Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-03-26
MAKE MOVE TO
SAVE NIAGARA
Proposal to Limit the
Amount Of Power to
Be Taken

Warrington, March Self Niagara
Falls are to be preserved AZ one Of the
wonders Of the world, immediate ac-
tion BY the United States ana Canada
II required, according to the findings
Of the American members Of the inter-
national waterways commission which
has for the past year been studying
conditions at the falls and In the trib-
utary great lakes.
Tails report II signed by General o.
II. Ernst, chairman, and the other
American members Of the commission.
It gives . detailed account OF III the
corporations now engaged III the de-
.velopment Of power. with the quantity
Of water which they are actually using.
the amounts which they are preparing
to uses and the amounts which they are
authorised. under their charters. to
use. 1t includes not only corporations
taking water directly from the Niaaera
but also those drawing water for power
purposes from the Erie canal. the We'll
land canal and the Chicago drainage
canal.
Total Quantity Watsr Taken.
The report states:
THE total quantity Of water 70 be
taken from the river by works now
authorized IL so.soo cubic feet per Sec
ond. OF this amount 1S,700 cubic feet
10 to be taken on the American side
and the remainder. $500 cubic feet,
on the Canadian side. That Ii a per
cent Of the average discharge ana -
per cent Of the low water discharge
Of the Niagara river will cease to pass
over the falls when these work. are
completed and In full operation. The
quantity to be diverted u more than
double the quantity which now passes
over the American fall. which, at the
average stage II 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 diverted
Il about the equivalent Of the entire
discharge of Lake Superior over the
sault Ste. Marie. The amount thus
far actually diverted 10 but 1880
cubic feet per second ana hrs had an
appreciable effect on the falls. Addi-
tional diversion would be an expert
ment even more dangerous than that
now being tried and in our opinion,
should not be permitted In return for
the impairment OF the fiila, thus FAR
authorised, the state Of New York win
receive, practically nothing for the
$4,000 horsepower authorised on that
side. and the Queen Victoria Niakara
Falls park will receive m annual rent
al Of 500, 900 or an average Of 66 cents
per horsepower for the 4l5.00O horses
power authorized on the Canadian side.
Market for Al Power.
Improvements in the transmission
Of electric power and increased demand
win make ! market for All the power
which can be developed ct Niagara
Falls. and will cause : destruction Of
the falls - scenic spectacle II the
development be allowed to 60 on un-
checked. The commercial value OF the
waterpower at Niagara Falls IL very
great. but II compared with values set
aside by wealthy communities else
where for park purposes. this value Is
not too great to be devoted to similar
purposes. The place 10 visited annu-
ally by about 100000 people.
III the falls are to be preserved it
must be by mutual agreement between
the two countries. As step in that
direction. we recommend that legisla-
tion be enacted which shall contain
the following provisions, namely:
"The secretary Of war to be author
Used to grant permits for the diversion
>of $500 cubic feet per second. and no
more. from the waters naturally tribu-
tary to Niagara Falls, distributed a.
Follows:
70 Stop Further Depletion.
Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power ana
Manufacturing company. $500; Mag
ara Falls Power company. $500; Erie
Canal or its tenants Tin addition to
lock service). 400: Chicago Drainage
canal. 10000. All other diversions OF
water which IL naturally tributary to
Niagara Falls to be prohibited except
such a. may be required.
sThe object Of such legislation
you'd be to put q stop to the further
Depletion Of the falls and at the same
lime. issfiict the least possible injury
bpou the important interests now de-
pendent upon this water power.
Nothing 0eine.
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