Yours of yesterday recvd.

With regard to buildings the usual course is to take them under condemnation and afterwards sell at auction with the condition that they shall be removed before a date fixed. We should take care that what can be got in this way is available for improvemnts — as a discretionary fund to be used to eke out anything else that is short in construction, maintenance, or incidental expense accounts. I inquired about the Tugby building & was told that it was a balloon frame & could not be moved, but I think it can, by inserting a sill & strengthening the frame work. You might get Eaton’s opinion.

I have slept out a clear conviction upon a point as to which I must at times have appeared temporarily muddled. It is important to us to get as much as we can of the back part of Prospect Park and to form a distinct, capacious, well arranged ante-room to the American reserved ground. It is not desirable that this should be held as a picnic ground or a park or common by the village or by private owners. It will play a most important part in the scheme of managmnt and the larger the area that can be secured for it the better.

I wish now, before defining the boundary lines, that I could have a close topographical map of the American shore as far back as we can think of taking land & go at once to work upon a plan of laying it out — not an official work but precautionary — with a view to determining safely just what will prove to be important and the relative importance of every foot.

I am making up my mind that the military project must be fought at the outset & very warily, & that we must stand or fall upon cardinal principles which will exclude the idea & every other idea but that of the simplest enjoyment of natural scenery. People must not come to the reservation for any other purpose & must be even required to submit to some inconvenience and restraint (such as is not required in public “parks") for the sake of opportunity [423] for contemplativeness. It is a big problem. I feel as I get nearer to it and the liklihood of its becoming real increases that if not the most difficult problem in landscape architecture to do justice to, it is the most serious — the furthest above shop work, that — the world has yet had. All practicable room to work in should be secured.

Although we must look to separate administrations; the International idea must be kept prominent. We can resist the militia best by making it so and pointing to the impropriety of showing our arms, under the circumstances. I suppose that we can arrange that an admission on either side passes the admittee free on the other.

I want briefly to report progress to you about Niagara. We have had a meeting at the Falls of four of the N. York Commissioners and the Premier & Members of the Council of Ontario. The general outlines of a scheme which I presented was fully approved by all. The Ontario party was unwilling to make it a govermnt measure, fearing that it would be resented as an extravagance by the farmers & might force them out of office. They rather thought they would try to have it made a Dominion matter feeling sure of the favor of the Governor General but fearing strong opposition from the lower provinces, who would claim that it was no affair of theirs. There was more confidence & more boldness on our side — perhaps because no one had anything to lose by it if confidence was misplaced. On both sides it was felt to be a question how far the pride of the people could be touched. Geddes, a good representative of the better farming class, said, “New York farmers will not want to appear before the world as mean in a matter of this kind” and Mowatt, the Ontario chief, said: “If your people move strongly ours will be ashamed to hold back.” They all thought that the publication of our memorial with weighty names would have much effect.

Someone in the Provinces has gone abroad, promising to get many English signatures and I am afraid that it has been circulated as a popular thing in Canada. To a certain extent it has got out of my hands.

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What I now propose is to get as many signatures of the really notable men of the time of all countries as I well can — and publish the Memorial, say in December, with the names and (generally) the leading distinctions of those attached. To bind the originals and give them as valuable autographs to the Governor, but to recall one of the volumes and if the measure is successful, let it be kept at the Managing Office at Niagara as a matter of historical interest. (Not simply because of its historical interest, but because it would help to keep alive and enforce the idea ever after that the proper protection of the Falls was a matter of dignity & world-wide interest.)

As a wider range must be given the memorial than I had at first designed, would you be disposed to solicit a few more signatures? It is for you to judge whose — Any men whose names are to live or which ought to live. There is Darwin, at any rate, who should not be omitted, & I should like you to consider the artists, as well as the Scientific men of the time.

You will see that I have two thoughts about it now. One to touch the pride of our people at the moment — The other to give a weight to the undertaking for the future. And as the range of selection is to be enlarged there are more men whom I would not like to have omitted and I can’t trust to the judgment in selection of the unknown canvassers. I mean to retain the power, within certain limits of dropping off — or at least of determining prominence in the publication, if not the final disposition of the signatures.

Would you think it intrusive too much to ask Carlyle for his original signature, in this new view of the matter?

I hope to be in Cambridge for a day or two in about a fortnight.