The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-10
DOOM OF NIAGARA FALLS.
Is the Great Work of Nature to BE
Destroyed:
Springfield (Iass) Republican.

Springfield (MaSS) republican
The action of the commissioners Of the
New York state reservation at Niagara
at their annual meeting in New York city
last Thursday in passing a resolution au-
thorizing, Andrew II Green, president or
international agreement the protection or
the falls and upper rapids, has aroused q
vast amount of interest on the border, and
the residents of both ides of the river are
talking about it. This subject of interna-
tional protection of the falls has been
talked about in the papers, but no steps
have before been taken to bring about the
result now sought.
( There is no doubt says the Rochester
Democrat and Chronicle that the renewed
interest in the project of the Welland Pow
err and Supply Canal Company has had
much to do with causing the commissioners
of the state reservation to act as they have
This power company was Incorporated In
1894 by the government of the Dominion. It's
plan is to deepen the Welland river or
Chippewa creek, in order to make 1t cham
mel for dverting a portion of the water Of
the upper Niagara from ats natural chan
mel into a canal which will carry it to
bluff or mountain which - a continuation
of the Queenstown Heights, there to
plunge turbines at head of 80 feet,
in order that power may be developed III, IN
water to be conducted from the top of the
mountain to the station in huge penstocks:
From this power station it is also proposed
to build a tail-race or canal to the village
of Homer. where another power house is
to be located, thus securing a double use
ara. From the second power house the
water would flow to Lake Ontario through
the Ten-mile creek. 1t is further proposed
by the company to extend ship canal from
a point between Locks and of the We'll
land canal to the tail-race of the power
canal at Homer. thus making it possible
for manufacturing establishments to re-
ceive raw material and ship their products
by water through the Welland canal route.
The Welland river, or Chippewa creek.
Niagara that very little depression of its
bottom would cause the water to flow in
the opposite direction to point called Mon
trose where it is PLANTED to begin the exca-
walton of the canal to the bluff. This canal
would be about fourteen feet deep and have
width of one hundred feet at the bottom. AT
the top it would be wider, 1t is stated.
There is a feeling here that the commits
sioners have had an intimation that the
project is to be revived, with possible
disastrous results to the scenery of the
falls, and that this is the reason they now
seek to protect the natural wonder by an
international agreement. Others think that
the organization of the Canadian Niagara
Power League. on the Canadian side, has
frightened the commissioners into believ-
ing that this organization is destined to
arouse great public interest in the develop
ment of the power OF the falls, with the
result that new schemes that Will allow
the development of power outside Queen
Victoria Park, which territory is exclusively
controlled by the Canadian Niagara, Power
Company will be launched and enlist the
attention of capital to the detriment of the
scenery of the falls.
1t is apparent that the project or the
Welland Power and Supply Canal Company
is such scheme, and its resurrection may
mean that Canadians intend to have power
despite all the park commissioners on both
sides of the river The location of the main
power station of this project is nearer St.
GATHERINGS MerritIon and Thorold than It
is to the Niagara river. and these places
may be expected to encourage the develop
ment.
The Democrat and Chronicle correspondent
had a talk with a well-known Canadian
on the power question, and he said: II
have noticed that the. commissioners of
your free park intend to seek an in
ternational agreement for the protection of
the falls and upper river, but it is hard
for me TO understand how such an UNI
derstanding could be brought about. To me
this power question has very much the ma
for the protection of the industrial condi-
lions of the country. The province of On
tario has one of the greatest water powers
in the country within it's borders but I
regret to say it is undevelOped; this while
the water powers of the province of Quebec
derful rapidity. Ontario cannot stand
this; her resources are as dear to her as
are the resources of any locality and !
cannot see how the Dominion government
can consistently restrict the operations of
a company, such as the Welland Power
licensed TO do business by that very gov
ernment Our organization of the power
league means that intend to try and
secure the development OF power on our
side of the river. To all appearances the
available power in Victoria Park is tied
up, and if we must seek development out
side. why we will. 1t matters but little
to me who develops the power. but we
want il developed, which, you will admit is
but a laudabe ambition of resident of