New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-09
LORD KELVIN AND NTiGiRi.

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 lie IS permitted 10 interfere with
The march Of Industrial progress. But it has
been reserved for an eminent visitor from the
famed land OF perfect rural scenery and rever-
encc for natural charm 10 suggest that our most
noted physical wonder should be destroyed.
Lord Kelvin has been visiting Niagara and
inspecting the great power plant there which
llver,s an iniinitesimal part OF the river from
the prccIplce and turns It's force into elec-
tric power before dIscharglng II into the gorge
below He is naturally enthusiastic over this
brilliant, piece Of engineering. That was TO be
expected. But 1t was also 10 be expected that
a great scientist who has lived in contact with
all the refining and identifying influences Of
European society and may well make other
than mere mechanical estimates OF things would
take q higher view of the cataract OF Niagara
than to regard It rs mllldam. Speaking Of the
limit Of the present concessions 10 the use OF
sufficient water to develop 10000 horse power,
he SAYS: II do not myself believe any sIch
limit will bind the use Of this great natural git.
land look forward Ia the time when the whole
water from Lake Erie will find It's way 10 tn,
lower lever Oh LIKE ''HlHIlp through
doing more good for the world than that great
"bcncii: which We now possess In contcmpla-
'tlon Of the splendid scene which we have pre-
Scented before us at the present time by the
waterfall OF Niagara I wish / could think Ii
possible that could live 10 see this grand de-
"vcopmcnt" Asked to have pity on the gen
eratlons who may wish 10 behold this awe
inspiring sight. LIZ thus calmly dsmisses the
plea: Il don't hope that our chlldrcns children
will ever see the Niagara cataract
Eut spindlc-turnng and money getting Amerl-
"a Is No, prepared to make n trcadmill slave OF
Niagara Some Of its surplus energies may be
and are properly turned TO the service Of man.
but only This. ~ il were, for exercise and from
goodwill For the cataract 10 have all work
and no play would make II dull indeed II may
he used. but not destroyed Both New-York
state and the Canadian Government have Gre
atcd reservation about the Falls, and both are
committed 10 preserving the beauties Of the
place from all vindals. whether they come in
the name Of science. commerce or mcrrymak-
ing II Is we'll enough TO take an inappreciable
quantity Of water from the Niagara River to
develop power but It cannot he that any dream
Of industrial development would make local
sentiment tolerant Of any serious encroachment
on the integrity Of the cataract itself, and GER
tainly the State and country at large, and en-
llghtened sentiment the world over. would pro-
test against such Dissertation There Is coal
enough. and wind enough, and falling water
enough to do the work Of man without deprving
him of one OF the spots where Nature thrills him
with unmagincd beauty, awes him as nowhere
else with the manifestation Of rcsstcss power
and upllfts him with the feeling Of the wonders
Of creation We wish Lord Kelvin long life and
happiness. but may he never live to see the de-
velopment that shall improve the Falls of NJ
agara ont Of existence.