Niagara Falls 



1885 James T. Gardner, and Mr. Frederick Law Olmstead, whose 

 ardent interest in the beauty of landscapes, natural as well as 

 artificial, had long before inspired him with the deepest concern 

 for the future of Niagara Falls. 



The conclusions of the Commissioners, founded upon the 

 examination thus made, were expressed in a report to the Legis- 

 lature, drawn up in a manner altogether worthy of the subject 

 and of themselves. They set forth in convincing terms the extent 

 of the deterioration already reached, and the inevitable results 

 of further neglect, and recommended the acquisition by the State 

 of a limited area of land along the banks of the river, sufficient 

 to enable the work of protection and restoration to be prosecuted 

 with effect. 



The Legislature, in 1883, passed an act adopting these recom- 

 mendations, and providing a method for carrying them out. By 

 this act a board of commissioners was constituted, to be appointed 

 by the Governor, with authority to survey and lay out such parts 

 of the land adjacent to the falls as it should, in their judgment, 

 be expedient for the State to acquire, and to take the necessary 

 judicial proceedings for ascertaining the value of the lands. 



Of the character of the gentlemen appointed upon this com- 

 mission I need not speak. They were selected by Governor 

 Cleveland with wise discernment, and with reference only to their 

 qualifications for a task so important. They at once proceeded 

 with the discharge of their duties, and the entire work of select- 

 ing and surveying the lands and prosecuting the proceedings 

 requisite to ascertain their value was accomplished so as to enable 

 them to make their report early in the present year. 



It was indeed necessary, in order to render these measures 

 entirely effective, that an appropriation of public money should 

 be made to pay the ascertained value of the lands and the attend- 

 ant expenses. That crowning act was performed by the Legis- 

 lature of 1885, and the present Governor of the State, who does 

 us the honor of his presence to-day, is to be congratulated upon 

 the opportunity which has fallen to him of closing, by his signa- 



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