, 1880-05-19
MA q A R A.

Auc pIOpUshl 10 toiIH I'LL iutcTudttOtdL
park around the falls Of Niagara first came,
as is well known, from Lord Duferiu,
when Governor-G General of Canada. Gov
ernor Robinson, to whom Lord Dufferin
spoke about the matter, directed to it the
attention Of the Legislature of the State Of
New York, and the subject was referred
to the Commissioners of the State Survey
Their report was presented to the Legisla.
ture on the. 31st Of March The examiua.
ton of the region Of the falls was made
by the Director of the Survey, Mr.. James
T. Gardner, with whom was associated
Mr.. Frederick Law Olmated, the former
landscape gardener of Central Park. The
plan suggested by these gentlemen, and
approved by the Commissioners OF the
State Survey and the Canadian authorities,
is simply SO to restore the banks OF the
river that the observer, standing either
above or below the falls, shall see nothing
but the water, the sky, the earth, and the
vege tation. What the visitor sees now is
best described In the words of the report.
Mr.. Gardner says:-'t Half way between
Goat Island and the American side OF the
river is Bath Island, whose position in the
middle OF these rapids must have made it
& fascinating place in early days. In an
evil hour it entered into some mans
mind to start a papermil! theTe-smail at
first, but extending year by year, till IN
place OF graceful woods the ground Is
covered with ~uusightly sheds and buildings,
aud the rapids above are disfigured with
wing-dams and ice barriers, the whole
group forming a distressing contrast to the
natural scenery. This paper-mlIl Is, how
ever, ouly Que among the many abomIna-
tions which mar the beauty OF the Amerl-
can rapids. The falls themselves man
cannot touch but be is fast destroying
their beautiful frame of foliage, and throws
ing around them an artificial setting OF
manufactures and b0Zaars." The great
mistake that the State made was when 1t
sold the Reservation Of Niagara. Thanks
to The good feeling of the Porter family,
who own Goat Island, that spot has still
been preserved in its natural beauty but
this cannot be for long. IL IS about to
pass from their possession, and the propo-
sails already made to utilize" this lass
remaining spot of native beauty show what
is in store. One proposal is to build an
enormous hippodrome on the island,
another to make it into a military camping
ground, a third to turn it into D rifle range,
aud u fourth TO cover ii with factories.
The Commissioner propose to sweep away
the unSightly structures from Bath Island
and the banks of the rapids, aud restore
the scenery to its natural beauty by plant
ing trees. They say, "On the main shore,
by the removal Of seven good buildings
and ten of little value, the river front of
Niagara village may be cleared from Port
Day to upper suspension bridge, giving a
belt of public land a mile Aong, and widen
ing from loot. at the head of the rapids
to SCOTT. broad at The falls, where most
room is needed for visitors. By planting
this strip Of land with trees, the whole
village may be shut out from view. and
the rnsightly walls, the sewer mouths and
wlng-dsms replaced by natural banks Xix
those of Goat Island" The Commission.
ers also recommend that the State acquire
title 10 the debris-slopes under the cliff
from the American falls to the railroad
suspension bridge for the purpose of pre-
serving and restoring the woods that border
this part of the river, and further, that the
right be secured TO plant end maintain
narrow belt Of trees, with q walk at least
a mile in length, along the edge of the cliff
below the suspension bridge. The plan
fnr tho uonoocorx,r oh a ntxoc on tho Gnnadiaa