The record-union., 1895-05-04

soon center at this point.
The Niagara Junction Railway Com
pany has constructed road about seven
miles long, which will connect all the
new factories with lines entering Niagara
Falls.
Many enterprises are looking to Niagara
for cheap power. The Niagara Fails Pa
per Company has already built close to
the power-house the largest paper mill in
the world. The Pittsburg Reduction
Company, which controls the production
of aluminium by electric process, will
there construct the largest plant OF the
kind in existence. A subway, convey
ing 100, 900 horsepower. has been built
| from the wheel-pit, one-third of mile
southwark TO the site of the reduction
works. 1t is understood large portion
of the frontage along this subway has
been leased by various milling COM
panies, who will establish their plants
there. 1t is probable that in the future
majestic and populous city will stretch
southwark along the banks of the Nj
agara, including Buffalo. thus establish
ing on the western borders of New York
Americas greatest inland commercial
center.
The Canadian Government has per-
mitted the construction of power plant
on the western bank of the river. Its
authorized capacity is 1000 horse
located in a large subterranean chamber,
thus preventing any interference with
the scenic beauty of the falls.
Frank w. Hawley, Vice-President of
the Cataract General Electric Company,
was among the first to perceive the i'm
portant and far-reaching effects of the
proposed Niagara development. Careful
study convinced him that it was the har-
binger Of the dawning Electric Age"
and portended revolution in industrial
| and comm ercial methods. He secured
| for his company a contract Tor the dis
| tribution OF the Niagara electric product
| throughout the State of New Y ork. out
| side of the counties of Erie and Niagara.
The Cataract Company, however, is an
| entirely separate concern, and while 1t
may depend to a considerable extent
upon the Niagara power companies for
the electric energy it distributes, 1t is at
| liberty to secure or develop power at
such points as it may deem advisable.
Mr.. Hawley also secured from Super
intendent of Public Works Harmon the
now famous contract authorizing his
company to introduce electricity upon
| the canals of the State for the propulsion
of boats, and granting them the valuable
privilege of carrying their wires along
canal lands. His public experiment in
canal boat propulsion, made in Novem-
Der, 1898, attracted widespread attention
at the time, and was pronounced a COM
plete success. He has implicit faith in
electricity and its future.
Mr.. Hawley, when askediby CONNER
eiaL Gazette correspondent, if electric
facilities would be furnished the canal
| boatmen during the coming season re-
piled:
sit is our desire to bestow the benefits
of cheap power and rapid transit upon the
canals of New York at the earliest possi-
| Il <IatA Hto ;y,Sf oil ION, Cff fia
sary wires ana appliances will be work
of comparatively short duration after We
| have matured our plans.
THAT new era in canal history has
been opened" he continued, mo student
OF passing events can doubt. Public in
terest in New York's waterways is
awakened as it has not been in years,
and our canal system. SO long neg lected,
is receiving the attention its importance
deserves. The mistaken notion b ad gone
| abroad that canals are decadent institu-
| tions; but never was there such activity
shown or SO many plans projected tor
! the improvement and extension of this
! important branch of our commercial sys-
tenn. l need but mention the magnificent
| waterway now being constructed between
the Chicago and Desplaines Rivers, which
will turn the waters of the great lakes into
the Mississippi, and open pathway to
the gulf by way of that giant river. Then
| there is the proposed canal running from
Georgian Bay TO Lake Ontario, reaching
! the shores of the latter at the city of To-
ronto. This scheme would prove espe-
cially detrimental to the interests of the
| Empire State by diverting considerable
commerce from our borders, and increas-
| ing the importance of Toronto and Mon
treal at the expense of the city of New
York. PittsEurg proposes to connect for
its advantage Lake Erie and Ohio. The
suggested ship canal between Toledo and
Michigan City would save 600 miles Of
lake navigation. Another project would
unite New York and Philadelphia by a
canal constructed across New Jersey.
The proposed waterway cutting the Pc
ninsula OF Florida would shorten the
| way to the gulf.
Meanwhile New Workers, Jealous of
their interests, desire to increase the et
ficiency of the Erie Canal, and render it
adequate TO the growing demands of the
great West and Northwest Tor cheap
transportation TO the seaboard."
Referring to the objection raised, that
| the use OF the waters of Niagara for
power purposes would impair the scenic
grandure Of the falls, Nj. Hawley stated:
SIT has been conclusively demonstrated
| that the volume of water to be diverted
by the Nicaragua Power Company is
comparatively so small that its loss will
be imperceptible. When we consider
that winds and other causes are con-
hstantly producing a fluctuation OF about
five feet in the lake level, it will be seen
that the proposed Giminution of few
inches is insignificant The beauty and
grandure OF the scene must and will be
preserved. We merely seek to utilize an
insignificant fraction of that almost Om-
nipotent energy that has here been al
lowed to slip Idly frOmi the hands of na-
ture.
application has been made by the
Commissioners of, the Niagara Park
observation to both the Dominion and
American Governments to prevent this
use. But aside from the constitutional
questions involved, and purely legal as
pecs OF the case. this request seems to be
untenable on ethical grounds, and con-
trary to sound public policy.
1.-The great cataract is situated on the
boundary line Of nations, and the
mightiest empire and the greatest repub-
lie OF the world divide it's ownership. 1t
was evidently intended for large uses and
far-reachlng purposes. Niagara is the in
heritance OF the laborer, as we'll as of the
esthete or the millionaire.
For the study of sthetics. the oyer
burdened toiler has neither time nor
means. Thousands Of our population
have never looked upon the majesty of
Niagara. Its famed wonders and beauty
nave ~ iHHueHce On theiT lives 10
them it is no more than the grandeur OF
Alpine passes or the glories of thestoried
Rhine. But when this colossal phenom-
enon Is translated into power for their
use; when it gives them light and heat;
when 1t lightens their labor and serves
them in countless ways; when it's pillars
OF strength and beauty upbear the COM
mercial welfare of State, they will
gratefully consider it helpful friend and
ally; they. will hail it as the perennial
source OF plenty. The majestic and