, 1878-07-20
Il HUGE UNDERTAKING.
H.ruessing Niagara Falls for Mechanical
PURPOSES.

Harvesting Niagara Falls Tor Aerhnnieai
Purposes.
Some months ago the Commercial de-
scribed series of experiments made IN
this city with the view Of demonstrating
the practicability of using the immense
water-power at Niagara Falls for trans
mitting power to this city through the
agency Of compressed air.
As stated at the time, the experiments
were sufficiently successful to convince
several Of our enterprising citizens that
the scheme was entirely feasible. A COM
pany has since been formed, OF which
Senator Pierce Is president, considerable
capital has been paid III, and practical
operations have been begun.
The principal part OF the machinery
will be located near the waters edge, be-
low the Falls, in the vicinity Of that de-
lghtful spot called the Bridalvel. The
remainder will be on the bank immediate
" above. The great air receptacles, three
of which will be seventy feet long by SIX
feet in diameter, will be located below the
bank, near the water, while the receiving
reservoirs will be on the bank. The cyl
inders will be constructed of boller-Hon
I'm the most substantial manner. The
perpendicular fall from the feeding basin
above to the air reCeptacles below IS ia
feet. The engineer sfgures show 2OO, 600
pounds of iron will be required, and it is
estimated that power enough will be gen
Grated to raise about $50, 600 gallons OF
water l50 feet every minute. These re-
suits have been obtained by careful scien-
tifc tests, so 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 constructed sey-
eraI years ago by MIR. Day for water power
purposes, at an expense Of nearly "a mil
hon dollars. This canal will play al inl-
portant part in connection with the new
project 1t is SO feet wide by IL deep,
and leads from a point just above the
rapids mile across to the bank below.
At its lower terminus is a large basin 20
feet wide and SEQ feet long and III feet i'll
depth. From the basin a fiume 800 feet
long is being dug to the ed sc of the pre-
cipice. At the mouth Of the fume will
be massive iron gate with an eight feet
opening, which Pratt Il Co. are to furnish.
The water from the flume will pass into
the reservoir, which will be connected
with the air rtceptacles below by means
Of :large pipes siphon-shaped Attached
to the cylinders will be the requisite num-
ber 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 us follows: After the Wa
ter i'll the reservoir on the top of the
bank is high enough to reach the bend Of
the siphon it will escape down the pipe to
the cylinders below. The pressure thus
obtained very soon closes the automatic
valves. There being 10 escape for the
water which continues to poEr into the
cylinder leach has its own FEEDER the air
which it contains is compressed 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 So arranged that
the reservoir Will be exhausted by the
time the desired compression has been OBJ
tanned While the reservoir is again fill
ing with water, that i'll the cylinder is
escaping SO that when the bend in the
siphon is reached the contents of the cyl
inder are exhausted, and it is ready for
another charge Thus the operation is
repeated at regular intervals in each cyl
inder, and, there being several OF them,
continuous charge of highly compressed |
air is secured
There seems to be TO doubt bat that !
the air thus compressed can be conveyed /!
by pipes reasonable distance and made |
to do valuable service a. nominal expense. !
In France 1t is conveyed fifty miles. The !
loss by friction in transmitting it from |
the Falls to Buffalo is placed at fifty horse |
power on every thousand, which is scarce
ly worthy Of mention The projectors Of
this great enterprise are confident that I
they Will be able to do the pumping for
the city water works at figures which will
make the present cost of the department |
appear enorHous. They are also conf
dent that they can make compressed air
take the place Of steam in manufacturing,
thus doing away with the necessity for
fire or fuel. They are aiming to do Won
ders, and, what is more, the chances seem
to be strongly in favor of their success.
BuIIdlo Commercial.