The Osceola times., 1878-07-13
A STUPENDOUS UNDERTAKING,

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Ha'ne''ins Nias:r. ..... r:.I. for Mechanical
Some months ago the Commercial de-
scribed series of experiments made in
this city with view oil demonstrating
the practicability Of using the immense
wahr-pOwer at Niagara Falls for tran
shifting power to this city through the
agency of compressed air.
As stated at the time, the expert
ments were sufficiently successful 10 con-
vince several Of our enterprising citizens
that the scheme was entirely feasible. A
company has been formed, of which
Senator Pierce is president, considerable
capital has been paid in, and practical
operation have been begun.
The principal part Of the machinery
will be located near the waters edge,
below the Falls, in the vicinity of that
delightful spot called the Bridal Veil.
The remainder will be on the bank i'm
mediately above. The great air recep-
tscles, three of which will be seventy feet
long by six feet in diameter, will be 10.
Gated below the bank, near the water,
while the receiving reservoirs will be
on the bank. The cylinders will be
constructed Of boiler-iron in the most
substantial manner. The perpendicular
fall from the feeding basin above to the
air receptacles below is 2i4 feet. The
engineers figures show 10000 pounds
OF iron will be required, and it is esti-
mated that power enough will be gen.
Grated to raise about $50, 900 gallons of
water $50 feet every minute. These re-
suits have been obtained by careful
scientific tests, 80 that there Is little
doubt but that they are nearly correct
Gentlemen prominently connected
with this enterprise own Days canal,
which, it will be remembered, was con.
structed several years ago by Mr.. Day
for water power purposes, at an expense
OF nearly million dollars This canal
will play an important part 10 csnnec-
tion with the new project. 1t is 32 feet
wide by IL deep, and leads from a point
just above the rapids a mile across to
the bank below. At Its lower terminus
is large basin 20 feet wide and 800 feet
long and II feet in depth. From the
basin a flume 800 feet long is being dug
to the edge of the precipice. At the
mouth of the fume will be mas.
sive iron gate with an eight-feet
opening, which Pratt & Co. are to fur
nish. Tie water from the hume will
pass into the reservoir, which will be
connected with the air receptacles be-
low by means of large pipes siphon-
shaped. Attached to the cylinders will
be a requisite number of large automatic
valves to let the water run out of the
cylinders after the compressed air has
been allowed to escape.
The practical working of the machinery
will be briefly as follows: After the
water in the reservoir on the top of the
bank is high enough to reach the bend
of the sipbon il will escape down the
pipe to the air cylinders below. The
pressure thus obtained very soon closes
the automatic valves. There being no
escape sor the water which continues TO
pour into the cylinder leach has its own
teeder) the air which it contains is com.
pressed by the volume of water from
above, until it has as much expansive
power when released as steam, The
capacity of the reservoir and of the
cylinders is 10 arranged that the reser~
voir will he exhausted BY the time
the desired compression has been
obtained. While the reservoir is
again filling with water, that in
in the cylinder is escaping; no that when
the bend in the siphon is reached the
contents of the cylinder are exhausted,
and it is ready for another charge. Thus
the operation is repeated at regular in.
tervals in each cylinder, and, there being
several OF them, q continuous charge Of
highly compressed air is secured. -..t.
There seems to be no doubt bnt that
the air thus compressed can be conveyed
by pipes reasonable distance, and made
TO do valuable service at nominal ex
pense. In France it is conveyed 81
miles The loss by friction in transmit
ting it from the falls to Buffalo is placed
at fifty-hsrse power on every thousand
which is scarcely worthy of mention
The projectors of this great enterpris,
are confident that they will be able Il
do the pumping for city water-works a
figures which will make the present cos
OF the department appear enormous
They are also confident that they car
mske compressed air take the place o
steam in manufacturing, thus doinJ
away with the necessity ior fire or fuel
They are aiming to do wonders, and
what is more, the chances seem to b
strongly in favor of their success.
Buffalo Commercial.
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