PARK AND CEMETER\' 
and Landscape Gardening. 
Vol. XVI. Chicago, November, 1906. No. 9 
Immediate and Continued Effort Needed to Save Niagara 
The American Civic Association has sent out two 
emergency calls in the past two weeks that should re- 
ceive the attention of every one who wants the grand- 
eur of Niagara Falls saved from the rapacity of the 
power companies. By the terms of the bill secured 
from Congress at the past session the amount of 
power to be admitted from Canada is limited to i6d,- 
ooo horsepower, leaving it to the discretion of Secre- 
tary Taft to admit additional power to the extent of 
developing 350,000 horsepower. If this power gen- 
erated on the Canadian side of the Falls is not ad- 
mitted to the United States, it will not be produced, 
as there are not enough industries within electrical 
radius of Niagara to use it. Power companies have 
already filed briefs at Washington indicating that they 
intend to apply for permits for more than 160,000 
horsepower. Forbidden to abstract their coal from 
the American side, they will have the Canadians ab- 
stract it on their side, and then buy it from them. 
Thus runs the course of the astute corporation law- 
yer, who having failed to persuade Congress that he 
could keep taking water away and still have it left, 
now blandly asserts that water subtracted from the 
Canadian side will not injure the American Falls. A 
hearing is to be given on the proposition to admit 
power from Canada, in Washington, November 20, 
and the American Civic Association is to represent 
the side of the people there. Public opinion must 
again be brought to bear on Secretary Taft who has 
authority to act in the matter, and every individual or 
organization is urged to telegraph him immediately, 
opposing the admission of power from Canada. When 
this paper reaches you it may be too late to write, but 
a telegram on the eve of the hearing will be just as 
effective. The time to act is instantly and the man to 
act upon is Hon. William H. Taft, Secretary of War. 
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Progress of the “ City Beautiful ” 
It is gratifying to note the progress being made in 
inaugurating movements to make of our larger cities 
the “city beautiful.” It is a splendid idea, and only 
has to be intelligently presented to the citizens of any 
important municipality to inspire enthusiasm. A beau- 
tiful city is always a local pride, and it means a well- 
governed city, too, for no city can maintain all the 
features which serve to make it beautiful without high- 
class administration. Among the later movements in 
this direction are those of Chicago and Portland, Ore- 
gon. A magnificent scheme for the improvement and 
beautification of Chicago is under practical consider- 
ation by the Chicago Merchants Club, and it will at- 
tract wide attention. A committee of leading citizens 
of Portland has been organized to prepare and urge 
a comprehensive scheme looking to the artistic devel- 
opment of its physical features and conditions. Every 
city has special opportunities for particular develop- 
ment, and the location and surroundings of Portland 
admirably lend themselves to the work of making her 
a particularly beautiful city. 
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A “ Niagara ” Campaign for Every Community 
The recent convention of the American Civic Asso- 
ciation in Milwaukee gave impetus to a local “Niag- 
ara” campaign now being waged by the patriotic peo- 
ple of Wisconsin to acquire the magnificent country 
about the Dells and Devil’s Lake as a state reserva- 
tion. The next legislature is to be asked to appro- 
priate $100,000 to purchase 7,000 acres of the Devil’s 
Lake tract. The women’s clubs and public-spirited 
organizations and individuals throughout the state are 
supporting the movement, and with the aid of the 
press should be able to turn on the legislative body of 
the state such a flood of public sentiment that it will 
be obliged to listen and to act as Congress did under 
the cataract of the Niagara campaign. Individuals 
and organizations should see that their state represen- 
tatives are deluged with letters, telegrams and resolu- 
tions at the proper time, and supply the newspapers 
with material. Local Niagara campaigns are in order 
everywhere. Whether it be a dirty alley, a village 
nuisance or an international waterfall, the Niagara 
method of arousing public sentiment is equally effect- 
ive. No progressive community should be without its 
Niagara campaign. 
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First Steps Against the Billboards 
Those who are waiting for the enactment of a com- 
prehensive law that will abolish all billboards with 
one fell blow, were reminded by Mr. Harlan P. Kel- 
sey at the Milwaukee convention of the American 
Civic Association that three-fourths of the billboards 
are already violators of the law and can be disposed 
of by enforcing existing laws. Springfield, Mass., 
has abolished indecent posters. This can be done 
anywhere. Boards erected on city property or on 
private property without the consent of the owners 
may be disposed of in most communities, and building 
laws are sufficient to do away with those that in any 
way endanger public safety. Look up your local laws 
on the subject and enforce them as a preliminary step 
to getting better ones. 
