The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-08-14

September 3rd to 9th. An- other of the celebration's many features is to be the dramatiz-
 atiOn by a full-costuined cast of 5000 of the stirring his- torical events related here.
 BY DR. DIXON RYAN FOX President of Union College, Schen- ectady, and of the New York State Historical Associa- tion
 Old Fort Niagara is restor- ed. Antiquarian and archi- tect, m son and metal work CT, have faithfully completed this long and diff cult task, and as the old gates open upon it's history, the people of four nations, at peace these many, many years, are to join in a noble celebration.
 No name is more pleasing than Old Fort Niagara's to those who love the picturesque traditions of North America, whether they be viewed through French, British, Canadian or Yankee" eyes. They can all look back to triumph there, triumph and poignant heroism, as they view a site hallowed by the memories of 300 years.
 To Indians from either side of the Niagara -river, three centuries | may seem brief span because their forefathers gathered there for trade and war for an immem- orial age before. But for all the | memories now signalized at Old Fort Niagara by flags and cannon, it is the Christian cross that first appears in the glorious record. Hard it is now to picture the primeval forest of the early 17th century into which the white man came. It is said that Etienne Brule, Champlain's interpreter, crossing the Niagara in 1915 on his way from Lake Simcoe to the dis tant Susquehanna, was the first of his race to see the region. Au- thentic records, however, begin with the visit of Franciscan friar, Joseph de la Koch Dallion. Brother Joseph was in mission ary service among the Hurons and determined to carry his holy message southward among the At tawandaronks, the Neuter nation, who held the north shore of Lake | Erie and the east shore of the Ni- agara river. From the name of their principal village. Ongiara, on the present site of Lewiston, N. Y, the name Niagara" after some | mangling by European tongues. is said to have come. Arriving in 1928, he found brief hospitality, for the Indians soon misunderstood and persecuted him. Disheartened, he returned to his Huron mission the following year.
 Until 1640 there were no more white visitors to the Niagara. But on November End of that year, Fathers Jean Brebeuf and Joseph Chaumonot. Jesuit priests, also went forth from the Huron coun- try to carry the cross to the Alta wandaronks. They were deserted by their interpreters. Huron scan- dal which preceded them stamped them as magicians capable of all manner of evil. Undismayed, they set up their portable altar at On- giara and proclaimed to the Alta wandaronks a mission of peace. Their overtures fell on deaf ears. They were subjected to prolonged abuse and three months later, in February 1641, Father Brebeuf saw the futility of further attempts to convert the red men and he and Chaumonot started back for Hu- ronia. Cold, half-starved, waist deep in snow, they trudged through the woods until shelter was found in an abandoned bark lodge. Father Chaumonot took recourse in sleep while Father Brebeuf re- turned outside to commune with God.
 Suddenly he stopped. Far to the northeast, high in the air, the good priest tells us, huge cross was
 boldly outlined. It moved toward him from the land of the Iroquois. Unwonted splendor lit the saintly face for he saw a vision of a martyrs crown. And true vision 1 it proved, for years later the gall
 lant priest met death at the stake at St. Ignace. Not until recently
 was the martyrdom of Brebeuf rec ognized; he was beatified by the
 Holy See on June 2nd, 1925 and
 canonized on June 29, 1890.
 In the middle year of the cen-
 tury. the mighty Iroquois came out of the east, sweeping the Neutrals
 before them and dsestablishing them selves as lords of the, Niagara
 Frontier. Then through the region, in 1869, passed the indomitable priests Fathers Francois Dollier re Casson and Rene Brehant de Gal inee, Sulpitians from Montreal. With them was a young adven- turer of Rouen, Ren Cavelier de la Salle,, then PC, who was to be the herald of empire.
 Encountering the trader Joliet somewhat to the westward, La Sale returned with him to the St. Lawrence, his mind already breed ing visions of great expansion to the west and south under the flag of France. In 1878 he left Fort Frontenac, now Kingston, Ont, to fulfill these visions. With La Salle. I ', rko nI