The herald., 1897-10-17
THE DOOM OF NIAGARA

OF living civil engineers that noted
Englishman, Lord Kelvin, is one o!
the most accomplished. He is, too, a
scientist Of great ability and varied at
tainment, and his opinions, within the
sphere of his profession, are worthy of
and receive universal respect. Like
lesser lights of his class, he is utilitarian
first, last and all the time. In our emf
nently practical age the prime consider
alton coupled with any enterprise, pub
lie or private, is, does it pay? Almost
all other views Of the case are merely
secondary to that of the primum mobile
the handspring of nineteenth century
affairs-to wit: How much money is
there in it? There is another and better
side of the matter. however, when the
question is asked from the standpoint of
the engineer or scientist namely, the re-
means resulting comfort-the cheaper
ing and hence the multiplication of the
means of betterment to man personally
and as a member of society
The latest edition Of this idea comes
in the form Of an utterance by Lord Kel-
vim to the effect that our grandchildren
will probably never see Niagara Falls
as we see them; that the waters Of that
magnificent cataract, that now excite
our wonder and admiration, will ere
long be all utilized in turning machinery.
eton of one of the most sublime water
falls of the world. II is said that his
rdship derives keen satisfaction from
the prospect. Every man to his trade"
says the adage, and his lordship, of
course, speaks from the point of view of
trained engineer, to whom waste Of
horse power is as painful as waste of
taxes to the taxpayer, or as the destruc
ton of a beautiful landscape is to tbs
artistic or esthetic eye. But after al is
said ard done is it not true that ali OF
us are beginning to look more ard more
at things from the standpoint of the en-
slneer? AS the moral as well as the
material world moves along the path
way of evolution,
And the thoughts of men are broadened
With the process of the suns
are we not wisely availirg ourselves OF
the means of making life more livable
even at the expense of the purely es,
II ic. bo L al ir- "a
coldy utilitarian views, touching the
fate Of Niagara, have excited wide
spread dismay in artistic circles ari
that strong sentiment against mar
RUG the wonderful display of natures
forces at Niagara with unsghtly fac
tories, or encumbering the mighty Wa
ters with the harness Of industry, has
been created which may give birth to q
battle royal between the lovers of this
beautiful ar,i the utilitarians. Refer
ring to this interesting question:, the
Electrical World has this to say:
Many feel that it is desecration Of
one of the most beautiful places in the
world to spoil the landscape of Niagara
with mills and put the waters to the
prosaic task Of turning wheels.
But, admitting this view of the matter
10 have, from an esthetic point of view
some force, that paper we'll says that the
bread question of the greatest value OF
The cataract to all the people cannot be
decided by reference only 10 the esthetie
=.
presents strong array of facts
Assuming the total power of Niagara
TO be 100000 horse power, and putting
the value of this at the low figure of
so a year. the annual waste amounts
to the enormous total of $50 0O0 COO
enough 10 pay interest on $1,000 900 900.
And it asks the pertinent questions.
Is the cataract as spectacle worth
this sum? Should not its energies BE-
employed usefully in manufactures,
adding to the general supply OF wealth.
and in this way enhancing the opportu-
mites and lettering the condition of all
the people of this country and Can
ada?
This is in the nature of a knock
housand of the millions of our popula-
ion have ever, or will ever, see Niagara:
not one in five thousand of those who
have time and means to visit that place
appreciates the charm of its stupendous
loveliness. The falls, virtually, not only
disspate their horse power. but
Waste their sweetness on the desert air."
Why not make them tributary to in
dustral development? Why not connect
The thunderous rush of the vast volumes :
If their waters into the music of civic
prosperity and domestic comfort-the
cheapenirg of bread and clothing for the
millions.
A POSSIBLE PosTPoNEMENT