43 



MACAKA. 



t.-t 



Bird's-cve View of N 



(the official title) extends along the river-front from the 

 upper Sus|H-nsioii Bridge to a point nearly a mile 

 buve the lulls, ll also includes what was formerly 

 known as Prospect Park, at tin- very edge of the 

 American falls, and (ioat Island with its croup of 

 Miialler islands. Tin' total area in the iiark is 115 

 acres. It was opened to the public July 15, 1885. 

 While access to the grounds is free, there are small 

 charges for using the inclined railway and the eleva- 

 : T visiting the cave of the winds, and for riding 

 on the steamer Maid of the Mist. Ill the up|HT part 

 of Prosjicct Park there has heeii established a recep- 

 tion house, a public lavatory, a bureau of advice for 

 excursionists, including arrangements tor picnics with 

 shelters, and the ollice of administration. The taking 

 "I provisions upon any other part of the reservation 

 idden. The disfiguring objects have IK-CII re- 

 uioved I nun l'p|>er 1'rospcct Park. All along the 

 edge of the crags a space has been prepared for people 

 to stand upon, from twenty to thirty feet wide, and 

 extending from the brink of the falls to the high 

 gnmnd kick of the old wooden balcony, from all of 

 which a tine view is had of tin- nearer fall, tin- river 

 above it, the island.*, the Canadian tails, and the On- 

 tario reservation. The surface of this standing space 

 has been reduced to a slope with an inclination toward 

 the falls of about 1 in 111, which allows visitors at a 

 distinee to look over tlie heads of those nearer the 

 more attractive point. A balcony has been built to 

 enlarge I he available space on the projection of rock 

 Mouth of (he wall of the inclined railroad. A new 



ami Vicinity. 



safety cable has been placed upon the inclined railway. 

 The electric lights have been removed from Prospect 

 Park, and access is allowed to neither the park nor the 

 island after dark. 



Similar improvements arc also to be reported upon 

 the Canadian side of the falls. Government Commis- 

 sioners surveyed and outlined the lands proposed to lie, 

 taken, the area i.f which was about the same as that 

 upon the American side, but the amount allowed by 

 the arbitrators was $078,000, or considerably less than 

 the amount paid by the State of New York. There 

 was so much opposition to this plan that the amount 

 was finally reduced to $402,000, or $100,006 in excess 

 of the valuation of the government. The grounds 

 finally taken extend southward from the Clifton Ib.uso 

 lor nearly two miles and include the Cedar Islands, to 

 which an admission is charged. The Clifton House 

 remains, but the old museum and a long line of un- 

 sightly buildings will be removed, 



Jiriilt/rx. The Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge 

 is descrilted in the Bacyclopadia Bntautttu^ under 

 BRIDGES, ? 80. It was bout by John A. Koehling, 

 being commenced in ]>.">:.'. The first railroad train 

 passed over it in March. IS'i'i. In IssCithe font stone 

 towers which supported its cables wen' replaced with 

 steel towers. The ("pper Suspension Bridge, closer to 

 the rails, was built ill 1SHS. It is a light, graceful 

 structure, iL'i'.X feet long and Lino feet above the river, 

 which is there 190 feet deep. Originally intended for 

 foOt-paSMngen only, it was afterwards allowed to IK' 

 used by single carriages. In 1SS7 it was widened to a 



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