Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-06-15

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a OV. ODELL of New York, by
AIv\.\ hisveto of the Niagara power
V1N bill. has made some enemies
m @K and more friends. From all
~lNy over the union protests have
poured in against the fur
Their designation of Niagara's wonder
full beauty for commercial purposes.
And due heed has been given to the
protests; Niagara is not to be turned
over to the devastators. 1t is hoped our
country may long continue to regard as
one of the noblest of her many shrines
of natural beauty the wonderland OF
Niagara.
Years ago agitation was employed to-
wards the preservation of Niagara, but
1t Is said the honor belongs to couple
of Scotchmen of making the first real
suggestion that the place be carefully
protected. After a visit to America,
these words Of theirs were published:
niagara does not belong to Canada or
America. Such a spot should be deemed
the property of civilized mankind, and
nothing should be allowed to weaken
this efficacy on the tastes, the morals
and enjoyment of men,
The Niagara region is territory Of
no great extent, but famed the world
around for the grandeur of it's falls, the
loneliness of the surrounding country,
and its preservation is certainly ques-
ton of national, if not Of International
concern. And the historical associa-
tions lend added interest to the pres
ervation of innumerable landmarks
about Niagara. Here it was the red
men held their councils. Here, at an
early date, the daring French traders
penetrated, and there is proof that the
intrepid French missionaries crossed
the Niagara river in the days of the mis-
sionary zeal Of France. For the four
score years the French had dominion
in America, they considered the Niagara
region a most important portion of their
domain.
Among the noted names connected
with Frances enterprise in this local
ity is that of Jacques Cartier, and in an
account of Carriers second voyage to
the St. Lawrence is presented the first
reference to the Great Lakes country
and the wonderful cataract now known
as Niagara In Champlain's "Des Saw
ages" published in 1909, mention is
made of waterfall and river, doubtless
Niagara Falls and river; and in his
Voyages" the same explorer tells Of
very high waterfall at the end of Lake
St. Louis (Ontario), where many kinds
Of fish are stunned in the descent" 1t
is thought Brule, Champlains inter-
prefer, may have been the first white
man really to look upon the falls. In
1926, a Franciscan priest Travelled on
the Niagara river, and IA years later two
Jesuit fathers crossed and recrossed the
stream. In the Jesuit Relations" report
is given of work with the Indian nation
t'Onguiaahra, having the same name as
the river"
In 1857, the location Of the falls and
lakes was correctly made in Sanson's
map of Canada, the falls being called the
"Ongiarra Falls" In 1869 La Sale and
Rene Gallinee travelled to the west end
of Lake Ontario, and Gallinee's journal
gives an account of Niagara as described
to him by the Indians; speaks of the fact
that "the river falls at that place from
a rock higher than the tallest pines"
Father Hennepin saw the wonderful
place for himself, in 1878, and his report
of it's beauty was widely read in Europe,
his books on the new world being trans
lated into many languages. Father
Hennepin was the first to use the pres
ent spelling of Niagara. The word has
been variously interpreted; thunder
of the waters" seems very fitting if not
accurate.
Fort Niagara was the last Of the i'm
portant posts held by the French in their
system of Notifications connecting
Louisiana and their possessions in east
ern Canada; and this presently fell I'M
der the grasp of the conquering English.
The English then made pow-wow with
the Indian inhabitants of the land, had
their acquisition ratified by the natives;
Sir William Johnson, in 1854, at Fort
Niagara assembling 1000 Indian war
riors of the region, and having coded to
him, for his sovereign, a strip of land
four miles wide on each bank of the
Niagara river, and also acquiring at this
time all the islands in the river. Not
for long, however, did the English con-
tinue in possession, for their title to
things in America was presently weak
ened by the American revolution.
Within 20 years after her procuration
of the territory, England was forced to
give up one-half the lands bordering on
the Niagara river-counting the islands,
more than one-half, but it was not until
1916 it was absolutely conceded that
most of the islands in the Niagara river
belonged to the United States.
During the war of 1872 the Niagara
frontier was in the heart Of the border
warfare. Lewiston, Fort George, New
ark, Fort Niagara, Buffalo, all suffered
Among the Ladies.
Ellis wife must be the worst house
keeper in the world"
''Why so?"
why, her husband stated publicly
that there wasn't 4 day in the year that
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