The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-05-01
The Latest Niagara Scheme.

It is a utilitarian age, the twilight of
the poets, but the high noon of the
practical man. Hence it is that the
Falls of Niagara are not allowed to pur-
sue their career OF beauty and grandeur
in peace. The utilitarians never can
gaze upon them without becoming a
prey to anguish as they reflect that here
are millions upon millions OF gallons Of
water going to waste-falling just for
fun. A quarter Of a century ago one
Robinson endeavored to extract fame
and cash for himself out OF the Falls by
sailing through the Whirlpool Rapids in
the Maid of the Mist. Since then
large number Of enterprising gentlemen,
having good eye for the main chance,
have devoted their energies to the in.
spring problem, How can the Falls be
made to earn an honest penny? Tenta.
lively answering the question they have
walked over them on wires and jumped
into them from bridges, and swan
through them in barrels, in the mean
time estimating that they were dealing
with hydraulic force equal to 100000
horsepower. One of the band proposed
to set up under the Falls gigantic
wheel, and then by means Of insulated
cables and things supply electricity to
all the cities between Boston and Chica-
60 at prices warranted to defy COMPETE
ton. In the eloquent circular devoted
to this brilliant scheme it was stated
that the power which was to be gener.
ated could be propelled eight times
around the world-and it wasn't very
good day for propelling power when the
circular was composed.
1t is useless to remind these persons
that elf eyes were made for seeing"
Niagara is sits own excuse for being"
They look upon such talk as nonsense,
regarding no excuse as valid which does
not appeal to the pocket. Last year
some OF them endeavored to induce the
Legislature to give them lift. They
called themselves the Niagara Hydraulic
Electrical Company, and the interesting
little bill which they tried to get through
at Albany allowed the concern "to place,
construct and erect all the machinery
for the manufacture and production of
electricity and other power under the
waterfall at Niagara, and in such manner
as it may require for its purpose" 1t
occurred to our lawmakers that this was
particularly good bill to kill, and they
killed it. Our readers need to be told
that Buffalo has done her best to inhame
the ambition OF all those who desire to
make something out Of Niagara by offer.
ing big prize to the genius who dis
covers plan of handling the Falls for
her benefit. 1t is not that Buffalo loves
nature less, but merely that she loves
yet been awarded, but a brand new
Niagara Falls speculation has made its
appearance. 1t is tunnel this time,
and OH paper is one of the most impress
i've of bores. We read that "the com.
pany has acduired land valued at $780,
600, which has been surveyed and APP
portioned into sites to accommodate 23S
mills of 500 horsepower each, or 10000
horsepower in ALL" All the machinery
in Buffalo's factories and workshops is
to be driven by the electricity which
will be generated at the Falls by this
company, while all her horse-cars are to
be propelled and all her houses are to
be lighted by the same current.
While awaiting further details of the
enterprise we may be allowed to say
that it has only to meet the dizzy high
expectations Of its projectors to prove a
big thing. There is money in it, any
quantity Of it. But it remains to be seen
if it can be extracted. The prize will
doubtless be awarded just as soon as the
tunnel is completed.-New York Tribune.