Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-01
A GIGANTIC SCHEME.
Old Niagara to Be Bridled and Made
to Do Service.
BY A CHICAGO MAN.
The Problem of How to Utilize the Gren,
Force of the Fa,ls-To BE Converted
Into Electricity and Transmitted
to any Pc:ut by Wires.

CHICAGO, Jan, 3l.-Ihe problem OF
how to utilize the water power of the
Niagara river for manufacturing and
other purposes, is in q fair way of being
solved by a Chicago a and practical
engineers have declared the project feas-
ible, and plans have been formulated
With the object of undertaking the
W rk. G. B. Bartlett. an engineer and
extractor of this city has been for some
time engaged upon the preparatory
work, and the result of his labors have
not only received the approval of CAPT
~talists, but he is protected by letters
patent Issued by the government last
month. During the current week ap-
plication will be made to the New York
legislature for the Necessary authority to
undertake the work. The application
is endorsed by prominent citizens of
Chicago, and it is not thought there
will be any difficulty in securing the
legislation desired.
The bed of Niagara river at the foot of
the falls is said to be $50 feet from the
bed of the cataract. Mr., Bartlett pro-
poses to first tunnel a series of tail
races from the river bed at the foot of
the falls a distance of from zoo to 800
feet up the river On either the American
or Canadian side. These completed, he
will commence ~excavating on a direct
line to the upper bed of the river. When
tween the upper and lower beds, Golfer
dams l00x6O0 feet in dimension,
will be employed for the purpose of OBJ
tanning space to continue the excavation
from the upper bed of the river, and the
same will be prosecuted until a junction
is made with the excavation FROM be-
low. This completed. heavy 1rol be ms
will be anchored in the solid stone walls
composing the 81 les of the shaft to
prevent clogs lg by debris, ice,
etc, caught - ohe river current
i'll its course from Lake Erie.
The same course of operations will be
continued until a tunnel, so to speak, of
a parallel width of forty-two feet has
| been excavated from the American to
the Canadian shore. Ten feet below
this a water-tight reservoir will be con-
! strlcSed of durable material, extending
longitudinally from shore to shore. 1t
will lie forty feet in width, and other
wise sufficient in size for the service. 1t
| will be supported in the center by the
/, bottom of the excavation anil securely
held in place. Six feet below the reser-
WIZ JIG WIN IOOIIl VI Vic dlluS VIII Dc
built of another set of girders, also NOR
ticed into the rocky sides of the passage.
From the working floor a double row. of
iron pipes, five feet in diameter. will be
located at q distance of sixteen feet
apart throughout the entire length of
the tunnel, extending from top to bot
tom. The interior of each will be
equipped with a turbine wheel of the
latest improved pattern, and each of the
pipes will connect with the reservoir by
means of ten.inch pipes, supplied with
valves to regulate the flow of water.
Dynamos to the number of 100 will be
placed at the bottom of the shaft. BY
| opening the valves a flow of water of in
~calculable force will flow through the
ten-inch pipes into the five-foot pipes,
| starting the turbine wheels, and the
| power thus applied to the dynamos is
transmitted over wires to any given
| point within a radius of fifty miles,
where it can be utilized as q very cheap
substitute for steam or other motive
| agency.
If the right of way is secured in New
York and Canada, a company will be or
| ganized for the development of this
scheme, and the primary work upon the
excavation will be commenced. The
work, it is claimed. can be concluded
and in operation within a year.