New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-25
DAMNENG NIAGARA.

The general public is likely to view with
alarm any new project having to do with the
waters of the Niagara River. 1t therefore has
ta suspicious of the plan for the construction
of dam across the outlet Of Lake Erie and
at the recent meeting Of the international
Waterways Commission at Niagara Falls the
opposition took form and developed a consid-
cradle amount of strength.
This body. created in compliance with an act
of Congress approved Oh June ID, 1902, has three
American and three Canadian members, Gen
eral D. II. Ernst, [. s. A, heading the United
States section. Their duties include investiga-
tons as to the maintenance and regulation OF
suitable levels in the lakes and rivers whose
natural outlet is by the st. Lawrence, and as
to the effect on the shores Of these waters and
the interests of navigation of any change in
their natural flow. They are also empowered
''to make such recommendations for improve
''ments and regulations as shall best subserVe
"the interests Of navigation in said waters.
Under this heading comes their consideration
of the ACCESSIBILITY of locating a dam at or
near the outlet of Lake Erie into the Mag
ara River If they decide that such dam
will benefit navigation and do no damage to
existing levels, they are directed to make rec
concentrations to their respective governments
looking TO an agreement for its construction.
ect have primarily in view is not, as has been
reported, the improvement Of navigation IN Bur
faIo Harbor or the supply of an increased vol
ume of water for the barge canal though both
of these purposes would doubtless be subserved
nv it. They look especially to the deepening Of
LimekIln Crossing Channel to the west of Buff
falo. where the United States government has
spent enormous sums in digging through the
rocky bottom The draught and tonnage Of the
Great Lake carriers are gradually increasing,
and at certain seasons these large ships ex
perience much difficulty in making this passage
II is believed that by the building of a dam
or other controlling or regulating works at the
head of the Niagara River the depth of the
water in Limekiln Crossing Channel would be
increased by rather more than one foot. Est-
mates Of the cost Of the proposed dam place
the figure at about 81 100000 The deepening
of the channel by the methods hitherto en-
Moved to secure the advantage Of this addi-
tional twelve or thirteen inches would involve
an expenditure of $5,000,O00 or 100000. Nat
urallv q government engineer who could see
his way to such an economy would strongly
recommend the raising OF the lake level If it
sbouId he shown that this could be accomplished
without injury to navigation ana other inter-
ests elsewhere.
Rut could It? Canadian commercial inter-
ests fear the effect of the diversion OF the
waters of Lake Erie for the benefit of the Erie
Canal. and say that the dam would shut Off
Canadian shipping from the free use OF the
Niagara River, besides lowering the waters in
Lake Ontario, and thus injuring the harbors
Of Toronto and other Canadian cities. The
inhabitants of Niagara Falls and the two Ton
awandas are also strongly opposed 10 tia