Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-09-19
Lighting Up Niagara.

Niagara Falls seems destined to be
successful mechanically. The illumi-
nation which now takes place nightly
contains much to surprise those who
went prepared to see a desecrstion oil
a master work of nature. The illum-
ination is on huge scale, aud the
falls shine for an hour in the blaze of
searchlights of more than billion can
dlepower, the electricity for which the
cataract itself furnishes.
Three great batteries furnish the
luminosity. All are on the Canadian
side now, but subsidiary battery Isl
to be set up on the American side, in
front of the International Hotel.
Here a sciutillator is to be employed,
and great varicolored shafts Of light
will be thrown up from a 6O-inch
searcbIight. These beams will be
seen on clear nights for considerably
over hundred miles, which will In
clude Buffalo, the Tonawandas, Bats-
via, Toronto and Rochester.
There have been numerous attempts
in the past to illuminate the falls, and
one, at least, was made rs long ago as
1854. Present.day conditions are, Of
course, entirely different, and effects
obtainable are, of course, much more
interesting. Color work has never
been attempted at all before, and al
though there ls some question in the
minds of many who have seen the ii.
Elimination as to the taste of throwing
color on the cataract, some of the ell
fects obtained by throwing colored
searchlights on clouds formed by the
explosion of black powder bombs are
extremely beautiful.
Prismatic hues of all colors OF the
Iainbo are cast on the whirling water
below the cataracts, and here, too,
though many prefer the pure white.
light, beautiful effects are obtained.
But it is certain that the greatest i'm
preston has been created by the pro-
lection Of the pure white rays upon
the great falls.
The illumination begins about 8
o'clock. At that time the darkness
is such that from the Canadian side,
where the greatest crowds gather,
there is nothing to tell Of the presence
of the cataract except the spray that
drifts across and the eternal roar Of
the pouring water. Then the first
battery is turned on, and the Amerl-
can falls leap into view. 1t is hard
to imagine anything more impressive.
In the daytime great piles Of ugly,
dirty factory buildings flank the Amer
lean falls, while almost Immediately
behind it is a miniature Coney Island.
1t is distinct shock to see such in.
congruous structures in the same view
that embraces the cataract, and the
greatest feature Of the sight at night
is the utter absence Of the unpleasing
details, the complete humiliation OF
the jarring elements Of the picture
After the lights nave been focused
on the American falls they swing over
to the Horseshoe, across Goat Island,
and the whole cataract lies in the
range for a few moments. All one
sees is the work Of nature. The new
power houses Of the Canadian CON.
pany, the hotels, the factories, are all
gone
II am seeing Niagara for the frst
time said one man. Always be-
fore have seen the sordid. the ugly
and it has taken all the majesty Of
the cataract itself to drive away tue
thoughts of disgust at the despoilers
of nature. Bat tonight We can zee
Niagara as the first man who came in.
to sight Of it in the days Of its pr.m =
val solitude and sple endor it. We
need look at nothing else.
William darcy Ryan, Illuminating
engineer Of the General Electric Com
pany, devised the plan for the illumi-
nation Of the cataract, and, With May.
or Douglass, Of Niagara Falls, N. Y,
has made its realization possible
The scintillatOr is Of bis invention, and
the placing Of the batteries was done
by him.
The cost of the project is expected
to be borne by Niagara Pals. Five
thousand dollars has been paid TO the
General Electric Company for 30
days installation Of the plant now in
use. and the municipality will have
to pay the rest of the purchase price,
about $50, 900. at the end Of that tiEe.
1t is probable that the New York Cen.
tral will contribute to come extent to
the cost of the plant, as it is consid-