The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07
QUITE A SCRAP OVER NIAGARA.
NEW YORK AND CAN.ADA'S BOARDS
EACH CHANGES VANDALISM.
State Board Accuses the Canadian OF Per.
mitting an UnsightIy Structure to be
Built In tho New Power House
-i0urs II Unsightly. Cries Canada.

the Commissioners Of Queen Victoris
Niagara Falls Free Park. who have charge
Of the preservation Of the Canadian side
at Niagara. When Victoria Free Parh
was established 1t was with view to keep.
ing vandas of that wonderful spectacle
the Falls Of Niagara. 8,
On the New York side tho Commissioner
Of the State Reservation are engaged In q
similar work, but possibly with better
success In recent Year, the Commits
sioners Of Victoria Free Park have granted
at least three franchises for the develop
ment OF power within the limits Of the park
boundaries. The total amount Of power
| allowed to be developed under these fran
ohises Ia $4,000 horse power, and in grant
Ing them the Commissioners have come
In for sharp criticism from the press.
Much Of their report Is taken up In making
answer to these objections by the public.
1t appears from the report Of the Cana
dian Commissioners that the Commissioners
OF the New York State Reservation have
been among those who have entered OBJ.
| lection to the great power works now being
| built close to the Horseshoe Fall The
manner In which the Canadian Commits
sioners reply to the State Reservation off,
Gals gives intimation that the very best Of
Official courtesy does not exist between the
two bodies of commissioners appointed to
protect the Falls OF Niagara from trespass
and destruction. The New York Com
missioners object, apparently. to placing
power station in the gorge at the foot OF the
famous old Horseshoe. The Canadian
Commissioners tell them that II this pro-
jected station is to be as -unsightly as
station on the New York side Of the gorge
there might be reason to object Says tho
report
-The production of electrical power as
means OF providing revenue has perhaps
more than anything else been charact erized
as vandalistic in It's ultimate effects on
scenic conditions in the park 1t should
be borne in mind that at the time the park
was established the science OF producing
electrical energy for motive purposes was
practically In its infancy, the first electrical
street railway in America having been put
in operation in 1887. 1t was only when the
practicability Of transmitting electrical
power assumed shape that the matter was
considered by the Commissioners as pos
stble means OF revenue.
The Commissioners do not claim that
they acquired the portion Of the park lying
south OF Cedar Island looking to the
utilization of this portion Of the property
az being eminently suited for this purpose.
They do claim, however, that their recon-
mendat iont to the Government which brought
about the requirement Of this additional
property has resulted in the greatest pc
cunlary advantage. Had the property
not been appropriated when the park was
what has transpfred on both sides Of the
river..that part OF the property would
doubtless have been acquired by capt. alists
and laid out as manufact uring district
without reference to its scenic environ
ments, az has been done on the American
bridge. to the irreparable Disagreement Of
the river hank. On the other Ia nd. had It
been appropriated after its capabilities as
q centre for product ion OF electrical power
on a large scale been demonst rated, it
is quite probable that the price OF such OK
preparation instead OF the original cost Of
100000 would have been many millions Of
dollars, determinable only by the capital
ization OF the revenue obtainable from
possible electrical franchises
missioners have. in granting certain power
privileges, committed acts OF vandalism
that will ultimately ruin the scenery OF
Niagara Falls, the commissioners have
to state that with the exception Of the
IN ah sprSs under the ia
referred to, all the proposed works con-
nected with the generation Of electricity
are practically beyond the territory orgi-
nally designed for park purposes. When
not single view Of the Falls. rapids or
gorge under the Falls will be obstructed
In the slightest degree. On the contrary,
the filing in Of the shore line above the |
falls by excavated material from the tunnels |
will increase the park area very consider |
III ,v,l xrtn orv1nft IF ld ov,l
being constructed on the margin Of the |
river which will greatly improve the views |
Of the upper rapids, and at the same time !
cover the foreshore, which in some places |
hos become exposed by the recession of |
OF the cataract. The waters forming the
Duiferin Islands will be completely restored |
and improved by the construction of cas- |
cades and miniature falls and. besides.
the area at that congested point in the |
unsightly iron and wooden bridges will
be removed and solid masonry structures
and when all the works are
completed the parks surface from the Falls
running south will all be laid out and i'm
proved to correspond with the completed
park overlooking the Falls,
Respecting the construction Of the
Ontario Power Company's power house
In the gorge under the Falls the commits
sioners OF the State reservation made
representations 70 lIle OOdIu III July last |
and were granted hearing with particular
reference to the erection Of the structure
at that location, the contention Of the
of the State reservation
being that the building would not only
isRgure the landscape as viewed from
several points in the American reservation,
out would also he Objectionable from an
rsthetic standpoint and at variance with
he natural conditions desired by the COM
nissioners on both side OF the rivers.
sOn the other hand, It was shown by the
commissioners that the location
II the building in question would present
10 obstruction to the free views OF the
Falls or river from any point on the Amer-
,an side, and as the building would be
ar below the surface level Of the park
. part Of the roof and the two gable ends
would be the only parts OF the structure
zen from any point Of view within Queen
Victoria Park. 1t was further pointed
,ut that to make the building in any sense
conspicuous or Objectionable feature Of
he landscape would depend solely opon
he design and character given to it,
SHOULD, for instance, the building be
designed upon the lines Of the power house
N the American side near the steel arch |
ridge, the public would have some grounds
or complaint but so far from the COM
Miss oners sanctioning such structure,
hey have made the most stringent pro-
-isions to secure the highest degree OF