Senate Resolution No. 615

BY: Senator ORTT

COMMEMORATING the 125th Anniversary of the City of
Niagara Falls to be celebrated on March 17, 2017

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate the proud and distinguished histories of the towns and
villages which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the City of Niagara Falls to be
celebrated on Friday, March 17, 2017; and

WHEREAS, The City of Niagara Falls was incorporated on March 17,
1892, from the villages of Manchester and Suspension Bridge, which were
parts of the Town of Niagara; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Vincent Welch, a member of the charter committee and
a New York state assemblyman, persuaded Governor Roswell P. Flower to
sign the bill on St. Patrick's Day; George W. Wright was elected the
first mayor of Niagara Falls; and

WHEREAS, Built along the Niagara Falls and the Niagara Gorge, the
City of Niagara Falls is located at the international boundary between
the United States of America and Canada; and

WHEREAS, By the end of the 19th century, the city was a heavy
industrial area, due in part to the power potential offered by the
Niagara River; tourism was considered a secondary niche, while
manufacturing of petrochemicals, abrasives, metallurgical products and
other materials was the main producer of jobs and attracted a large
number of workers, many of whom were immigrants; and

WHEREAS, Industry and tourism grew steadily throughout the first
half of the 20th century due to a high demand for industrial products
and the increased mobility of people to travel; paper, rubber, plastics,
petrochemicals, carbon insulators and abrasives were among the city's
major industries; and

WHEREAS, In 1956, the Schoellkopf Power Plant on the lower river
just downstream of the American Falls was critically damaged due to a
massive collapse of the Niagara Gorge wall above it; this prompted the
planning and construction of one of the largest hydroelectric plants to
be built in North America at that time, causing a large influx of
workers and families to move to the area; and

WHEREAS, Today, under the able leadership of Mayor Paul A. Dyster,
Niagara Falls' main industry is tourism; the city and falls are visited
by nearly ten million people each year, with the waterfall considered
one of the United States' top ten tourist destinations; and

WHEREAS, The City is home to the Niagara Falls State Park which has
several attractions, including Cave of the Winds behind the Bridal Veil
Falls, Maid of the Mist, a popular boat tour which operates at the foot

of the Rainbow Bridge, Prospect Point and its observation tower, Niagara
Discovery Center, and the Aquarium of Niagara; and

WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the City of Niagara Falls
continues to provide the quintessential quality of life for its
residents; and

WHEREAS, The residents of the City of Niagara Falls have a bright
outlook for the future of their community, which remains a beautiful
place in which to live and raise a family; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of the City of Niagara Falls' rich history
and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative
Body is proud to pay tribute to this spirited town upon the occasion of
its 125th Anniversary; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the City of Niagara Falls to be
celebrated on March 17, 2017; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed be
transmitted to Paul A. Dyster.