Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-02
THE RESCUE OF NIAGARA.
The Danger that Threaten. IL.

An Appeal from the Easy Chair of Harper,s. for De-
celnber.
The summer saw vigorous revival In the
press of the effort to arouse public attention to
the necessity Of an immediate effort to save
Niagara Falls. The rocky precipice indeed. is
not giving way, and the volume of water is un-
diminished. Theroar which has shaken the air
for centuries without moments pause is as
penetrating as ever The wild play of the rap
ids is not relaxed, and the cataract is still-the
sublimest naturaEspectacle upon the continent.
But it is precisely the, spectacle which is in
danger. Rock and water and rapid and cloud
may be there unchanged. But they are prac-
ticaly not there, they are virtually obliter ated
If they are not seen, and seen with due per-
spective and circumstance and effect-seen, in
word, as spectacle.
This is the danger that threatens Niagara It
is that the great cataract will be lost as Spec
tacle by huge masses of unsightly buildings
gathered about it as vast water-power, and
by cheap vulgarizatiGn of shops which destroy
proper neighbOrhoOd. fanny American Grad
grind is of opinion that a natural spectacle" is
sentimental nonsense. he should at least. re-
member that it is just this piece of sentimental
nonsense which stands highest among the nat
ural attractions of his country Gradgrind
would probably agree that the English peOnle
who live In the lake country OF northern En-
gland would show great want of practical
sense. of the very kind that he esteems most
highly, if they should disfgure the pretty lake
region. with unsightly mills and ''improve-
army of tourists, and the great sums of money
which they bring and spend in that part of the
country, If such Disagreement were unneces-
sary, and they could retain the visitors and
their money, and have the benefit Of the mills
also. Even Gradgrind would agree that a how
would be a fool who would refuse the privilege
of eating his cake and having it too.
Now that Is the very miracle which we can
work at Niagara. We can retain the .'senti-
mental nonsense" as a means of inducing tray-
elers to come and spend money, and we can
utilize the water power also. We can both save
the sublime spect acle and build the factories.
If Mr., Gradgrind does not care especially to see
river pouring over cliff. there are hosts OF
persons not of his family who do care. Mr..
Gradgrlnd thinks that sunset is stuff. and the
Alps humbugs. and the ocean nuisance. But
those who are not Gradgrinds think differ
emily. They have discovered that the power of
perceiving what is called in natural objects
beauty and sublimity is one of the radical dis
tlnctions between brutes and men. and that it is
one OF the strongest forces in producing state
OF society in which less money need be spent for
police and prisons. 1t is in this way that sub
lime spectacles may lead to lower taxation. and
SO become worthy of the attention of Mr.. Grad
grind.
HOW TO SAVE 1T.
If narrow strip Of land upon both shores Of
ehC Cfstdl dCI oNUulu NC ScCuTeU, widening from
very narrow breadth at both ends to a width
in the center adequate to the exclusion of I'M
slightly objects and this Enclosure should be a
public possession, and not subject to the whims
of private speculation and caprice, the water
could be carried to the mills around the falls.
and the grandeur OF the cataract be preserved
unimpaired. This is the simple project 1t was
proposed four or five years ago by some of the
chief citizens of this country and of Canada,
but it was never carried to completion 1t has
now been revived with vigor because it is I'M
derstoOd that settlement of the estate which
includes the falls will be made within year or
two, and every delay increases the difficulty
and enhances the cost of the rescue. It is urged
that the state upon fair appraisal could take
for public uses the necessary domain. No
wrong to private owners would be allowed Or
company could be formed for the private
purchase with guaranty OF perpetual reserva-
ton to the public. But the first step is public
desire that Niagara should be saved. That once
awakened Niagara would be saved. It is not
New York alone that is Interested Niagara is
American. Let all Americans who would pre-
serve it beware. For If Gradgrind should take
alarm at romantic and sentimental endeavors to
rescue this glory Of our natural scenery. he
might take his revenge upon romance by lobby
ing for an appropriation in the river and harbor
Dill to clear out distractions in the Niagara
river. and open it up to sloop navigation.