New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-24
THE RHONE IN HARNESS.
rIrRNISlIING MOTIVE POWER FOR THE IN
DUSTRIES OF GENEVA.


IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
Geneva, August 10.
Whether the Niagara shall ever be harnessed
to the wheels of machinery or not. the "arrowy
Phone" has actually been made to FURNISH motive
mower to the industries of this city indeed, TINS
was done small scale long ago AS early as
i70s hydraulic motor was constructed lot
pumping water, and fifty years ago announcer larger
one was provided for the same purpose Inc
work Of these. however, was simply TO supply
water to the city, and ten years ago thcy were
discontinued and steam power put in their place
Meantime many plans had been considered Tor
making more extensive use OF the water power oil
the swift river and in 1882 the municipal au-
thorties of Geneva commissioned Colonel lur-
retini the engineer of the ST. Gothard tunnel, to
undertake the job. In the course of the next year
he perfected his plans and, on their approval the
work was begun. 1t has now been completed,
and so successful is it that very considerable
extension Of it is soon 10 be made.
As is we'll known, the river as it passes through
this CITY is divided into two channels by an
island covered with buildings. Colonel Tur-
rettini proposed that the right arm of the river
should I've reserved for running off the water,
while the left arm, transformed into an industrial
canal was to conduct the water into building 10
be constructed in the bed of the river, and III
which would lie placed. as they were required,
twenty turbines with 4,400 net horsepower. The
whole of this work is now done, except that only
half the turbines are in use. The method OF
distributing the motive power gave rise 10 q good
deal of discussion, but as Geneva does not possess
any large manufactures, for which TRANSMISSION
by cable is suitable the system of transmission by
water under pressure was adopted. and the
municipality decided to make two combinations,
bo Of
the latter with an ascending force of AGO feet
The execution of the work confined to
contractor who agreed. in the event of the cost
being below his estimate, to divide the profit
with the municipality, while if the estimate was
exceeded he was to lose his time the municipality
only defraying the actual expense incurred for
labor etc. The result was a saving Of more than
$4,000.
A curious feature of this work was the sue
cessive emptyng of the two channels of tie river.
While each was dry nearly the entire population of
the city focked into it, led by curiosity. Several
great public banquets and other festivities were
held in each of the riyer-beds. The channels
were then made deeper and a uniform slope made
from the mouth OF the lake down TO the tur-
bines. Opportunity was also taken to construct
upon the banks of the stream large sewers, which
run along the two banks of the lake and of the
These sewers, which cost S4S0000, empty into
the Rhone some way below the town, and thus
preyent the water which is used by the inhabitants
from being contaminated From q hygienic point
Of view this has been most successful, the number
of deaths from typhoid fever last year being only
nine out of a total population of $4,000. Several
other works were also undertaken at the same
time including the dredging of the port the re-
constructing of bridge over the Rhonc, and the
formation of q weir in the right channel OF the
river: while, in order to regulate the high pres
sure, it was necessary to form upon hill about
two and one-half miles from the town reservoir
capable of holding 100000 gallons OF water
AS an industrial enterprise the work is great
success, far beyond the most sanguinc expectations
of its projectors. AT the commencement Oh this
year there no less that PIG industrial motors
with force of ,565 horse power. All kinds of
trade and industry make use Of the waterpower
while the amount Of force varies very much. the
minimum being a third OF q horsepower for sew
ing machines, and the maximum up To the present
625 horses for an electric light company-the great
ADVANTAGE of the system OF TRANSMISSION adopted
being that force he transported to whatever
point required. The total cost of the work has
been 81 ago, 900, of which about 81 100000 has
been for the account of the municipality while
the gross return upon the sale OF water IN 1881
reached $4,000, or $50 per cent more than IL
was nine wears before, while, after Geductng all
the cast OF maintenance, staff, interest and paying
off the capital invested, this leaves Gear profit
Of S27,5 500 The demands for more motive power
are steadily increasing, and 1t Is antclpath tnat
in few years time all the turbines viii be IN
use and that the municipality; Will have to fali
back unon the reserves. which consist OF an lsand
some way down the Rhone, where fresh motive
force of 1000 horse power could easily be obtained
and be transmitted TO Geneva by electricity.
Another important result is The regulation OF The
level of the lake. which for many years has been
subject of dispute between Geneva and Vau".
In the summer the waters rose high enough 10 IN
comn,ode very much the occupicrs Of land upon
the shore of the Canton dc Naud, and the lnhaoi-
tants of that canton for more than century u.s.
serted that the people Of Geneva prevented the
water Of the lake from running freely of because
they DISTRACTED the RhOnO, while the argument
Of Geneva was that the people of Naud
had their own encroachmentG on the lake 81 thank
for any damage they might sustain. But, af'er q
long negotiation, the governing bodies OF the TWO
cantons came 10 an understanding, the cost OF the
works necessary u remedy the state OF things
complained Of being put at 100000 third OF
which was assumed by the Confederation, while
the rest was paid by the cartons concerned Inc
works now completed. have had the effect or
regulating the depth Of the lake and minimizing
the possibility of its overfowing its banks. The
city of Geneva holds. therefore the Key OF thr
lake and the agreement come TO be'ween the can
tons las already borne such good fruit that the
Vaudois have not since had any reason TO com
plain.