Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

REPORT.

To the Legislature of the State of New York:

Pursuant to the provision of the law, the Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara tender the following as their

TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT.

The paramount question which has received our attention during the past year, and which we desire to press most earnestly upon yours, is what shall be done to protect the Falls of Niagara ?

The Commissioners have but little power in the premises beyond that of protest. Together with the Government of Canada you have absolute control of the matter. Alone you can fully preserve the American Fall. You can also urge the Government at Washington to hasten a treaty with Great Britain to obtain a like result. But we urge upon you that the latter would be a slow and uncertain method. Prompt action is required to limit the devastation and to repair the injury as far as possible.

A brief resume of conditions and events will present this danger as it exists.

There are five great corporations and one smaller one that are now taking water from the river, above the Falls, and by different devices carrying it around or under the Cataract in the development of power. Some of them, for want of present demand for power, are drawing but little water. This condition will soon change and unless they are limited all will be drawing to the utmost of their capacity.

From the report of the American members of the International Waterways Commission, made to Congress, dated March 19, 1906, we obtain the following data:

The volume of water flowing into Niagara River from Lake Erie at the mean level of the Lake is measured at 222,400 cubic feet per second.

The Niagara Falls Power Company is permitted by its charter to generate 200,000 horsepower.

The Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company is authorized to enlarge its canal to a width of 100 feet and a depth of fourteen feet.

The Canadian Power Company is authorized to construct works which will develop 110,000 horsepower.

The Ontario Power Company is authorized to construct works which will develop 180,000 horsepower.

The Electrical Development Company is authorized to construct works which will develop 125,000 horsepower.

The Park Electric Railway is authorized to develop about 8,000 horsepower.

The first two companies are on the American side and obtain such rights as they have from the State of New York. The other four are on the Canadian side and obtain such rights as they have from the Canadian Government through the Commissioners of the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park.

The American members of the International Waterways Commission reduced the water required to complete these concessions to cubic feet per second as follows:

To the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Mfg. Co...

9,500

[blocks in formation]

It follows that if these companies follow out their present schemes they will divert twenty-seven per cent. of the mean volume of water that should go over Niagara Falls. It is idle to say that the diversion of twenty-seven per cent. of any body or stream of water will not be perceptible. And it must be remembered that it is not alone the number of feet fall, but the mighty volume and rush of water that makes the grandeur of the cataract so inspiring, and twenty-seven per cent. will not measure the loss in its sublimity when it has been so robbed of its most impressive feature.

But these six corporations are not the only menace to the Falls. Several others have been chartered by the Legislature of this State, and, although four such charters were repealed last Winter, several remain on the statute book, and claim the right to draw water from the river above the Falls. They are the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company, chapter 722, Laws of 1894; Niagara Power and Development Company, chapter 707, Laws of 1893; and Niagara County Irrigation Company, chapter 259 of the Laws of 1891.

This threatening danger has attracted world-wide attention, and has provoked a loud voice of protest from all parts of the United States and Canada. President Roosevelt was led to take up the matter with the Secretary of State and the Attorney-General, with reference to what might be done by treaty with Great Britain, and by legislation by Congress. The Burton Bill (so called) was passed by Congress and approved June 29, 1906. Substantially it forbids the diversion of water from Niagara River for power purposes except by the revocable permission of Congress or the Secretary of War, for a period of three years, and requests the President to open negotiations with Great Britain for a treaty covering the matter and limits the diversion on the American side to 15,600 cubic feet per second, with a proviso, however, that further diversion may be thereafter permitted but not to such extent that, taken with the diversion on the Canadian side, it will injure the scenic grandeur of Niagara Falls. It also provides for the transmission of electrical energy from the Canadian to the American side, not to exceed 350,000 horsepower.

Prior to the passage of this act, a hearing was had before the House Committee on Rivers and Harbors on April 12, 1906, and this Commission appeared through its President, Mr. Dow, and urged upon the Committee the necessity and importance of putting restraint upon such diversion. At the divers hearings before the Secretary of War relative to the matter, this Commission has opposed the diversion of water from the river. Revocable permits have, however, been given by the Secretary of War, and further applications are pending.

But this act of Congress is designed only to be temporary and by its terms is limited to an existence for three years. It affords no lasting security.

The Legislature of the State of New York, with the Canadian Government, as we have said, have power to preserve Niagara. They are primarily responsible for this duty. They own and have the right, each on its side, to control the waters of the river and the bed of the stream, subject only to the public rights for navigation purposes and commercial rights connected therewith. The Legislature of this State also has absolute power over the corporations it has created, reserved by the Constitution.

We do not invoke the use of this power arbitrarily, however improvidently charters were granted, but we do urge that the rights under the charters given to corporations which have actually developed power be restrained so far as justice will permit and that the charters of those companies before named, which have not developed power, be at once repealed, excepting in the case of the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company which is engaged in transmitting electricity, and that its right to divert water from the river be withdrawn.

We desire, further, to suggest that a conference between the State of New York and the Canadian Government might lead to concert of action in the matter.

A treaty between the United States and Great Britain could deal with the question only so far as the river is a navigable stream and an international boundary.

The power of the State of New York on the one side, and of the Canadian Government on the other, is more direct and efficient.

THE INCLINED RAILWAY.

More than a year since, the structure which houses the railway to the lower level at Prospect Park was condemned as unsafe by the State Engineer and Surveyor's deputy. He decided that, with some repairs by way of temporary support, it might be used for another year only, and such repairs were made.

The Superintendent found it necessary to close it during February and part of January last Winter, and will be compelled to close it during the approaching Winter. The Commissioners obtained estimates last year from divers contractors as to the cost of reconstruction and were advised that it could be rebuilt for $25,000. They thereupon asked the Legislature for the appro

« ZurückWeiter »