New-York tribune., 1908-01-31
TO PRESERVE NIAGARA.
Ciric Association Presents Olmsted
Plan to President.
rrron The Tribune Bureau.I

yvasbtnrtop Ian so-The President to-day had
a conference with representatives Of the American
Civic Association the plans suggested ior the
preservation of Niagara Falls from further en-
croacbnents of users of power. Representative
Burton. of Ohio, chairman of the House RIVERS
and Harbors Committee, who introduced ana was
instrumental in obtaining the passage or the bur
ton act which limits the amount of water taken
from the falls to le0GO0 horsepower tooH part All
the discussion.
]. Horace Mcfarland. Clinton r Woodruff ana
William B. Rowland president. secretary ana
treasurer of the association. who composed the
committee that organization left with Presi-
dent Roosevelt copy of Frederick Law oimsteds
plan for federal international reservation TO
protect the falls. Mr. Olmsteds suggestions are
as follows:
First-That the public ownership OF the shores OF OF
extended include everything between the head OF
TO eTtend enervWhere far enough back from the
brink to permit the maintenance of a permanent
the scenery Of the river the factories. houses,
hotels and other structures on adjacent private
Second-That any future structures needed in the
erected out of sight behind the inclosing belt OF
trees that the penstocss OF any new Piant @ & ~
the Ontario Power Compang; ana tnat ina mo mo n neW
let's should be permitted within the limits Of the
reservation scenery.
moval or the reconstruction In accordance nc, Win wth
the above OF & al t9e exist Of
Niagara at the expiration of of years suffi-
plants to earn their cost a sinking fund being
established for cancelng the investment in the
pSe Of the water reguiated according to the num-
Whatever else is doubtful about this question,
there be no doubt that if. in competition with
of economV to recnVer the investment in the paats
OF decades. the economic argument for devoting
better way of putting this fundamental
question 70 the test than to follow the course
have suggested.
The President informed by his callers that
the chief market for electrical power Nj
agara Falls is and for years will be in the United
States, the various Canadian power companies
by the operations OF the Burton act prevented
from developing fully the rights granted
them, that extent reducing the diversion of the
flow oversthe Horseshoe Fall, through the centre
OF which approximately passes the international
boundary line Thus. being unable to obtain ad-
mission for all the electrical power it claims 10
have a market for in the United States through
its transmission company and American represer-
tative (the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power
Company the Ontario Power Company has pur
chased the franchises granted said TO have been
granted. by the State OF New York to the Lower
Niagara River Power and Water Supply Company
and expects to have introduced into the national
House of Representatives bill amending the Bur
ton act by permitting the diversion of not exceed
ing 4oCHo cubic feet second (about Is per cent of
the average flow of the Niagara Rfver1 at a point
/ approximately one mile below the faIS, 10 De re-
turned to the river at the location known the
Devils Hole. between which points the Whirl-
pool Rapids, only less impressive than tho falls
themselves.
Representations have been made by the officers
of the Ontario Power Company to officers of the
American Civic Association that in consideration
of the withdrawal of opposition to this amendment
the Ontario Power Company would formally release
the unused remainder of its Canadian right to d.
vert water above the Horseshoe Fall and abandon
the construction of the two additional 1s-foot
duts as we'll extension of its present power
house close 10 the foot of the Horseshoe Fall
The Civic Association officers suggested to the
President the advisabity of withdrawing opposl-
ton to the power users. If they will formulate a
satisfactory proviso in the proposed amendment 10
the Burton act making the consent of Congress
contingent on the release of rights granted to
Canadians