Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22

May 81, 1894. In the six days remaining to
the company in which to begin work in
good faith" it hastily scratched a little
ditch in the soil to the south of Lockport
and called it canal.
The Old company has been reorganiZed.
Its capital greatly increased, and it gives
every appearance Of ultimately intending to
do business unless ii should be decided by
the courts that the ditch dug hastily in
May, 1904. does not constitute the beginning
of work in good faith.
X
An important result of the fight waged by
Mr.. Green and his associates is the three
power companies chartered in the province
of Ontario and, comparatively speaking,
soon to be in full running order on that side
of the cataract. One has already begun
business with the largest turbines in the
world. From 1894 on, Mr. Green was fire.
quently more victorious than his opponents;
hence in part, the Canadian companies
that came into being by the grace of the
Ontario government.
Not without opposition however. were
these companies chartered. There be Cana
dams who have contended against the
movement from the beginning. They have
not been SO strong, numerically, as their
brethren of the states; possibly because the
province has driven fairly good bargains
with the companies in return for statutory
recognition. Then. too. 1t is the American
fail that is going to suffer noticeably, while
the Canadian channel Will still be a feast
for the eye after even $1,000 cubic feet of
water per second Is distracted from above
the falls-an amount sufficient to wipe the
American fall out of existence
When the Canadian companies are going
the limit under their charters they Will
consume 81 100 cubic feet of water per sec
ond The two American companies now
running will use 1890 cubic feet in the
same subdivision of time. These are the
Niagara Falls Power Company, $500 cubic
feet, and the Niagara Falls Hydraulic
Power and Manufacturing Company. 1870
cubic feet The only other of the nine COM
panieS chartered by the New York legis-
lature which Is likely to start up is the
Niagara, Lockport and Ontario. The char
ters of three are dead by time limitation,
and the legislature now seems inclined to
revoke the charters of the rest
We have been far more prodsal in grant
Ing charters than the Ontario government.
We set the example, too On the other
hand the commissioners of Queen Victoria
Niagara Falls Park have permitted their
trust to be despoiied In large measure that
the power companies plants might be
erected Islands and creeks have been de-
molished. Rocks that were iandmai KS rave
been excavated or blown into bits. DUFF
FERN Islands and Crescent Island cannot
be located in the confusion OF work
Acres of the river bottom have been ex-
posed to view for the first time in the
worlds history, and much of this area is
being converted Into forebays and intakes,
never to be returned to the rivers use
We have sedulously guarded our reserya-
ton ever since Its establishment. SO far
as 1t is concerned, there Is now no danger
that it will ever be placed even temporarily,
at the mercy of any construction company.
IS
II the falls are to be saved again 1t would
seem that salvation must come through
the united action of the two people In
whom the control of the falls broadly rests
either through them as represented by the
New York Legislature and the provincial
government of Ontario. or the federal and
dominion governments. Common sense die
tates that it would not be enough to wage
a victorious campaign on this side OF the
border only The Canadians could go on
granting charters to their HEARTS content.
and the companies, though kept from dis
posing of their electricity in this country By
Il heavy tax, could undoubtedly md, or
build UP. profitable home markets
Whatever the plan of campaign evidently
soon to be decided on, the people, II they
are ultimately to win, must be prepared
for long and stubborn contest They
must be patient and logged II took years
to overcome the petty private interests OF
the seventies. The private interests or to-
day are infinitely more powerful. They are
corporate. Their resources are reckoned by.