New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
THAT 100000 HARNESS.

II looks as though Buffalo, that serene queen
of the unsalted Lake Eric, had gotten herself
into trouble One morning not very long ago. il
was announccd-not, indeed by means of formal
message from the Mayor of Buffalo-that that
enterprising city was prepared to pay $40 900
spot cash, express charges paid to the man who
succeeded in harnessing Niagara Falls Now as
the heirs of Anncke Jams will admit, 81 90, 900 is
a snug bit of money. Put out at compound
interest for twenty years or more and then in
vested in stocks paying 90 per cent month,
81 co. 900 will keep the wolf from the door quite
a while. Naturally, therefore, Buffalo's handsome
offer fired the ambition of the inventive genius
of the country as efectualy as that young man
whose name escapes us fired the Ephesian dome.
OF course, Buffalo took pains to explain Just
what sort of harness she wanted. Niagara has
never done any practical work. Her career has
been unproductive, regarded from the point
of view of water power, Tennyson's brook.
To be sure now and then Niagara has ably
assisted the fool-kller by knocking out gentle
men who bid for fame by going the Falls
in barrel But Buffalo was not aiming at
rendering the Falls still more fatal when she
fell to jingng gold to the amount of 100000
before the bullying eyes Of American inventors
No What she was after was harness war
boom Z" If horse is sincerely attached to a
wagon remarked John Phoenix, you can't get
him to run away from it' Buffalo insisted
that the Falls must be sincerely attached to her
boom before she should be called upon to hand
over the prize. Rufus Choate once talked to
a jury of two kinds of harnesses, first-rate har
ness and q first-rate second-rate harness. Buff
falo did not purpose TO pay out her money for a
irst-rate secOnd-rate harness.
Well the scheme was q creditable one and
the prize was generous, but all the same there
is trouble ahead for Buffalo. A wicked gang of
inventors are now shaking their respective fists
in her beautiful face, and inquiring in tones a
good deal acidulatcd If the prize that danglcd
before their eyes gigantic bluff These
complaints says The Buffalo Express In
several cases evidently were uttered by cranks
but in one or two instances IL was charged by
men entitled to hearing that the whole scheme
was an advertising dodge, and that they had been
unwarrantably deceived Many of these inventors
had hoped for the reward long before the full
amount had been subscribed The subscription
was not finished until the middle OF August 1888,
and many letters and' models had come to Buffalo
prior TO that date
Now il is easy to understand why these harness
makers may have felt moved to complain before
the middle OF August, $685. for until then not
all of the 81 90, 900 had been subscribed But
why should they have used bad words since that
time? =" The Express nobly sacrificing local
pride upon the altar of truth, explains
It was remarked by many who acquainted with
majority of the subscribers that the list contained
the names Of several men who were never known be-
fore subscribe ~ 900 10 any enterprise OF public
nature. The Thought at once occurred, Can II bo
that these men are simply pretending to be willing
To give ~ 900 toward the advancement of The city and
air thus obtaining reputation as tn preserVer OF a
generous public sprl = The question H. Sun IN
answered. After The proposed had been pledged
this matter allowed To- drop Tho project wcnt
20 sleep and Rip Van Wrinkle could not have dissn
peared more completely from public view.
OF course The Express ought TO know what Il
is talking about but we cannot believe that its nc