The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-02-19
LAST SIGNATUREOF
WILLIAM M'K|NLEY
Put His Name Down in "Visitors Book"
The Afternoon He Was shot-Auto-
graphs of other Famous Men.

What is believed to be the last sig
nature of William Mckinley is to be
seen in the Visitors 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
of many other famous men. Theo-
dore Roosevelt inspected the power
station in S99, when he was governor
of New York, and summed up his i'm
pressions in three words, "a marvel
indeed" William H. Taft's name ap
pears under date of July IL, 1906,
]. Pierpont 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 Carnegie came shortly after
them, writing opposite his name: No
visitor can have been more deeply i'm
pressed nor more certain OF the tri-
umphant success of this sublime un-
dertaking."
Under date of August 16, 1897, ap-
pears the simple inscription, Kelvin,
Glasgow" Besides it the eminent
English scientist has written: Very
much pleased to see the great success
here achieved as result of courage
GUS undertaking, and originality of in
yention, and skilful design and con-
struction."
Chinese characters stare at one from
several pages. Ii Hung Chang oc-
cupies three columns, stretching up
and down an entire page to inscribe
himself as Grand Secretary of State
and Earl of the First Glass. WI Ting
Fang registered in 1897 when he was
Chinese minister to this country, while
Rear Admiral Ching inscribed his
name last year But Of all the Chi
nese records perhaps the most inter-
esting is that Of viceroy who says;
/ am the ruler of a province of S2,-
900. 600 inhabitants which contains the
greatest waterfall and the most beau
tiful scenery insChina. Here you have
the greatest waterfall and the most
beautiful scenery in the world
Many other distinguished persons,
after seeing Niagara Falls in undimin-
ished splendor, have inspected the
plant where fraction of the vast wa
ter power is converted into electricity
for operating trolley cars, lighting
streets and houses, and running ma
chinery on farms and in factories with
ing an area of 100000 square miles.
The Falls and the power generating
plants remain as companion attrac-
tions, for the use of part of the water
has not affected the beauty of the spec
tacle. In response to unanimous pub
lie sentiment for the preservation OF
the cataract, Great Britain and the
United States have now joined in a
plan of protection, and the Canadian
American waterways treaty, which will
90 into force in this country on March
1. is the result 1t will permanently
limit the diversion of water to an
amount the loss of which will have no
visible effect upon the appearance OF
the Falls.
The waterways treaty will super
sede the Burton law, temporary eX-
pedient to protect the Falls. The en-
gineers upon whose reports the treaty
was based found that, on of a total
flow of about 100000 cubic feet per
second. 10000 cubic per second might
be diverted on the American side and
36.00o cubic feet on the Canadian side
without damage to the scenery. The
treaty also removes restrictions on the
importation of power from Canada into
the United States
Thus, after ten years of investiga
ton and discussion the preservation
of Niagara's beauty is assured, and at
the same time double the amount oi
power now generated will be made
available for industrial purposes.