The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-19
LAST SIGNATURE OF
 WILLIAM M'K|NLEY
Put His Name Down in "Vis- itors' Book" the After
 noon He Was Shot

Buffalo. February 1S.-(Special.) )-What is believed to be the last signature of William Mckinley is to be seen in the "visitor's Book at one of the power houses at Niagara Falls. He signed his name there September 6, 1901, about two hours before he was shot by Czolgosz In the exposition grounds at Buffalo.
 On the pages of the same Visitors Book are to be found the signatures or many other famous men. Theodore Roose- welt inspected the power station In b9S' when he was governor of New York, and summed up his impressions in three words
 "A marvel indeed" William H. Tafts name appears under date of July F, lsoo
 J. Perpont Morgan and the late Bishop
 Potter put their names in the book in 1895, the first year in which it began to supply commercial power. Andrew Car negie came shortly after them. writing op- posite his name: "No visitor can have been more deeply impressed nor more cer- tain of the triumphant success of this sub lime undertaking"
 finder date of August 16, 1897, appears the simple inscription, Kelvin, Glasgow Beside it the eminent English scientist has written: "very much pleased to see the great success achieved as a result of cour- ageous undertaking, and originality of in- vention, and skilful design and construc-
 tion."
 Chinese characters stare at one from several pages. Ii Hung Chang occupies three columns. stretching up and down an entire page to inscribe himself as grand secretary of state and earl of the first class. Wu Ting Tang registered in 1897
 when he was Chinese minister to thlS country, while Rear Admiral Ching in- scribed his name last year. But or all the Chinese records perhaps the most m teresting is that of a viceroy who says
 q am the ruler of a province or 2'ov Ooo inhabitants which contains the great est waterfall and the most beautiful seen cry in China. Here you have the great est waterfall and the most beautiful sceh- cry in the world.
 Many other distinguished persons, after seeing Niagara Falls in undiminisheo splendor have inspected the plant Where a fraction of the vast water power IS con verted into electricity for operating trolley cars. lighting streets and houses and run ing machinery on farms and in factorles
 within an area of 100000 square miles. The falls and the power generating plants remain as companion attractions, fo,. the use of part or tle water hds Hol a ffected the beauty of the spectacle. In response to a unanimous public sentiment for the preservation of the cataract, Great Britain and the United States have now joined in a plan of protection, and the Cana dian American waterways treaty, which will go into force in this country on March l, is the result It will perma- nently limit the diversion of water to an amount the loss of which will have no vis- ible effect upon the appearance of the l falls.
 l The waterways treaty will supercede the | Burton law, a temporary eXpedent to protect the falls. The engineers upon whose reports the treaty was based found
 that. out of total flow of about 240,OoO 1 cubic feet per second, 20.000 cubic feet l D 1T second might be diverted on the Amer ] 'ea- eide ard 36o00 cubic feet on the Ca- [ uallsn sida without damage to the seen { ery. The treaty also removes restrictions or' he iiz9ostation of power from Canada | Into tte Inited States
 Thus after 10 years of investigation and | 7isrissian @ preservation of Niagara s beauty i~ 3 sured, and at the same time isicucla tne ,ount of power now generated 1 Vil 's inSfg available for industrial pur- posea