The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-24

Washington, March 24-lf Niagara
Falls are TO be preserved as one of
the wonders of the world immediate
actien by the United Estates and Can
ada is required, according to the find
iRss Of the American members of the
International Waterways commission
which has for, the past year been
Studying the conditions at the falls
and IN the tributary. Great Lakes. This
report signed by General E. H. Ernest,
chairman, and the other American
members of the commission was to-
day made public.
After brief description of the ply
sfca conditions, the report gives
detailed description of all the corpora
tons now engaged in the development
Of power, with the quantities of water
which they are actually using, the
amounts which they are preparing to
use, and the amounts which they are
authorized under the charter to use.
1t contains not only corporations using
water directly from the Niagara river,
but also those drawing water for pow
Ell purposes from the Erie canal and
the Welland canal; also the Chicago
drainage canaE and furnishes a list
Of all franchises granted and not per-
feGted.
The report says:
The total quantity of water taken
fron the river by works now author
lied. is $4,000 cubic feet per second
OF. this amount 26,7OO cubic feet is
to be taken out on the American side
and the remainder $4,000 cubic feet
on the Canadian sside That is, a. per
ceat of the average discharge and 80
per cent Of the low water discharge of
Niagara river will cease to pass
over the falls when these works are
completed and In full operation. The
quantity to be diverted is more than
doable the quantity which now passes
over the American fall, which at the
average stage is about 27,800 cubic
feet That this will in general have
an injurious effect upon the falls
seems self-evident. The volume of
water to be diverted is about the
equivalent of the entire discharge of
Lake Superior over the sault Ste
Marie. The amount thus far actually
diverted is but 1880 cubic feet per
secsad. and has an appreciable effect
upea the falls.N !.
ITO foretell with accuracy the ef-
tects in detail of the full diversion au-
thorized would require more COM
plete knowledge of the bed of the riV-
er than is now obtainable. The water
taken on the Canadian side below
the crest of the rapids will effect the
Hsrse Shoe Falls alone. If all taken
ON the American side should effect the
American falls alone, it would prac-
tically leave it dry; but it seems pro-
bable that only part of this diver
sion will be at the expense of the
American falls. Exactly what portion
that will be, cannot be stated with
precision but from study of the
channels and reefs SO far ais they
are known, reasonable estimate is
that the water would come from the
two arms in about the proportion of
one sixth from the American fall and
fve-sfxths from the Horse Shoe fall.
Exactly what form the changes in the
tive cataracts will take, whether they
will be made narrower or be broken
Up iRto a greater number of streams,
or simply be reduced in volume, re-
tsining in general their present form,
cannot now be foreold, for the .rea-
son that there ig no accurate know
ledge Of the form and depth Of water
on the crests. If 60,S0O cubic feet per
second he diverted. the loss will be
important, but If the diversion be lim-
ited to this amount, or reduced as
hereafter Indicated, 1t may not prove
disastrous. This cannot be definitely
determined until the works now un-
der construction have been completed
and put in operation. When that hap
peas, IL it be found that the falls
have not suffered serious damage, as
a scenic specticle, 1t does not follow
that additional water may be divert
ed with impunity. Additional diver
sisn would be an experiment even
msre dangerous than that now being
tried, and In our opinion should not
b permitted.
h return for the impairment Of the
rails. thus far authorized by the state
Of New York, will receive practically
nething for the $4,000 horse power
authorized on that side, and the Queen
ylntoia Niagara Falls Park will re-
oeaye an annual rental of $27O.00O or
an average Of 65 cents per horse pow
er for 415, 900 horse power author
issl on the Canadian side. These fig
sEes do not include the 10000 horse
gpswer being developed by the electri-
al railway, nor the power developed
y the Hamilton company with water
from the Welland canal"