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before you calm and peaceful, and the contrast afforded between what you have a half-hour
previously looked upon is wonderful. There is no intimation here of the wild pitching farther
down stream and the river extends before you broad and smooth.
Crossing the bridge to the mainland the drive along the river to the upper part of the reser¬
vation will please you, the locality being rich in historical incident. You will catch a glimpse
of Niagara’s great manufacturing district on the world-famed tunnel power plant, which was
built at a cost of several millions of dollars. This tunnel was started on October 4th, 1890; and
in the summer of 1593 the first power was obtained. The first section of the tunnel completed
is 7,000 feet long, 18.84 feet wide, 21,027 feet high, lined from end to end with brick, and has a
power capacity of 100,000 horse power. An immense canal 1,200 feet long connects the river
with the tunnel.
THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
After returning to the hotel for lunch, drive to and across the upper suspension bridge.
The toll charge is 25 cents for each passenger and 25 cents for the carriage. A beautiful view
of the falls is obtainable from the bridge. The structure was built to replace the one blown
down by the big wind storm of January g-1oth, 1889. A portion of the old structure is hidden
beneath the waters below. The present bridge is a monument to the bridge building ability of
the present day. It was commenced on March 22nd, 1889, and finished on May 7th, of the
same year. The length of the span between the centers of towers is 1,268 feet. The tower on
the American side is 97 feet 6 inches in height, the one on the Canada is 103 feet 7 inches.
The difference in height is owing to the variation in the height of the banks. ‘The width of the
structure 1s 17 feet 6 inches between the centers of chords. The weight of the bridge is 319
tons. It is suspended from four cables, each of which is 6% inches in diameter and formed by
seven wire ropes, whose diameter is 24 inches and in each of which there are 133 wires. Each
of these seven ropes is capable of sustaining 155 tons, thereby making the sustaining power 28
times 155 tons. The deflection of the cable varies from 89 feet in winter to 92 feet in summer.
The first bridge that was built on the site of the present structure was opened in January, 1869,
and was built of wood. In 1872, the bottom chord was replaced by steel. In 1884, steel sup¬
planted wood in the tower portion and the work was finished in 12 days. In October, 1887, the
work of widening the bridge was commenced, and it was completed June 13th, 1888, without
a suspension of traffic or any accident happening. The bridge that spans the gorge to-day is
one of the prettiest, most graceful and substantial in the world.
QUEEN VICTORIA NIAGARA FALLS PARK.
Within a few minutes after leaving the bridge you enter Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park.