The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1882-05-20
Niagara In Harness.

| i"hN'o hk'hultl anu pTuctlcHltty
have not been slow In acting upon tho
suggestions which have been thrown
out so frequently Of late by the English
sayants as TO the capabilities Of Niagara
Falls In producing electrical power
They have computed the force Of the
falls and announced the prodigious re-.
suits in Illuminating and heating, as
well rs motor. which might be accom-
plished by them II they were only util.
lied. and now comes an cnterprising
American. backed by sufficient capital,
determined 10 see II the cataract will
perform what the sayanis say Il will.
The preliminary step has been the
purchase Of the twelve acres known as
Prospect Park, adjacent to the falls.
which substantially gives the purchaser
the control Of the water power Of the
entire American Falls. estimated at
100000 horsepower, or ten times the
amount Of steam horsepower In Chica-
go and all the rest Of Cook County--a
force equal 10 that OF l2.O00.000 men.
The control Of this prodigious power
having been obtained, II Is proposed 10
erect immense buildings aud pondarous
machinery upon the brink Of the falls,
where the water can be easily reached,
"to be returned after use" After gen
Grating the electricity by this unlimited
hydraulic force, II Is 20 be conducted
through properly insulated cases TO sixty
five prominent American cities and
towns for Illuminating purposes. and Is
also TO be used for operating machinery
and ultimately for heating purposes.
Altogether there win be i0,006 miles Of
copper cables with machinery 10 GORE.
spond.
The project at the first glance Is suf-
iicent 10 take away ones breath. but Il
Is certain that any project proposing 20
handle Niagara Falls must be on the
same scale rs the cataract itself. Mag
ara Is not force TO drive petty mill
or run a small grist. Its prodigious
force must be handled In Titanic way
or else let alone. lie would be rash
man who should hasten 10 predict that
this colossal scheme, which looks 10
well on paper. isgoing 10 succeed. or that
Niagsrr is going 20 allow itself 10 be
harnessed 10 dynamo machines without
n most determined resistance. or that
numerous unforeseen obstacles viii not
turn mp that viii prove insurmountable
and convince pnny man that Nature has
some agencies like mountains. oceans,
cyclones and cataracts which she will not
allow TO be utilized for material pur-
poses. and against which she may protest
In some reckless way that will send the
whole project 10 everlasting srash. The
most that can be done now Il 20 an
nounee that an effort Is 10 be made "a
compel this vast 160 foot fall Of
water. which has been running
wild so long and bene6ting no
one. except the falls hackmen, who
have mainly retired on fortunes after
their connivance with the cataract. "a
do something for living and 10 be oI
some use In the world. II every brnwl.
Ing little mill-strcam In the country ha.
20 BE- Of some service there is no reason
why this overgrpwn and monstrou.
precipitation Of water should not also
contribute 10 the wants u men-if i
can be done. n skill. courage. enter
prise and money are Of any avail. 4
may not be long before the world will
behold Niagara no longer pIuneing ovel
its brink merely for tho profit of hack
men and the pleasure II sentimental
siRht-ssers and poets. hut working viii
rs huge power for the comfort a people
Il WAS not long ago that IN English
writer snreringly declared thats Yankes
could not look Il Niagara Falls without
calculating its capacity - > water
powev. The writer probably nsyr'
dreamei that . Yankee. not conten'
With ~ mere calculation. would scfnal
h aiiemps TO put Il In operation --ckt
cnge Tuess<