House and Garden 
bird’s-eye view of the proposed scheme 
The river is now cut off from the city by the 
railroads and the canal with its tow paths 
and shanties, and the lake is separated from 
the city by Buffalo River and the railroads, 
so that no portion of the water front is acces¬ 
sible to-day without crossing the tracks at 
grade, and except for the so-called Front 
at Fort Porter no view is obtained of the 
river and lake. We have, moreover, no 
facilities or highways for firemen, police, 
traffic and people in this congested section. 
Such a water front, aside from its value from 
a commercial point of view, should be, at 
least in part, an important factor in the 
beautifying of a city; and in providing 
pleasurable recreation for its citizens. 
With this plan carried out, anyone coming 
by water or rail must get an impression of 
the importance of the city by taking in at a 
glance the situation, for from the Plaza, the 
viaducts across the tracks, and pergolas 
on each side of the Station, would be obtained 
a view of the lake, river and Canada; the 
parks in front of the Station; public buildings 
around the parks; and Niagara Square with 
Carrere’s monument to McKinley at the 
apex of the triangle. 
We had and lost an opportunity of redeem¬ 
ing our water front at the time of the Pan- 
American. Now, we have another chance. 
Should the city avail itself of this chance, 
it would render Buffalo, through its added 
beauty, dignity and power, in very truth the 
“Queen City of the Lakes.’’ 
169 
