SPOLIATION OF THE FALLS OF NIAGARA 303 



entirely within Canadian territory, as the boundary line will become 

 uncovered, leaving a narrow strip of rock between Goat Island and 

 the great cataract. If the full franchise be used, the American Falls, 

 which are 1,000 feet across, will have their southern half drained, as 

 in figure 7, and will be further broken up into narrow sheets or strings 

 of water. 



Any attempt at restoring either the American or the eastern side 

 of the Canadian Falls, by deepening the channels on that side of the 

 river, would increase the velocity of the currents above and cause an 

 extraordinary demand on Lake Erie, the result of which would be the 

 lowering of its level at an enormous cost. The same physical changes 

 would subsequently take place in the Huron outlet as a consequence of 

 the lowering of the Erie level. The artificial deepening of the channel 

 would also increase the scour, not merely of the Niagara Eiver, but 

 also the St. Clair channel, which lies in deposits of sand and clay. 



Until such time as the use of the water shall become imperative, 

 the preservation of the International Park and the falls is a very small 

 bit of luxury or extravagance compared with the value and cost of 

 great city parks, or even one of them, such as the Central Park of New 

 York. But there is also a commercial side to this question. The 

 yearly number of visitors to Niagara varies from 600,000 to 1,200,000 

 and the expenditure in transportation and at the falls is estimated 

 as reaching sometimes $25,000,000 in a single year, giving pleasure 

 and recreation to many people over the whole country. Are these 

 considerations to be set aside for the gain of a few companies, or for 

 political purposes? 



A limited amount of power can be used without detriment to the 

 scenic effects. Under the Burton act, the two New York companies 

 are at present restricted to a developed capacity which is about half 

 their franchises. The Ontario Company's franchise has not been re- 

 stricted, although their present plant is developed to only one third its 

 prospective size (figure 8). The full use of their allowance will affect 

 the falls to an even greater extent than the Chicago canal, and bring 

 into prominence the impending disasters, after the full use of the water 

 at Chicago. The most strenuous endeavors are being made to extend 

 the spoliation of the falls to its utmost limit, and recently the Ontario 

 Company has sought permission to harness even the Whirlpool Rapids, 

 which are fifty-one feet in height and only a little less imposing than 

 the falls themselves. This company desires to obtain from twenty to 

 twenty-five per cent, of the flow of the river, or nearly 400,000 gross 

 horse-power, besides the privilege of disfiguring the gorge by their 

 structures, such as the one already placed below the falls, though this 

 at present is only one third of its prospective size, as shown in figure 8. 

 There are two other great power houses in the Canadian Park. Those 



