Niagara Falls 



Summary 



In no phase of Niagara literature is a more complete change 

 in conditions portrayed than in the writings cited in this chapter. 

 To this generation, accustomed to the comforts of rapid transit, 

 the accounts of horse-back and stage-coach trips of many miles 

 to view the greatest natural wonder of this continent are most 

 interesting. The earliest accounts dealing especially with the 

 conditions of travel to the Falls are largely written from the point 

 of view of possible trade with the district and contain information 

 concerning roads and portage. The narrative of T. C. published 

 in the Portfolio in 1810 is especially valuable for its accurate and 

 clear account of the country traversed, the conditions of agricul- 

 ture and trade, and the characteristics of the surrounding country 

 and people. 



Early in the nineteenth century the trip to the Falls became 

 fashionable not only for European visitors, but also for the 

 well-to-do class of our own country. This period gives us a 

 number of personal reminisences taken from letters and diaries. 

 The growing popularity of the trip also brought forth the publi- 

 cation of guide books describing the various routes to the Falls, 

 and the sights to be seen there. From these early days of the 

 nineteenth century down to the present time, the publication of 

 guides to Niagara has been steady and continuous. In the earlier 

 accounts we find mention of the trip by boat from one side of 

 the river to the other, and in later years the descriptions of the 

 bridges in accordance with the rapidly developing science of 

 engineering. We also find interesting accounts of the first steam- 

 boats on the river, and the first railroads, with information about 

 the beginnings and progress of the Niagara excursion movement. 



The Niagara ship canal project was also productive of much 

 writing in the shape of legislative documents, petitions of citizens, 

 discussion of the engineers and boards of trade and the like. 

 Along with the economic development of Niagara has arisen a 

 species of advertising literature, some of it giving valuable 



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