The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-12
NIAGARA STATE RESERVATION
THE COMMISSION REPORTS THE
NET COST AT S2,O57,G76.

Saving To the Public More Than Four Timea
That Sum-The Danger That Threatens
the Integrity Of the Falls. the Report
Says, IL "a Very Substantial Reality"
NIAGARA FALLS, July 1.-THE nine
teenth annual report of the commissioners
Of the New York State Reservation at
Niagara has been receive here. 1t is the
longest document ever issued by the conn
mission, as well as the most interesting
Reference is made to the estimated re-
ceipts for the fiscal year and to the amount
OF money needed for improvements, also
to the fact that $500 iS asked to defray the
expense OF a survey Of a proposed State
road from the State reservation at Niagara
TO Fort Niagara, at the mouth of tho river
An article on the creation and development
of the State reservation follows, and the
report says that the twentieth anniversary
makes proper retrospect OF the move
ment that has been 30 vastly beneficial
to the Niagara locality,
"The Messrs. Porter and their de-
scendants," says the article "are entitled
to the appreciative remembrance of the
lovers of Niagara's beauty for their guard
ianship for many years Of the primeval
forests of Goat Island, by means Of which
these noble groves were returned, SUBJ
stantially in their native attractivencss, to
the care Of the State when the reservation
was established
After review of the origin Of the move
ment of reclamation, the report says that
the appropriations for acquisition were
s., 1872 D20, those for maintenance to date,
Sis5, 900, and those for special improve
ments, 3352, 885 This makes the total
appropriations $2,2OO,594 The receipts
from the reservation have amounted to
3l42 .0ls, making the net cost OF the reserva-
ton s. .o57, $40
In regard to the value of the reservation
the report says;
In the first place. by giving the public
free access TO Ningarn, the visitors save aye
tho amount that they formerly paid Tor the
enjoyment of privileges under much less
Agreeable conditions. As soon MS the reser-
Vntion was thrown open the number OF visitors
more than doubled, and by the end OF the
first five years the number was estimated
mt 100000 per onnum. At the present time
the number under ordinary conditions Is
estimated at 10000 per annum. In 1901.
which wns nm exceptional year on account
of the an-American Exposition az bufn 10
the number OF visitors ranged 20 a ron ivOVo
and for the year IL estimated to have reached
the enormous aggregate of 5000 900.
Assuming the very conservative average
the reservation was opened, and that there
has been saved to each the amount OF t1e
tolls formerly charged upon the grounds
now Included III the reservation namely.
80 cents admission to the Islands. 70 cents
to Prospect Park, and % cents for the use
Of the stairway at the inclined railway, as-
creRating 81 for each visitor, there has
been saved to the public by this means the
amount paid by the state for lands. I'M
provements and maintenance Tour times
over. .
In addition to this. the amount OF money
brought into the State and left here by tour,
lists drawn hither from other States ana
railroad companies and many other interests
derive Il large revenue from the patronage
attracted by the Falls A single railroad COM
pany, for example lthe New York Central
and Hudson River received sl70,0o0 in fares
during three summer months OF loO2 on ac-
count of it's Niagara business alone,
With the knowledge of these facts, We nave
no hesitation in declaring that. entirely IT;
respective of its aesthetic and educatlonal
aspect the reservation has been most profit,
able Investment for the state. and has aHorded
II practical demonstration in this country or
n principle long acknowledged IN European
cities and countries, that the Preservation OF
the beautiful. the picturesque ana Ihe hls'or'o
pays
The report says that the danger which
threatens the integrity Of Niagara Falls
is not merely theoretical, but is very
substantial reality and proceeds from
three sources
First. from the power companies now
from the Niagara River between 7'OoOOoO
and 100000 gallons Of water a. minute.
or about Q per cent OF the total now over
Second. from the construction Of, com;
merclal and drainage. canals. which Will
divert the waters OF the Great Lakes from
their natural outlet by way OF the ~, Law
renee system to that of the Mississippi. The
chicago drainage canal, designed to take |
$40, 900 cubic feet a minute from Lake Michl-
gestions which have been advanced is one |
for a canal across the State OF Wisconsin, |
from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi. and |
another for canal from Lake superior at |
Duluth to the Mississippi -,
Third, from Canadian enterprises. like
the Welland Cannl and the proposed canal |
River: or. to come nearer to Niagara, from |
he Ontario Power Company and the Canadian |
Niagara Power Company, whose works
sight Of our reservation. and from third |
'anadnn corporation to which the commits
sonera for the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls |
Park have recently granted similar privi-
lege.
The report has a chapter on the Canadian |
park, in which it saws:
Great ms has been the regret Of this COM |
mission at the action Of the past New. York |
] egislat ures in permitting The diversion of |
been caused by the policy Of the Canadian |
Government, for the latter has not only |
granted the right to hs sV R,, Tac b large vol,
permitted the power companies to invade |
be Victoria Iark and erect their unsightly |
structures In full view OF both the American
and Canadian reservations.
In an appendix is an interesting article
on sOld Fort NIAGARA" by the Hon Peter