Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is the best-known natural wonder in the USA. It is visited by more people from America and abroad than any other place on the continent.

Niagara Falls is situated between New York and Chicago. “Niagara” is an Indian word which means “roaring waters”. Indeed, the roar of the falling water can be heard at a distance of 25 kilometers.

A mass of water falls over a cliff 90 feet high (27 meters) with a terrible noise. Niagara has great power. It can move big rocks and throw them into the water.

Some time ago, an old ship without anyone on board was put in the stream. It sailed down the river like a toy boat. When it reached the falls, the ship went under the water and was never seen again.

There were some people who wanted to become famous by swimming across the most dangerous part of the Niagara River.

One of them was Captain Webb, known as the first man to swim the English Channel. On the evening of July 24, 1883, he came up to the river and dived in.

Many people were present there. Soon the man appeared in the middle of the river. A loud shout went up from the crowd, but a moment later he went under the water. Thousands of eyes looked at the river, but the man drowned.

In 1902, a young woman decided to go over the falls in a barrel. There were many pillows inside the barrel. When Miss Taylor examined the barrel carefully, she got in. The barrel was closed and then thrown into the river. When the barrel reached the falls, it was shot down by the terrible force of the water. The barrel was caught and opened. Miss Taylor came out alive but very frightened.

Niagara Falls is beautiful and always changing. Many great writers tried to describe it. Charles Dickens wrote of Niagara: “The first effect of Niagara Falls was peace. Nothing of gloom.”

Abraham Lincoln, the great President of the United States, said of Niagara: “It calls up the past. When Columbus first saw this continent, Niagara was roaring here. Niagara is as strong today as ten thousand years ago.”

The Niagara River also gives electric power. More than a million horsepower is produced now at Niagara for local use and sent to cities and towns in New York State and to Canada.