Fune 11, 1885 | NATURE 131 
= 1 eeecace to the legislature of New York, presented this 
THE PRESERVATION OF NIAGARA matter, and recommended the appointment of a commis- 
eee seven years ago Lord Dufferin, then governor- | sion to investigate the question, to confer with the 
general of Canada, suggested to Gov. Robinson | Canadian authorities, to consider what measures were 
of New York that the governments of the province of | necessary, and to report the results to a succeeding 
Ontario and the state of New York should purchase such | legislature. 
lands about Niagara Falls as would be required to give By resolution the commissioners of the State Survey 
free access to the principal points of view, and serve to | were charged with the investigation. This commission 
restore and preserve the natural scenery of the great included some of the most distinguished men of the state,— 
cataract, beside securing to visitors freedom from those | Ex-Goy. Horatio Seymour, Vice-President of the United 
vexatious annoyances which now abound. Subsequently | States, W.A. Wheeler, Lieut.-Goy. Dorsheimer, President 
the governor-general called the attention of the govern- | Barnard of Columbia College, and others. 
ment of Ontario to the matter, and recommended co- With breadth of view worthy of such men, they state in 
operation with the state of New York in accomplishing | their report that, “under this resolution, it became the 
this purpose. duty of the commissioners to ascertain how far the private 
Later, in January, 1879, Gov. Robinson, in his annual | holding of land about Niagara Falls has worked to public 
STATE RESERVATION AT NIAGARA 
200 ° 200 400 600 8900 1009 2090 
meg se epee es 
----- Boundary of the Lands to be taken for the Purpose of 
preserving the Scenery of the Falls of Niagara 
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disadvantage through defacements of the scenery; to | looking to making a showground of the island ; and every 
estimate the tendency to greater injury ; and, lastly, to | point from which the Falls could be seen on the American 
consider whether the proposed action by the state is | side was fenced in, and a fee charged for admission. It 
necessary to arrest the process of destruction, and restore | was found that, owing to the topography of the main 
to the scenery its natural character.” In pursuance of | shore, it was practicable to restore its natural aspect by 
these objects, the commissioners instructed Mr. James T. | clearing away the buildings from a narrow strip of land 
Gardiner, director of the State Survey, to make an examina- | 100 to 800 feet broad and a mile long, and planting it with 
tion of the premises, and prepare for their consideration a | trees which would screen out from view the buildings of 
project. He was assisted in this work by Mr. Frederick | the village. When these trees should be grown, and the 
Law Olmsted, the distinguished landscape-architect. mills removed from Bath Island, and trees planted there, 
The examination showed that the destruction of the | the falls and rapids would be again seen in the setting of 
natural scenery which forms the framework of the Falls | natural foliage which formed so important an element in 
was rapidly progressing: unsightly structures and mills | their original beauty. Every point from which the Falls 
were taking the place of the beautiful woods that once | could be seen would also become free of access by 
overhung the rapids; the fine piece of primeval forest re- | the plan proposed. A map was made showing just 
maining on Goat Island was in jeopardy from projects | what lands should be taken to carry out these purposes. 
* From Science. The commissioners adopted the plan of Mr. Gardiner 
