A GREAT NATIONAL UTILITY 41 



troubled the waters and exacted such toll from 

 mortals. One recalls the case of the Bristol youth 

 who fell beneath the river's spell, sold his property, 

 and became the hermit of Goat Island ; and there, 

 ever with the call of the wild in his ears, at last 

 yielded to the fascination and plunged into the 

 maelstrom in obedience to the behest of beckoning 

 spirits. But other times, other manners ; and to-day 

 the power of Niagara has been converted into a public 

 utility, and the great spirit, once the despotic master, 

 has become a docile servant. It may spoil the 

 romance to learn that the tram-cars of Toronto and 

 Windsor, the latter 120 miles distant, are hitched to 

 the Falls. Such is the latest adaptation of water- 

 power to municipal needs. 



The eye of the appraiser has looked upon the 

 river and read in it a value for national purposes 

 of ;^ 400,000,000. Science has measured its flow, 

 and averaged it at 75,000,000 gallons per minute. 

 Engineering has converted the figures into dynamics, 

 and made them stand for 6,000,000 horse-power. 



It is scarcely a matter for wonder that com- 

 mercial enterprise should seek to utilize so mighty a 

 force when we learn that it is equivalent to the 

 aggregate power of all the steam engines and boilers 

 in the United Kingdom. 



Once more let us turn our eyes on the Great 

 Falls, and cancelling the dollar aspect, try to realize 

 that the power embodied therein is capable of 



