The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-25

Immediate Action Necessary or One
of the Worlds Wonders Will
Cease to Exist.
REPORT OF COMMISSION
TOO MUCH WATER is BEING
DIVERTED.

Washington, March 2L-If Niagara
rails are to be preserved as one of the
wonders of the world Immediate action
bN the United States and Canada is re-
qdIred, according to the findings of the
American members of the international
waterways commission, which has for the
past year been studying conditions at
the falls and in the tributary great lakes.
Ihls report is signed by General o II.
Ernst, chairman. and the other Amer
lean members of the commission.
After a brief description of the physical
conditions, the report gives a detailed oc-
count of all the corporations now en-
gagged in the development of power, with
the quantity of water which they are
actually using, the amounts which they
are preparing to use and the amounts
which they are authorized, under their
charters, to use. 1t includes not only
corporations taking water directly from
the Niagara, but also those drawing wa
ter for power purposes from the Erie
canal, the Welland canal, the Chicago
drainage canal and furnishes list of all
franchises granted and not perfected.
Water Taken From River.
1.-The total quantity of water to be
taken from the river by works now au-
thOrized is 5000 cubic feet per second
OF this amount $500 cubic feet are to
be taken on the American side and the
remainder 1920 cubic feet. on the Ca
madam side That Is, y per cent of the
low water discharge of the Niagara river
viii cease 10 pass over the falls when
these works are completed and IN full op-
Grafton The quantity TO be diverted IS
more than double the quantity which now
passes over the American falls, which,
al the average stage, is about 1880 cubic
feet. That this viii in general have an
injurious effect upon the falls seems self
evident The volume of water to be di-
vcrted is about the equivalent of the en-
tire discharge of Lake Superior over the
INF AfnrvE for
actually diverted is but 1880 cubic feet
per second and has had an appreciable
effect on the falls
additional diversion would be an ex-
pertinent even more dangerous than that
now being tried and in our opinion should
not be permitted.
New York Gets Nothing.
in return for the impairment of the
falls thus far authorized the state of
New York will receive practically moth
ing for the 200 horsepower authorized
on that side, and the Queen Victoria Nj
agara Falls park will receive an annual
rental of s207000 or an average of s.
cents per horsepower for the 4l9,W0
horsepower authorized on the Canadian
side.
improvements in the transmission of
electric power and increased demand will
make a market for all the power which
can be developed at Niagara Falls. and
will cause a destruction OF the IalS as a
scenic spectacle if the development be
allowed tn 20 on unchecked. The com
merciaI value Of the water power at Nj
agaTa Falls is very great, but II com
pared with values set aside by wealthy
communities elsewhere for park purposes
this value is not too great to be devoted
TO similar purposes. The place IS visit
ed annually by about 100000 people.
Agreement Necessary.
IF the falls are to be preserved it must
be by mutual agreement between the two
countries As a step in that direction
we recommend that legislation be enact
ed which shall contain the following pro-
visions, namely:
seThe secretary of war to be author
lied TO grant permits for the dlNersloia OF
q 200 cubic feet per second and no more
from the waters naturally tributary TO
Niagara Falls distributed as follows;
Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power 4 Man
Ufacturing company 9,0G5, Ni-saTa Falls
Power company. $500; Erie canal or It's
tenants Tin addition to lock service1, 400;
Chicago Drainage canal. 10000 All other
diversion of water when is haturdHy
tributary to Niagara Falls to be pro
bibited except such as may be required
for domestic use OF for the service OF
Locks in navigation canals. Suitable pen
aIties for violation of the law to be pre-
Treaty Proposed.
THE foregoing prohibition to remain III, IN
force two years and then TO become the
nermanent law of the land II IN the
meantime the Canadian government shall
have enacted legislation prohibiting the
diversion of water which is naturally
tributary to Niagara Falls in excess OF
&c 600 cubic feet per second, not lncludlng
the amounts required Tor domesCc use
or for the service or locks ID naVisd'lOu
canals. 1t is assumed, however, that an
understanding on this subject would be
reached by treaty
.sThe object of such legislation would be
tn nut stop to the further depletion OF
~ col at
least possible injury upon the lmpOTIdh
interests now dependent upon ms WateI
mower The amount to be diverted on the
Caradian side Sc 600 feet, has been flXe0
v,ith a view to allowing the companies
or that side the amounts for Wnich tney
now have works under construction Such
legislation would give TO CANADA the ad-
vantage of diverting LOO CUBIC teet per
second more than is diverted in the Unit
ed states The advantage is more ap-
nareut than real. since the power gen
large extent be transmitted and used in
the United States. In the negotiation or
A treaty. however, the point should be
considered.
Agree on Facts.
''The substance of this report was sub
mitted to our Canadian colleagues De
fore the passage of the joint resolution,
Nth a view 10 uniting in a joint report
under the general law providing Tor the
commission. There was substantial
agreement in the statement OF facts ana
sI7cF1 differences as developed with re-
spect to the recommendations which
ought to be made did not seem lnsuper-
aI,ie but our colleagues desired time for
furtner consideration. We have no doubt
Of their sympathetic interest in carrying
ont that part OF the instructions con-
tanned in the resolution which requires
ms 80 exert in conjunction with the
members Of said commission representing
the Dominion of Canada, if practicable,
all possible efforts for the preservation
Of NIAGARA Falls in their natural COndi-