care, and provides that the Common Council "shall" annually raise the sum of $500 a year by taxation for the care and improvement of the property in addition to the moneys appropriated by the State. Chapter 227 of the Laws of 1893, known as the "Public Building Law," provided that the title should remain in the State, but that the property should be managed by a board of ten trustees appointed by the Governor and divided into classes as before.

The present Commissioners are the Hon. Howard Thorntou, Vice-President; Mr. William Cook Belknap, Secretary; Mr. W. F. Cassidy, Dr. John Deyo, Hon. James C. Graham, Gen. Henry C. Hasbrouck, Mr. David A. Morrison, Hon. Chas. D. Robinson, Mr. S. V. Schoonmaker, and Mr. A. Y. Weller. The Superintendent is Mr. S. J. Gregory.

The first floor of the building is devoted to a museum of historical relics, some of which have been purchased, some given and some loaned. The attic is unoccupied. The grounds and building are free to visitors, of whom 31,000 registered their names during the past year. It is estimated that as many more persons visited the Headquarters and failed to sign their names in the visitors' book. Probably 60,000 visitors would be a conservative estimate for the past year.

From 1850 to 1907, both inclusive, the State has appropriated for the purchase, improvement, maintenance and care of the property, the total sum of $120,659.97.

Niagara Falls State Reservation.

As the purchase of Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh was the beginning of historic preservation by the State, so the creation of the State Reservation at Niagara Falls in 1883-1885 was the beginning of scenic preservation by the State. The purchase of this property under the power of eminent domain, solely

for the purpose of restoring, preserving and giving free public access to it on account of its remarkable natural beauty, was at that time exceptional, and, so far as our information goes, unique in the history of the individual States of the Union. The first exercise of governmental authority in the United States to protect and preserve phenomenal natural scenery was the establishment of the Yellowstone National Park by the Federal government in 1872 " as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." But while the establishment of that Park was a significant event in the evolution of the principle of preserving sublime scenery for public enjoyment, it was not created by purchase, but by withdrawal from settlement, occupancy or sale. The property was remote from civilization, it was wild and unimproved; and its acquisition did not involve the expenditure of public moneys.

The creation of the Niagara Reservation, on the other hand, involved the purchase of improved property, in the midst of a settled country, at an outlay of a million and a half of dollars; and it may be said in those respects to have established a new principle in this country and to have been the inauguration of the policy of scenic preservation by the individual States.

The State Reservation at Niagara Falls consists of 112 acres of land and 300 acres of land under water a total of 412 acres. It lies along the right bank of the Niagara river from Port Day above the American Rapids to the International bridge just below the Falls, and extends to the International Boundary in midstream. It includes the American Fall, Goat Island, half of the Horseshoe (or Canadian) Fall and several small islands.

This reservation was created by chapter 336 of the Laws of 1883, entitled "An act to authorize the selection, location and appropriation of certain lands in the village of Niagara Falls for a State Reservation and to preserve the scenery thereof." Nearly

two years were consumed in the selection of the lands to be taken and the condemnation proceedings. The Supreme Court confirmed the awards of the Commissioners of Appraisement October 27, 1884, and in 1885, the Commissioners of the Reservation submitted the award to the Legislature. The Legislature responded with chapter 182 of the Laws of 1885, appropriating $1,433,429.50 for the purchase of the property. This sum, with two previous appropriations for the preliminary work of location, etc., amounting to $29,500, made the total cost of acquisition $1,462,929.50. The total cost of the Reservation up to the close of the fiscal year ending September 30, 1907, has been as follows:

The Reservation is in charge of five commissioners appointed by the Governor for concurrent terms of five years each. There is at present one vacancy in the Commission.* The other four Commissioners are the Hon. Charles M. Dow, of Jamestown, Hon. Thomas P. Kingsford, of Oswego, Hon. Alexander J. Porter, of Niagara Falls, and Hon. George Raines, of Rochester.†

* This vacancy was subsequently filled by the appointment of Hon. Eugene Carey of Niagara Falls.

One of the original Commissioners, appointed in 1883, was the Hon. Andrew H. Green, the founder and during the remainder of his life the President of this Society. He was a Commissioner of the State Reservation at Niagara from May 2, 1883, until his death November 13, 1903, and was President of the Commission from May 26, 1888, until his death. It was during his service on that Commission that he became so impressed with the value of scenic and historic preservation generally that he founded this Society in 1895 to extend the movement. Of the present trustees of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, the following have been or still are Com

Before the Reservation was established, the number of visitors was roughly estimated to be about 250,000 a year. Five years after it was opened the number had doubled and was estimated at 500,000 per annum. At the present time, the number under ordinary conditions is estimated at over 1,000,000 a year. In 1901, which was an exceptional year on account of the PanAmerican Exposition at Buffalo, the number is estimated to have reached the enormous aggregate of 3,000,000.

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The great number of visitors at Niagara suggests a few observations in reply to the question which is sometimes asked concerning the preservation of beautiful scenery and places of historic interest does it pay?" It is as impossible to appraise the cash value of noble scenery like that of Niagara Falls or the Hudson river as it is to weigh the perfume of a rose; but for the sake of those whose business faculties are so predominant that they can estimate values only in terms of dollars, it is worth while to make a rough calculation in regard to Niagara, for the argument applies with proportionate force to other reservations.

The total number of visitors to Niagara since 1885 may safely be estimated as follows:

1885-1889, five years, 250,000 each.

...

1,250,000

missioners of the State Reservation at Niagara: Hon. J. Hampden Robb, from May 2, 1883, to November 10, 1887; Hon. Robert L. Fryer, from March 22, 1893, to March 25, 1898; Hon. Charles M. Dow, from March 25, 1898, to the present time (since 1903 President of the Commission); and Hon. Thomas P. Kingsford, March 25, 1898, to the present time. Mr. Henry E. Gregory was Secretary and Treasurer of the Commission from January 30, 1888, to January 31, 1899. Col. Henry W. Sackett was Secretary of the pioneer Niagara Falls Association which labored successfully for the creation of the Reservation.

To the glories of Niagara, have been admitted free 15,000,000 visitors who formerly paid at a moderate estimate twenty-five cents admission to Prospect Park, fifty cents admission to the islands and twenty-five cents for the use of the stairway at the inclined railway-a total of $1 each. Thus $15,000,000 has been saved to the public, or enough to pay the cost of the Reservation seven times over. In addition to this, the money brought into this State and left here by tourists drawn hither from other States and countries is very large, and merchants, hotels, railroad companies, and many other interests derive a large revenue from the patronage attracted by the Falls. A single railroad company for example (the New York Central) received $170,000 in fares during three summer months of 1902 on account of its Niagara business alone. There can be no doubt that, entirely irrespective of its educational and æsthetic aspects, the Reservation has been a profitable investment for the State, and has afforded a practical demonstration in America of the principle long acknowledged in Europe, that the preservation of the beautiful and the historical "pays ".

*

The Senate House, Kingston.

The Senate House in Kingston was purchased by the Trustees of Public Buildings in pursuance of chapter 134 of the Laws of 1887, which made an appropriation of $12,000 for purchase and improvement. When chapter 227 of the Laws of 1893, known as the "Public Building Law," was enacted, it continued the custody with the Trustees of Public Buildings. From 1887 to 1907, inclusive, the State has appropriated $38,040 for purchase, maintenance and repairs.

No city in the State contains as many very old buildings as *We are informed by the General Passenger Agent that the business last year was greater than in 1902, but owing to the pressure on their accounting department statistics on this subject have not been compiled recently.