The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-27

RESULTS or SECURING THE GREAT
sPEcTfCLE TO THE PEOPLE.
Changes I'm the Ten Years Since the State
Took the Place In Charge What the
visitor VIII Find.


one Of the 10000 or so who stood by
while the fctters were knocked of the
cataract and adjacent dcmesne. To-oas'
a decade later. be has resurVeyed the
scene. The PEOPLE have had Niagara
practically free and without price, Tor
ten years. The result Of their ownership
and the contrasts between 1919 ana 1910
arc worth considering.
In 1885, the cataract OF Niagara coniu
not be seen from foot of American
soil without paying-and paving roundiy,
tco-tor the privilege. To-day there are
no charges, except ten cents az the IN
cline railwah and a fee for a waterproof
suit and guide for the Cave Of the WINGS
but this place may be visited WITHOUT
payment OF fee If one chooses 10 venture
alone. and doesn't heed the wetting. WIN
these exceptions, every foot or the Iva
acres in the state Reservation at niagara
Falls is for the public use. TO stroll m
to rest IN. 10 picnic in. without charge
The visitor isn't even asked 10 keep OH
the grass. The ordinances enacted oy
the Commissioners. and enforced py
small and civil constabulary, are only
what are needed There is no surveii-
lance that the ordinary well-behaved VS.
itor is aware Of. and the feeling OF unre-
straint and ownership adds immeasuraDiy
TO his enjoyment.
Ten years Of free Niagara have seen
$50 disnmring buildings cleared away,
new vistas opened, and beauty spots de-
yeloped which were not thought OF, AZ
least by the public, ten years ago. Inc
American bank above Prospect PARK nae
been for so long built over with MUS
and sheds. hotels and baZaars, that no
adequate conception Of the place as u
would be II cleared OF these ehcuih-
brances. existed in the minds even VI
those who knew Niagara well. But Wheh'
after few years. the ground was clear
ed, and when, yet later, 81 was beauu-
fled. IL was actually a new Niagara which
the visitor saw. To-day one may stroll
I'D the American shore across Well
kent lawn planted with thrifty young
trees and further on come into shdueu
walk beside a canal. once dlsiiguring IAN
race for mills, now a beautiful feature III
the landscape 4 rustic stone arch bridge
spans II, and leads on the one side TO IL
low Island a charming spot unknown 10
visitors in the old days. or on the o'her
side to the carriage drive along the
hank Of the river 10 the head of the re-
gc-vation. The toll gates have gone anu
the high fence which formerly suarded
Prospect Park has gone. too. You are
no longer stopped at the entrance 10 BAN
Island bridge until YOU have paid hity
cents on Bath Island. which was iofin-
crlv wholly given over TO mills, race
ways. and rubbish heaps, the uahsioI-
nation has been greatest Of all or rather
will be when time has carried out the
plan. The site Of the old paper mills Is no"
a stretch Of grecnsward. planted WIN OF
naroenfaf shrubs and trees and bounded
',,,,,.,,,hsro h,, Niaqara's rapids. An
other DECIDE will make il ideally bcautliul.
4 stone arch bridge has replaced an ID
secure and shabby woody one. giving ac-
ceys 10 Luna Island 4 new driveway cuts
around the head of Goat Island, ana
many minor Improvements are 10 De
noted everywhere
So much Is said of the industrial de-
vclopment at Niagara Falls that the hh-
preston may naturally have gone aproac
that the scenery is in jeopardy. IL is
we'll TO remind the public that "hat 'lS
State owns at Niagara ana IL OWNS an
of the essential "scenery"-is not only
secure against Industrial encroachineh''
and secure against the vandalism OF the
old DAYS. but that. under the policy OF
announcement. both on the American ana
Canadian sides Of the river, the sur
roundings Of the falls are more oeautllul
to-day than they ever were before sihcc
the human invasion began. Government
ownership of natural scenery, which was
a new and uncertain departure III Sta''
policy ten years ago. has been well lrleu'
and Is a success .o.-
,rhe cost of IT has after all been trihing.
The state paid 81, 43, 1880 for the laiiuS
taken. There has been appropriated lor
maintenance. 1883 to 1894. $500 and Tor
euecial improvements, $4,000 more. But
the park has turned considerable money
into the state Treasury. Nearly Ntpp
was realized the first year II was opth'u
from the sale Of buildings TO De 'oi"
down or removed. The incline railway
from its ten-cent charge per capita mas
not earned less than $4,000 a year. anu
I'm recent years has netted Sl,vD or more
From 1855 TO 1873, the Park Commission
ers turned into the state treasury, ~i'-
40. and the actual expenses OF the Sla'',
In maintaining and improving the MOS.
| beautiful park on earth. have averaged
| about slb 800 a year. The Park Commits
sioners who were IN session to-day. nave
| GOOD reason 10 feel satisfied with thcif
work. They make great point of the
fact that their aim IN Improvements Is
not merely To achieve a pretty piece OF
| landscape gardening. but 10 let nature
| have her own way, as far as Is consist
ent with the comfort and convenience oi
! the public.
They also find that they must keep n
| ClqTN LOOKOUT lot Ailf fllNA 'tAA t'i'"''f' -
persons and corporations seeking priNi-
| ieres I'm the state lands. The granted
licenses are few. \ well-managed wae-
onettc service let's the visitor see the
whole thing chat IS. above the Gins, WIN
sfop-off privileges at a dozen points, Tor
y cents the round trip. There Is sun
| heard the charge that drivers Of these
waeoneites discriminate against certain
places Of business by Systematically
| steering visitors TO rival establishments.
! Something OF this exists, perhaps, but II
| is usually the dealer or hachman VINO
| is left out in the cold who makes the
charge. So far as the tourist pupnc Is
concerned. the carriage service at NiaSa-
| ra Falls chat is. within the TeserVauoIi
was never before 80 cheap or so we'll
] managed.
II is still extremely easy for a visitor
to be swindled by irresponsible drivers.
4 favorte trick is for one OF these lei
| lows TO hail the stranger as he steps
| from the railway station into the street,
! with the promise that he will snow you
| the falls for a quarter Ii the VISITOR
accepts the invitation he is driven three
blocks down the street. where he can
| indeed see the falls. but he finds out tnat
| he has merely been hauled away from
rival hackmen in order that this partic-
ular Jehu may work him to consent TO a
/ two or three hours slow drive at good
substantial charge per hour II the
| stranger does not agree TO this, the
driver will make him get out, unless ne
| can get an order to take me back 10
the depot" in which case he charges
Whatever he thinks ne can collect for the
return trip. These and other tricks are
stin practiced here, but visitor OF or
binary experience and caution is not
likely 10 be entrapped. Practically, all