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Show Geologists Fear End of Falls of Niagara Geologists say that the recent fall of rock at Niagara falls was only an Incident In nature's program for the complete destruction of the falls, unless un-less something Is done to preserve them. About S0.000 tons of rock fell on January 17, 1931, and such falls have been observed by geologists since 1S-112. The water from Lake Erie that tumbles over Niagara is singularly free from grit and gravel, so there is nothing to wear away tli? bed of the stream. When the force with which the water falls undermines under-mines the softer rock under the hartJ dolomite the substructure gives way and the rock under the water crashes. Erosion has been wearing the falls back atar. average of a little more than three feet a year. If that rate continues the 1G miles of falls and rapids between the present lip of the cataract and the lake will wear away by the year 2"05:! and there will be nothing but a swiftly moving river. Engineers suggest a system of submerged dellecting weirs by which there would be an Increase In tho thin volume of water on the American Ameri-can side and a greater fall that would cover some of the exposed surface on the Canadian side. |