The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-27
LAG ARA NO DRUDGE.
HIS MIGHTY FLOODS WILL NOT BE
PUT IN HARNESS.

Small Portions May lie Deviated, but the
Grand Volume VIII He Forever I'm
mune-sharp Criticism OF Lord Kelvin's
MercenAry Prophecy.
America has the reputation of being
the land of the dollar, where everything
is turned into money and where neither
beauty Of nature nor elegance Of life is
permitted to interfere with the march of
industrial progress, but it has been re-
served for an eminent visitor from the
famed land of perfect rural scenery and
reverence for natural charm TO suggest
that our most noted physical wonder
should be destroyed
Lord Kelvin has been visiting Mag
ara and inspecting the great power
plant there which diyerts an intinitesi-
NAL part Of the river from the precipice
and turns its force into electric power
before discharging il into the gorge be-
low. He is naturally enthusiastic over
this brilliant piece of engineering. That
was TO be expected, but IL was also TO
be expected that great scientist who
has lived in contact with all the rein
ing and identifying influences of Euro
pean society, and who may well mako
other than mere mechanical estimates
Of things, would take a higher view of
the cataract of Niagara than to regard
it as a milldam.
Speaking Of the limit Of the present
concessions TO tho use Of sufficient water
20 develop 4j0. 600 horsepower, he says:
Il do not myself believe any such limit
will bind the use of this great natural
gift, and | look forward to the time
when the whole water from Lake Erie
will find its way TO the lower level Of
Lake Ontario through machinery doing
more good for the world than that great
benefit which we now possess in con-
temptation of the splendid scene which
we have presented before us at the
present time by the waterfall of Mag
ara. | wish | could think il possible
that | could live to see this grand de-
velopment " Asked TO have pity on the
generations who may wish TO behold
this awe inspiring sight, he thus calm
ly dismisses the plea, Il don't hope
that our children's children will ever |
ScC llit ~ NtiltlIdNl.
But spindle turning and money get |
ting America is not prepared 10 make |
treadmill slave Of Niagara. Some Of its |
surplus energies may be and are prop |
erly turned TO the service Of man, but |
only this, as it We're, for exercise and |
from good will For the cataract 20 I
have all work and no play would make
1ttl1 = l. 4
destroyed Both New York state and |
the Canadian government have created
a reservation about the falls, and both
are committed TO preserving the beauties
of the place from all vandals whether
they come IN the name Of science, com
merce or merTymaking
1t is well enough 10 take an iuappre-
ciable quantity Of water from the Mag
ara river TO develop power but it can
not be that any dream Of industrial de-
velOpment would make local sentiment
tolerant Of any serious encroachment
on the integrity of the cataract itself,
and certainly the state and country at !
large and enlightened sentiment the
world over would protest against such
dissertation
There is coal enough and wind enough
and falling water enough 20 do the work
of man without depriving him of one
of the spots where nature thrills him
with unimagined beauty. awes him as
nowhere else with the manifestation of
resistless power and uplifts him with
the feeling Of the wonders Of creation.
May Lord Kelvin enjoy long life and
happiness, but may he never live to see
the development that shall improve the
falls Of Niagara out of existence. New
York Tribune