The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-22
NIAGARA FALLS PRICES.
They Have Declined Considerably Since
tho state Of New York Took the Amcri.
can Side Of the Great Contract Under
Its Protecting Wing.

Its Protecting Wing.
| In 1885 the cataract Of Niagara could
not be seen from foot of American
soil without paying-aEd paying round
ly, t0o-for the privilege. Today there
are no charges, except 10 cents at the
! incline railway ard fee for a water
| proof suit and guide for the Cave of the
Winds but this place may be visited
without payment OF fee IL one chooses
to venture alone and doesn't heed the
wetting. With these exceptions. every
| foot of the l07 acres In the state reserva-
| ton at Niagara Falls Is for the public
| use. to stroll in, 20 rest in, to picnic In.
| without charge. The visitor isn't even
asked to keep off the grass. The ordn-
ances enacted by the commissioners,
and enforced by a small and civil con-
| stabulary. are only what are needed.
There is no surveillance that the ordin-
| airy well-behaved visitor is aware of.
and the feeling of unrestrained own
ership adds immeasurably to his enjoy
ment.
Ten years of free Niagara have seen
$50 distigurins buildings cleared away.
| new vistas opened. and beauty spots
developed which were not thought of.
at least by the public. ten years ago.
The American bank above Prospect
park had been for SO long built over
with mills ard sheds, hotels ard ba-
zaars. that no adequate conception of
the place, as 1t would be If cleared of
these encumbrances. existed in the
minds even of those who knew Niagara
all Dat -hny, prt 90, tl
ground was cleared, and when. yet
later. 1t was beautitied, 1t was actually
a new Niagara which the visitor saw.
Today one may stroll up the American
shore across a well-kept lawn planted
with thrifty you.g trees and further on
come into a shaded walk beside canal.
once disliguring tail race for mills,
now 4 beautiful feature in the land
scape rustic stone arch bridge
spans II, and leads on the one side to
Willow Island, a charming spot un-
known to visitors in the old days, or on
the other side to the carriage drive
along the bank of the river to the head
of the reservation. The toll gates have
gone, and the high fence which former
ly guarded Prospect park has gone too.
You are no longer stopped at the en-
trance to Bath Island bridge until you
have paid so cents. On Bath Island,
which was formerly wholly given over
to mills. race ways, and rubbish heaps.
the Transformation has been greatest Of
all, or rather will be when time has
carried out the plan. The site OF the
old paper mills is now a stretch Of
greensward, planted with ornamental
shrubs and trees and bounded every
where by Niagarl's rapids. Another
decade will make 1t ideally beautiful
a stone arch bridge has replaced an in
secure and Shabby wooden one. giving
access to Luna Island. A new drive.
way cuts around the head of Goat ISL
and, and many minor Improvements
are to be noted everywhere.
Scenery Not Impaired.
So much Is said Of the Industrial de-
velopment at Niagara Falls that the
impression may naturally have gone
abroad that the scenery Is in jeopardy.
1t Is we'll to remind the public that
what the state owns at Niagara-and
1t owns all of the essential Scenery
Is not only secure against the vandal-
ism Of the old days, but that, under
the policy Of improvement, both on the
American and Canadian sides of the
river, the surroundings Of the falls are
more beautiful today than they ever
were before since the human invasion
began. Government ownership Of nat
ural scenery, which was a new and un-
certain departure in state policy ten
years ago, has been we'll tried, and Is a
success.
The cost Of 1t Has after all been trIf-
ling. The state paid $1433, 429. so for
the lands taken. There has been appro-
prlated for maintenance, 1888 to 1894.
s1S5.OOO. and for special improvements,
H20.OO0 more. But the park has turned
considerable money into the state treas
ury. Nearly $4,000 was realized the
first year II was opened from the sale
OF buildings to be torn down or re-
moved. The incline railway, from It's
ten-cent charges per capita, has not
earned less than $4,000 year, and in
recent years has netted 81, 900 or more.
From 1888 to 1893 the park commission
ers turned into the state treasury S54.-
49, and the actual expense Of the state.
In maintaining and improving the most
beautiful park on earth. have averaged
about $15,5O0 year. The park commits
siOners, who were in session today,
have good reason to feel satisfied with
their work. They make a great point