'nce Friday. Even should the gale die ,
iown tonight the ice jams are so firmly
ixed that the conditions at the brink Of
he precipice will not be much changed
or several days.
The northeast gale here in Buffalo
mashed up the ice field OF this port in |
he lake last night and this morning
practically all the ice moved down the
iver. A number Of fishermen were out
m the ice. but all were on the alert and !
cached shore safely save one Pole, who
With his dogs probal)ly has been drownad .