To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York:

The Commissioners of the State Reservation at Niagara have the honor to submit herewith their annual report for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1912, as required by law.

PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF THE YEAR.

The principal events in the record of the history of the State Reservation at Niagara for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1912, were the resignation of the Superintendent William E. Harries and the appointment of Harry K. Eckert to succeed him as Superintendent, and the appointment of Leonard G. Dallas to the office of Police Superintendent; the formation of the ice bridge across the Niagara river which attracted thousands of sightseers, and which lasted for several weeks; the deplorable accident which followed the sudden and unexpected breaking up of the ice bridge and which resulted in the death of three persons; the passing of a bill by the State Legislature (afterwards vetoed by the Governor) for an appropriation to be used for illuminating the Falls at night; the extension of the provisions of the Burton Act to March 4, 1913; the message of the President of the United States presented to Congress in December, 1911, transmitting the report of the committee of engineers acting under the direction of the War Department as to the diversions of water and as to the wearing away of the rock foundation under the Horseshoe Fall, and the report of the Niagara Falls Commmittee of Architects and others regarding the scenic aspect of the Falls and the shores of the Niagara river; the going into effect of the treaty between Great Britain and Canada which provides for a restriction of the use of the Falls for power purposes; the plans made and in operation for the dredging and improving of Loop Pond.

THE RESIGNATION OF WILLIAM E. HARRIES.

On April 6, 1912, William E. Harries, who was appointed in 1910 to succeed Edward H. Perry as superintendent and secre

tary, presented to the Commissioners his resignation from these offices. His resignation was accepted with resolutions of regret

and of appreciation of the service he had rendered.

APPOINTMENT OF NEW SUPERINTENDENT AND POLICE

SUPERINTENDENT.

Harry K. Eckert, then Police Superintendent, was appointed to the position of acting superintendent on April, 1912, immediately upon the resignation of Superintendent Harries. After passing successfully the required competitive examination of the State Civil Service Commission Mr. Eckert was appointed at the August, 1912, meeting of the Commissioners to the position of Superintendent and was also elected Secretary.

Leonard G. Dallas of St. Regis Falls, New York, was appointed Police Superintendent to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of Harry K. Eckert as Superintendent.

THE ICE BRIDGE TRAGEDY.

The winter of 1911-12 was one of the most severe in the history of the Reservation at Niagara. The mountain of ice that was formed reached a height of one hundred feet or more, and many old residents claimed that it was larger than it had ever been before.

Early in January a heavy gale broke up the ice in Lake Erie and many tons were swept down the river and over the Falls, forming one of the most remarkable ice bridges ever known, extending across the gorge from the American to the Canadian sides. The spectacle of the Cataract and of the shores of the river in their winter dress brought many thousands of visitors to the Falls and many venturesome persons walked out on the ice bridge. It was estimated that nearly four thousand persons visited the Reservation on one Sunday in January in order to enjoy the wonderful scenic beauty of Niagara in winter, one of its chief assets.

Without warning at noon on February 4th this remarkable ice bridge which winter had thrown across the gorge from shore to shore broke and floated down the river carrying with it a man and woman, and a boy. They were afterwards identified as Mr.