HOLIDAY BICYCLE TRIP

E. WARNER DESCRIBES A HOLIDAY RAMBLE IN SOUTH ONTARIO

He and Mrs. Warner Wheeled Through Niagara District, which they say is a Capital Place in which to Spend a Vacation. –An interesting and Descriptive Letter Telling of their Outing

[People’s Press, 4 September 1900]

E. Warner of the Central Business College contributes the following interesting letter to the Stratford Beacon:

Holiday reviews and outings are quite apropos now, hence by your kind permission I will give you a brief sketch of our two weeks outing during our “general outing” from the Classic City.

On July 24, Mrs. Warner and I mounted our silent steeds for a genuine constitutional. We left Abingdon, a place 20 miles south west of Hamilton, and about 10 miles south of Winona, at 2.30 p.m., when old Sol. was just gently introducing to us some of his 80 degree temperature, to be followed in the course of a few weeks by more burning doses. We sped along, passing field after field of ripe grain, which unceasingly pleaded for help and care of the wise farmer, and reached Fenwick, a “sandy” village at 5.45 p.m. Here speed must necessarily be a silent watchword for heavy strides would only take you a snail’s pace, while heavier ones would turn the front wheel at right angles to the rear one-not the choicest position for even a tourist, disregarding the scorcher. We ran on to Fonthill and reached this “elevated” place at 6.15 p.m. where a “full rest and no quarter” was made after the run of twenty-four miles. This little place is on a small mountain, for you can here see the waters of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, also the mist rising up from Niagara Falls, thirteen miles distant.

Next day we were shown through the famous nursery of Morris, Stone & Wellington. The nursery occupied over 400 acres of choice sandy land. Of course, to a sight-seer this was not the most interesting time, for either spring or autumn would be better, as the packing corps of men would be engaged. Now the men were “potting” roses by the thousand for winter, and arranging them methodically in the hot houses. We saw specimens of the wonderful imported plant from France. The seed was worth $300 an oz. They started the cultivation of the plant here by getting a limited number of grains such as you could hold on the end of a penknife. The plant had a large, bell-shaped flower, was variegated, the more decided ones being purple, mauve, pink, white, with numerous modifications. It requires a temperature of 80 degrees F., and retails at 25 cents a pot-a very reasonable price indeed.

After a big rain on the 27^th, we left Fonthill for Welland. This would have been impossible on ordinary roads, but there is a bicycle path all the way, and one that is no mere ornament or sidewalk. The town of Welland is situated on the Welland canal about eight miles from Port Colborne. It is also upon the Chippawa river. The people of Welland have a very healthy town, good water being one main reason. The inflow of water for the waterworks comes from the canal and the refuse is emptied into the Chippawa river. A short time previous the town had voted on a bylaw to the extent of $40,000, which money was to build a town hall, a public school, and to be used for sidewalks and street improvements. The bylaw carried easily and now we saw the outcome Cockburn Bros. & Co. of Buffalo had the contract for the concrete sidewalks and they had four gangs of men at work. We saw a twin brother to the roadroller in Stratford. The town hired this one for $8 a day, and every idle day $4 was to be paid. The main streets were being torn up and improved by the macadamized method. They made no boulevards, however. As the canal divides the town into halves, it was a problem to know just how to get the steam roller from one side of the canal to the other. A communication was sent to the Government to send an inspector to know if it could be brought over the canal bridge, but before the reply came it was ferried over on a huge scow. The court house and jail of Welland are ancient. They have a beautiful new house of refuge, which is situated near the outside of the town. I thought first it was some M.P.’s residence, but later reports in the coming year will verify or annul my supposition.

We left Welland on the 27^th for St. Davids, via Port Robinson, Allanburg and Lundy’s Lane. All along the canal you see guards in khaki suits, doing their duties nobly and heroically. Gunpowder plots are reviewed in history, but in our midst we have dynamite plots, one or more of which have already made history, and that, too, of the most interesting kind for the dwellers along the canal. On either side of the canal you read the inscription, “No thoroughfare.” A very critical point, of course, is the aqueduct at Welland. Here the government has invested one million and a quarter dollars in this wonderful piece of work, where the Chippawa river is made to flow under the Welland canal.

At Lundy’s lane we saw a relic of the present year’s jubilations over the South African war successes. In an oddly built caravan, with Mafe-king No. 2., painted on the side in large white letters. From Lundy’s Lane we wheeled for the mountain, about directly north, and passed over the track of the new electric radial railway, viz., the Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Toronto Ry. The road is now completed as far as St. Kitts, and the first car ran over it this month, reminder of the road to Port Dalhousie to be complete early in the future. We also passed over a bicycle path which runs from Thorold to Niagara Falls and which is an improvement on the heavy sand roads. From the mountain road you get a fine panoramic view of the lower country and can see boats plying on the lake twelve miles away. Having partially descended the mountain we made our headquarters at “Lookout Place,” about one mile from St. Davids and six miles from the Falls. The night we arrived we attended a garden party at the village and heard a good program, on which the prospective M.P.’s figured. Of course they soared and lived in the higher digits, but wait till the transfigurations to naughts! We also heard some of Paul Hahn’s captivating strains of instrumental music. He is of Toronto and those who have heard him certainly have enjoyed a rare treat.

On July 30 we journeyed to Thorold passing under the Welland canal on our way. We found a picket stationed on each side of the tunnel and numerous police patrolling the locks above, which at this point are very near each other. Thorold looked quaint and slow, and is much cut up with railroads and canals. During our stay around here one of the Dominion police who was guarding one of the locks, was fired upon by two supposed dynamiters. It was at 1 o’clock a.m. One of the men said, “Give it to him,” meaning to Dunn, the policeman. They fired three times at him, but missed. Then they fired upon the marauders and they bolted immediately. Traces of blood were found the next morning.

We saw here a large freight boat if about 400 tons capacity, pass through the locks. She was called “Wm. J. Averell” of the Ogdensburg line, and was now coming down the mountain in water! What cannot the hand of man accomplish?

On July 31, we went to old Niagara-on-the-Lake. This is a beautiful town-14 miles from the Falls. In 1792 it became the place of residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Canada, and the first session of the Parliament of Upper Canada was held there. A little distance away stands the old fort, and around it the famous Niagara camping ground for the soldiers. There were many pleasure campers at Chautauqua grounds; also in the old Niagara Park about one hundred tents could be seen. We were driven from here along the Niagara River to Queenston, passing many new commodious summer residences, the most of which belonged to Americans. A good bicycle cinder path runs from Niagara to Queenston, a distance of eight miles, beside the winding and picturesque Niagara river. Connecting Queenston with Lewiston, N.Y., is a fine new bridge over which vehicles may pass, and which heretofore was a broken link in the Niagara gorge belt line, but now completes one of the most exciting and interesting summer routes in the world. Thousand during the summer months enjoy its beautiful scenery and visit the many points of interest.

We visited Brock’s monument on Queenston Heights, and saw the fortification of earth in the adjacent grove, both being reminders of the war of 1812, and causing that which made history to live over. Brock’s monument is seven miles below the Falls. It was erected to perpetuate the memory of Sir Isaac Brock, who fell here in 1813. The first monument erected here was destroyed by explosion on April 17, 1840, and was replaced by the present one in 1853. A week before we visited it four cannons were placed about it, two directly in front, and two facing the river gorge. It now resembles a fortress. The monument is 185 feet high, the base being 40 foot square and 30 feet high. The cylindrical shaft is 75 feet high by 30 feet in circumference, having a Corinthian capital 10 feet in height, carrying in relief a statue of the Goddess of War.  Over this is around dome 7 feet high, surmounted by brock’s statue and can be reached by 250 spiral steps, starting from the interior of the base. It costs 25 cents to ascend. Imagine the view from the top of this monument at such an altitude! It is transporting, indeed! Toronto, 40 miles away, can be seen on a clear day. We saw it. At Queenston the electric cars wind their way up the mountain side, this road being a part of the Niagara River Ry.

It seems you are standing on most wonderful ground at the Heights when you begin to consider and meditate upon the history and geology of the place. We were told that the Horseshoe Falls are constantly receding, and within the memory of some had receded 250 feet. The question arises, where did this recession begin? Geologists tell us, and their answer has been accepted at the mountain near Queenston and Lewiston. The whole waters of the lakes there foamed over the dam, and the low lying land between the mountain and the lake some twelve miles of territory in diameter and extending from Hamilton to Rochester, was once the bed of the lake instead of rich, alluvial, fruit producing territory.

We visited the wonderful Falls of Niagara, ever interesting in appearance, even when viewed many times. It was delightful day, for you would imagine you were in fairyland, in the midst of the mists and rainbows continually. Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park, which was opened on May 24, 1888, has grown in beauty and grandeur ever since, and now you find yourself in 100 acres of veritable flower gardens and evergreen lawns. Space will not permit of further description of the mighty cataract familiar to us all.

We returned to Abingdon on Aug. 4, via St. Davids, St. Catharines, Jordon, Beamsville and Smithville, with invigorated and refreshened constitutions.

A Regular Subscriber

E. Warner