Lighting recommendations for the Ryan Electric Scintillator and Fireworks Program for the official dedication Niagara Falls illumination, 1925

Walter D’Arcy Ryan was born in 1870 in Kentville, Nova Scotia. He became the chief of the department of illumination at the General Electric Company of Schenectady, New York. He was a founder in the field of electrical illumination. He built the electric steam scintillator which had numerous nozzles and valves. The operator would release steam through the valves. The nozzles all had names which included: Niagara, fan, snake, plume, column, pinwheel and sunburst. The steam scintillator was combined with projectors, prismatic reflectors, flashers and filters to produce the desired effects. In 1920 a group of businessmen from Niagara Falls, New York formed a group who called themselves the “generators’. They lobbied the American and Canadian governments to improve the illumination of the Falls. They were able to raise $58, 000 for the purchase and installation of 24 arc lights to illuminate the Falls. On February 24th, 1925 the Niagara Falls Illumination Board was formed. Initially, the board had a budget of $28,000 for management, operation and maintenance of the lights. The power was supplied free by the Ontario Power Company. They had 24 lights installed in a row on the Ontario Power Company surge tank which was next to the Refectory in Victoria Park on the Canadian side. The official opening ceremony took place on June 8th, 1925 and included a light parade in Niagara Falls, New York and an international ceremony held in the middle of the Upper Steel Arch Bridge. Walter D’Arcy Ryan was the illuminating engineer and A.D. Dickerson who was his New York field assistant directed the scintillator. with information from American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye and the Niagara Falls info website Location: Brock University Archives Source Information: Subject Headings: Added Entries: 100 Ryan, W. D’A. |q (Walter D’Arcy), |d 1870-1934 610 General Electric Company 650 Lighting, Architectural and decorative 650 Lighting |z New York (State) |z Niagara Falls 700 Dickerson, A.F. 700 Schaffer, J.W. Related material held at other repositories: The Niagara Falls Museum in Niagara Falls, Ontario has a program (pamphlet) dedicating new lighting in 1958 and it has postcards depicting the illumination of the Falls. Some of Ryan’s accomplishments can be seen at The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. Described by: Anne Adams Date: Sept 26,Upper Steel Arch Bridge. Walter D’Arcy Ryan was the illuminating engineer and A.D. Dickerson who was his New York field assistant directed the scintillator. with information from American Technological Sublime by David E. Nye and the Niagara Falls info website

Letter - E.C. Schmon to Arthur A. Schmon, 29 July 1915

The letter describes Eleanore's time at home as she spends her days golfing, boating, playing tennis etc. She writes this letter in a barn for privacy from her two sisters. She is writing from Framingham Massachusetts.

Letter - E.C. Schmon to Arthur A. Schmon, 8 June 1915

The letter mentions that Eleanore Celeste will see Arthur in about a weeks time. She is looking forward to seeing him and signs the letter "Celeste".

Dr. Arthur Kahn

Dr. Arthur Kahn with Mrs. John W. Reed, a member of the Niagara Peninsula Archaeological Society, and artifacts from the Chesnola Collection.

Letter - E.C. Schmon to Arthur A. Schmon, 27 March 1920

The letter describes some difficulty Arthur has had with a man named Walter. She also describes her activities for the day. Eleanore Celeste mentions all of the things she is packing to bring to Shelter Bay when she leaves to be with Arthur. Accompanying this letter is a letter to "Aunt Lessie". It appears to be signed "Love from all and more than ever from Pal". This letter discusses his writing and soon sending it to a magazine and boxing gloves he has just purchased.

Letter - E.C. Schmon to Arthur A. Schmon, 16 January 1918

The letter begins with some confusion as to whether Arthur is returning to the United States. Eleanore Celeste then mentions a benefit concert she was taken to by Mr. and Mrs. Mezger. She mentions she enjoyed the voice of Florence Mulford Hunt. There was also an address by Professor Talcott Williams of Columbia University. Included is an brief death notice from the paper that reads "Fenton, Colonel, Charles W. commandant at Fort Myer, and head of the two camps which turned out national army officers, died today of meningitis". The second part of the letter mentions "dearest, it is a perfect shame that none of you are to be promoted" and "I never heard of anything as unfair, as making D.J. Harris and Jackie Barrett 1st Lieutenants". She then writes out the sonnet "What is Love?" The letter is labelled number 43.

Arthur A. Schmon fonds

Arthur Albert Schmon was born in 1895 in Newark, New Jersey. During his studies at Barringer High School in Newark, he met Eleanore Celeste Reynolds who was to become his wife in August of 1919. Mr. Schmon studied English literature at Princeton and graduated with honours in 1917. That same year, Mr. Schmon joined the United States Army where he served under Colonel McCormick as an adjutant in field artillery in World War I. In 1919, he was discharged as a captain. Colonel McCormick (editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune) offered Schmon a job in his Shelter Bay pulpwood operations. Mr. Schmon accepted the challenge of working at this lonely outpost on the lower St. Lawrence River. Schmon was promoted to Woodlands Manager in 1923. In 1930, he became the General Manager. This was expected to be a seasonal operation but the construction of the mill led to the building of a town (Baie Comeau) and its power development. All of this was accomplished under Schmon’s leadership. In 1933, he was elected the President and General Manager of the Ontario Paper Company. He later became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Arthur Schmon made his home in St. Catharines where he played an active role in the community. Schmon was a member of the Founders’ Committee at Brock University and he was a primary force behind the establishment of a University in the Niagara Region. The Brock University Tower is named after him. He also served as Chairman of the St. Catharines Hospital Board of Governors for over 15 years, and was responsible for guiding the hospital through a 3 million dollar expansion program. He was a Governor of Ridley College and an Honorary Governor of McMaster University in Hamilton. Mr. Schmon died of lung cancer on March 18, 1964. He had been named as the St. Catharines’ citizen of the year just one week earlier. Mr. Schmon had 2 sons Robert McCormick Schmon, who was chairman of the Ontario Paper Co. Ltd., St. Catharines, Canada, and the Q.N.S. Paper Co., Baie-Comeau, Canada. He was also director of a Chicago Tribune Co. He died at the age of 61. Another son, Richard R. Schmon, was a second lieutenant in the 313th Field Artillery Battalion, 80th Infantry Division in World War II. He was listed as missing in action on November 5, 1944.

Dr. Arthur A. Schmon

Chairman of the Founders Committee.

Arthur A. Schmon Memorial Trophy

This trophy was awarded to the winners of the 'Great Debate' on whether or not university tuition should be free that took place on October 27, 1965 at Brock's Glenridge Campus Auditorium. The affirmative team comprising of Lawrence Winters, Sean Finley, and Gordon Williams were presented with the Arthur A. Schmon Memorial Trophy after successfully arguing that tuition should be free. The trophy was presented by Board of Governor's secretary-treasurer Edward Mitchelson.

Dr. Arthur Houston

Professor of Biological Sciences.

Dr. Arthur Houston

Professor Houston in the lab.

Dr. Arthur Kahn

Professor of Classics.

Dr. Allan Arthur

Professor of History

Cabinet Card by C. Arthur, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

An unidentified young woman is featured in this black and white cabinet card by photographer C. Arthur, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The address of Mr. Arthur's studio is printed along the bottom of the photograph. This photograph was among the family memorabilia owned by Iris Sloman Bell of St. Catharines. The Sloman - Bell families include relatives who were former African American slaves who settled in Canada.Charles A. Arthur is listed as a photographer in St. Catharines from 1880 - 1883 and Charles P. Arthur (possibly a son?) was a photographer in the same city in 1898. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Photograph of Unidentified Woman by C. Arthur, Photographer, St. Catharines [n.d.]

An unidentified young woman is featured in this undated black and white studio photograph by C. Arthur, Photographer, of St. Catharines, Ontario. This small cabinet card photograph was in the possession of the Iris Sloman Bell family of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell families include former African American slaves who settled in Canada.Two photographers by the name of Arthur are listed as working in St. Catharines, Ontario in the second half of the 19th century. Charles A. Arthur was a photographer from 1880 - 1883, while Charles P. Arthur (possibly a son?) is listed as a photographer in 1898. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.