Evening star., 1923-08-19
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Half a century ago the state Of
New York had not acquired and re-
established as a park
rails Park the land Immediately
pr.~...l adjacent TO Niagara
Falls, and conse-
quently access to the brink OF the
cataract. the greatest natural won
der in this hemisphere, was possible
10 the public only by payment of
fees. This matter is thus discussed in
the Star of August l6. 1873:
The syndicate of robbers at Ma
CARA Falls have become a good deal
alarmed at the comments of the press
on the fencing in of the American
side of that great natural curiosity.
and at the visible falling off in the
number of visitors in consequence of
the outrageous impositions practiced
there. One of them. little bolder
than the rest, rushes into print to de-
fend the so-called park scheme. by
which an additional 20 cents is
wrung from every visitor who wishes
a near view of the American falls.
He does this on the ground that the
land inclosed is private property and
that its owners have a right to do
with it what they please. AS matters
stand at present they undoubtedly
have this right, S a matter OF law;
but the course they have adopted is
a fatal one in the better light of policy
and expediency. Its ultimate effect
can only be to keep visitors away en-
tirely or drive them to the Canadian
side, and thus ruin the hotels and de-
preciate business and property of
every kind in the village.
The true course for those interest
ed in the welfare of the town will be
to take the necessary steps, by, pur,
chase or otherwise. to Abolish ali
tollgates and entrance fees and thus
make visit to all the attractive
points a substantial pleasure instead
Of a costly and constant annoyance,
as at present. Under such circum-
stances, fifty people would be induced
to 60 there where one goes now, and
the increase to the profit or legitI-
mate business thus secured for a few
seasons would more than repay the
cost of bringing about SO desirable a
condition of things.
harpies who now have the. place in
their clutches will be farsighted
enough to see the wisdom of this pol
| icy. and it is altogether probable that
under their control the existing
modes Of flching money from the
nockets of the public will be kept up
until tourists will cease to go there
at all. =,
more manifest every year, that the
government made a great mistak e
when il permitted any OF the land In
the vicinity of the falls to go into M tn e e
hands Of private indiViauals; me u :
nuhlic reservation or park. just as
the Yosemite and Yellowstone have
since been reserved. 1t Is, OF course,
tnn late now to retain it. as those
nIaces were retained, but there is one
course that will secure the same emo
and that course should be adopted
nuhiic use all the land bordering on
End adjacent to the rapids and falls
and set IL aside as a free national
nark forever. 1t would. to be sure,
taLe considerable money to do this,
hut II would be worth a great deal OF
money 10 have 1t done. lndeed, the
1overnment can better afford to pay
/ almost any price for the property re-
nmired. than to allow 1t to remain In
a.. nresent disgraceful ownership.
| snThis project, we may add. has al :
raadv been discussed and favorably
entertained by earnest and patriotc
nan .nd we are assured that should
tha measure come before Congress
this winter, as 1t probably will. IT VIII
receive a large support from the
start. without reference to geograph-
icai location or political production
~ memhers' but solely on the broad.
nat;nnai ground Of restoring to the
nsonIa that which never should have
been taken out OF their hands"