The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-06-14
TO HARNESS UP NIAGARA.
The Gigantic Scheme Soon to Be Put I'm
Effect at a Cost of Three Million
Dollars.

If the plans of the Niagara River
Hydraulic Tunnel, Power. and Sewer
company are carried out as arranged
at the present time says the New York
Times, the mighty power of the Falls
of Niagara will be utilized for the gem
eral benefit of mankind and for the
financial enrichment of the stockhold-
ers in the enterprise. The company
was incorporated by an act of the leg
islature in March, 1856, and since that
time the efforts of the projectors have
been directed toward securing the
capital necessary to enable them to
execute their designs. 1t is now claimed
that enough money has been secured
and that the work of construction will
begin in July. The prospectus issued
by the company yesterday states that
the company was organized for the
purpose of utilizing the power of the
Niagara river by constructing a sub
terranean tunnel from the water level
below the falls, about two hundred feet
under the high bank of the river, ex-
tending through the rock to the upper
Nlaraga river at a point about one mile
above the falls, where head of 120
feet is obtained. The tunnel is then to
extend, parallel with the shore of the
river, one and one-half miles at an
average depth of 100 feet below the
surface of the earth and at a distance
OF about 400 feet from the navigable
water of the river, with which it is to
be connected by means of conduits or
lateral tunnels
The scheme is one of gigantic pro-
portions, and includes the establish
ment of innumerable mills at the point
where the power is obtained, as well as
distributing the power through electric
wires to other centerS, where it can be
used in lieu of steam or local water
power. The power is to be obtained
from conduits leading to the main
tunnel, and not from the tunnel itself
or from the falls. The conduits will.
it is contemplated, lead to wells sunk
to the tunnel one hundred feet below
the earth's surface. In these wells
will be placed turbine wheels, which
are turned by the weight of the water
in the wells. Thus, it is said, the power
will be uniform, because the wells will
always be kept full, and as the wells
are supplied from the river there will
be no variation in the quantity of water
available. The river itself, being fed
from the five great lakes, will always
have uniform quantity from which to
supply the cOnduits. 1t is claimed that
the drain from the river by the con-
duits and tunnel will not take | per
cent. of the water in the stream; that
is, the depth of the river would not be-
reduced one inch. The prospectus
states that since the Incorporation of
the company sufficient land along the
river has been secured, surveyed and
into mill sites fronting on
the river and on the line of the pro-
posed tunnel, with ample streets and
dockage, affording approach by rail or
water to accommodate 238 mills of 500
horsepower each. or $4,000 horse
power in all, which is the estimate of
the engineers of the capacity of the
tunnel proposed to be built
Thlspower would be greater than all
the other waGer-pOwer in the country
combined. The land secured by the
is two miles and a half above
the falls, and beyond the limits of the
government park land surrounding
them. The tunnel is to run under the
streets of Niagara village, and all the
will be located on the COM
pany's land. The estimated cost of
is s., 100000, and enough
patronage has already been secured, it
is said, to pay the dividend on the in
vestment. The city at Buffalo has
agreed to pay $1,000 900 per annum for
power for electric lights, and an elec-
tric smelling company in Cleveland
has made application for 10000 horse
power to be carried through wires.
The mills are to be located so far above
the falls that vessels of any draught
can come to the wharves, thus insuring
cheap water freights from the mills to
tidewater. 1t is claimed that the
volume of water over the falls will
not be lessened by the construction
of the tunnel; that the beauty of the
landscape will not be impaired in any
way, since the mills will give forth no
smoke, and that the drain from the
river be less than half the amount
taken from the lakes by evaporation.
If the project proves to be a success
it is also intended to use the power
in lighting many of the larger cities in
that locality by electricity.