industrial Niagara 



WELLS, H. G. "The end of Niagara." (Harp, w., July 2 1 , 1906. 1906 

 50:pt. 2. 1018-1020.) Well, 



A description of the power development at Niagara in characteristic 

 fantastic style. 



Everywhere in the America I have seen the same note sounds, 

 the note of a fatal gigantic economic development, of large pre- 

 vision and enormous pressures. 



I heard it clear above the roar of Niagara — for, after all, I 

 stopped off at Niagara. 



As a waterfall, Niagara's claim to distinction is now mainly 

 quantitative, its spectacular effect, its magnificent and humbling 

 size and splendor, were long since destroyed beyond recovery by 

 the hotels, the factories, the power-houses, the bridges and tram- 

 ways and hoardings that arose about it. It must have been a fine 

 thing to happen upon suddenly after a day of solitary travel ; the 

 Indians, they say, gave it worship; but it's no great wonder to 

 reach it by trolley car through a street hack-infested and full of 

 adventurous refreshment-places and souvenir-shops and the tout- 

 ing guides. There were great quantities of young couples and 

 other sightseers, with the usual encumbrances of wrap and bag and 

 umbrella, trailing out across the bridges and along the neat paths 

 of the reservation parks, asking the way to this point and that. 

 Notice boards cut the eye, offering this and that for twenty-five 

 and fifty cents, and it was proposed you should keep off the 

 grass. 



After all, the gorge of Niagara is very like any good gorge in 

 the Ardennes, except that it has more water; it's about as wide 

 and about as deep, and there is no effect at all that one has not 

 seen a dozen times in other cascades. One gets all the water one 

 wants at Tivoli ; and one has gone behind half a hundred down- 

 pours just as impressive in Switzerland; a hundred tons of water 

 is really just as stunning as ten million. A hundred tons of water 

 stuns one altogether, and what more do you want? One recalls 

 " Orridos " and " Schluchts " that are not only magnificent but 

 lonely. 



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