New-York tribune., 1907-06-08
UTILIZING THRILL POWER.

Shooting the Chutes will give way TO more
eCstatic sport If the wishes OF the Franchot bill
advocates carried out This BILL already
passed by the Assembly, aims to incorporate the
Lower Bridge Company. and permit 1t TO build
over the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara Falls Il
bridge which must be at least twenty-five feet
above the level OF the water. No other restric-
ton has thus far been suggested which fact
plainly proves that the hackers OF the enter
prise are filled with the high ambition to make
the Loop Of Death and the Aerial Somersault
seem as harmless and dull as playing with ii
rattle.
The water level at the Whirlpool Rapids being
reckOned presumably from the usual point. the
new bridge may be so constructed as to i'm
merse the roadway in the crests OF the highest
waves, which seethe upward eternaIly in that
glorious gorge to the height OF about TWENTY-FIVE
feet OF course, just the frothlest tips Of the
waves would reach the bridge and moisten the
feet of thrill hunters. This so-near-and-vet-s
far feature constitutes the chief charm, and
promises to make a fortune for the clever men
who conceived the Franchot bill Think of
the swarms of small boys who would steal
money from their mothers in order TO travel
TO the wonderful bridge OF near-death and for
a small admission fee. walk boldly out to the
middle OF the sWaying strands OF rope "a rope
bridge would be cheaper and more exciting
than any other kind, there to sit down and
dangle their tootses in the roaring fendish
billows that tlrelessly snap upward at their
land the bridge company's) prey. And then, what
a convenience for suicides! IT is far more
idylllc to leap into unobstructed green wafer
than to plunge over watery precipice ana
encounter at the bottom some very prosaic
rocks. Melancholy and water hypnotlsm alone
would easily pay the new company handsome
dividends.
few representative AssembIymen protested
against the scheme on the ground that its
realization would go far toward DESTROYING the
natural beauty Of the Niagara gorge n bridge
over the Whirlpool being blot on Americas
most enthrallng scene. These protestants have
narrow conception of what true beauty Is.
they do not realize that the most beautiful
thing in the world Is human bravery What Is
the dead grandeur Of q wild tangIe of ordinary
drinking wafer in comparison with the glorious
sight Of score of American citizens taunting
the infurlated demons of the LIQUID abyss on
the bridge at midnight? How insignificant will
appear the twenty-tive-foO pillows of the
whirlpool when Mike" Kelly from the Tona-
wanda lumber yards lowers himself over the
railing of the bridge and, hanging by his toes
from the swaying, straining support sticks his
carroty head into those billows with a wild
shrek Of mocking laughter? No, gentlemen of
the aesthetic opposition man being the most
glorious product OF designing Nature his con
duct on the new bridge will be far more pict-
uresque and entertaining than all the surgcs
that ever gnawed at the heartstrings of pebby
shore and living rock By all means let US utilize
some of the enormous thrill power of Niagara
which has been going to waste for untold ages