Preservation of the Falls 



Niagara — Ne-aw-gaw-rah, thou thundering water! thy 1849 

 glories are departing; the abominable Railway Times has driven onnyca 

 along thy borders ; and, if I should live to see thee again ten years 

 hence, verily I should not be astounded to find thee locked-up, 

 and a station-house staring me in the visage, from that emerald 

 bower, in thy most mysterious recess, where the vapour is rose- 

 coloured, and the bright rainbow alone now forms the bridge 

 from the Iris Rock ! 



I was so disgusted to see the spirit of pelf, that concentration 

 of self, hovering over one of the last of the wonders of the world, 

 that I rushed to the Three Horse Railway, and soon forgot all my 

 misery in scrambling for a place ; there was no alternative. There 

 were only three carriages and one open cart on the rail ; the three 

 aristocratic conveniences were full ; and the coal-box — for it 

 looked very like one — was full also, of loafers and luggage; so 

 I despaired of quitting the Falls almost as much, by way of 

 balance, as I rejoiced when they once again met my ken. 



1850 



HOUSTON, Mrs. M. C. Hesperos; or, Travels in the west. Lond. : 1850 

 Parker. 1850. 1:122-139. Hous,on 



The author, who laments the nearness of the town, would have the Falls 

 and scenery " one glorious natural temple, dedicated to the God who 

 formed it from the foundation of the world," and all artificial structures 

 hurled into the rapids. 



1853 



CHAMBERS, WILLIAM. Things as they are in America. Lond. and 1853 

 Edinb.: William and Robert Chambers. 1854. Pp. 102-112. Chamber* 



In thinking of this marvellous work of nature, it is unfortunate 

 that the mind is disturbed by mean associations connected with the 

 works of man. On the British side, it is environed by a series of 

 paltry curiosity-shops; and there, at the ledge on which I had 

 seated myself, a labourer was busied in wheeling rubbish into 

 the cataract. On the American side, runs of water have been 

 led off to move the machinery of a saw and paper mill ; and at 



1079 



