The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
CHANGES AT NIAGARA PiLIS.
improvements Planned by the state Commits
sIon-A Resurvey Proposed.

In the six teenth annual report 81 the Com
n,issiouers Of the State Reservation at Niagara
there is inserted as the lrontispiece a photo
graph Of Andrew a. Green, President oil the
commission. standing beside a tree on Green
Island. formerly Bath Stand, the name Of
which was changed Ia his honor. Mr. Green
stands in a characteristic attitude. and tho
likeness is Il good ore
The commissioners LAY In their report that
plans for a shelter and administration building,
for which an appropriation Vas made by the
Legislature. are being made 10y the State archl-
t.ct. The report continues.
When this shelter building Is erected the
Inclined railway building. which stands near
the brink Of the fails ia Prospect Park may
lao removed. 1t j. proposed to replace il by
an underground structure for tho operation oi
the inclined railway. which VIII leave the view
Of the falls uuob,tructed and greatly improve
the appearance Of the reservation from Goat
I.land and the Canadian side of the river. II
i, proposed. when the new underground -truc-
turc is constructed, to operate the inclined rail-
way by electrical power, which cHn he obtained
free u charge 10y the commissioner OF the
reservation. rs provided by chapter ji3 of the
Laws Of 1902. II il also provided in said law
for furnishing water and electricity, for HIGHT,
free 81 charge, for the reservation grounds
and buildings. aud. as an improved system of
lighting the grounds and buildings T. greatly
needed. and an adequate water supply for
sprinkling the lawns, the commissioner are
considering the propriety Of also availing them
selves Of these provisions OF the law for the
benefit Of the property o. the State
The recession Of the faIh. the commission
ers say in another part OF the report" is a sub
ject Of great interest to the public. cspecially
to scientists az home and abroad, and II Is very
desirable that a TeNtrNpN should l4 made dur
ing the season Of 1900. 80 "a 20 show the changes
Of the past ten years, and have recorded the
features Of the cataract, at the close OF the
nineteenth century
"A bill has been introduced in the Congress
Of the United States providing for the CON
s~trnction of a dam or jette' AT the head Of the
Niagara River. at Lake Erie. in order to raise
the level Of tho water In the great lakes A.
such an obstruction would be liable tn diminish
the volume of water flowing over the falls,
and thus injure the beauty Of the natural seem
cry Of Niagara, which the State Of New York
has expended its means and eNerted its authori-
~ TO protect, the proposed legislation 10y, Com
and the people Of the state. and To the public
generally, al home and abroad
To older visitors to the iaIs a paragEaph In
Chuded with tho commissioners report, will
be particularly interesting. The superinten-
~Twenty-one complaints have been made
against licensed carriage drivers for violation
Of ths 2TdinanGes -Four drives have been
| h'AAAf w NV A'-'A 49, W. NNN' fA'Ab-
lions Of the rules and regulations
The superintendent also says: The Biddle
staircase has been examined and found safe,
hut II is old and dilapidated IN appearance.
and anot DIS but a f~atlgutng method Of obtain
ing the view Of the falls from below. II should
he replaced by a connexions elevator, with a
{ 80 stairway attached. such an elevator,
operated for a nominal fee q: five cents mp OF
down, would furnish an TINA revenue Of
s5.On1 a year, which. with the present revenue.
mainly from the inclined railway, would al
most render the reservation self sustaining. "
The number Of visitors 10 the reservation
during the year covered by the report was
$4,000, Of whom iO3.Ol6 were excrlrsionists
who came largely from New York State.
Appended to the report II a history OF the
geology Of the falls. which cOntains'the state
ment.
II. however. when that time shall come the
American Fall shall not have reCeded far land
judging from its recession during the last
200 years. II is improbable that II will haveL
lis channel. by the great lessening of the flow
of the iver will become dry and Goat Island
and the American channel, between II and the
main shore. will become once more a part Of
the American mainland. and there will be but
one small fall in the Canadian channel.
The reference is 20 the expected time when
"in the upper lake region the present slight
slope 20 the southeast will he entirely overcome,
and then the waters OF the three great upper
lakes will find their discharge TO the westward,
and the Niagara River will again drain only the
Lake Erie basin and as a result will enormously
decrease In volume"