The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-20
NIAGARA Is HARNESSED
COMPLETION or THE CHIEF STEP
IN That GREAT UNDERTAKING.
A Tunnel That Is Marvel OF Engineering
skill--Scenic Beauty OF the Falls
VIII Not BE Marred.
(New York WORLDLY

years and years there has been talk Of
using the tremendous water-power Of Nj
agara- Millions have gazed at the great
sweep OF waters in admiration and awe.
Many scientific men have calculated the
enormous mass OF energy hlnging itself
away in that Overwhelming downpour.
Various attempts have been made in
futile sort Of way 10 get some work out
OF the great fall. but up 10 the present IT
has remained what Il has been for CEN
turtles. one OF the grandest natural sights
on the earths surface II not the greatest
Of all.
The feasibility OF applying a portion OF
the power OF the cataract TO the comforts
and necessities Of mankind has been dis
cussed for many years by scientists and
manufacturers all over the world. Sew
eral undertakings for the utilization OF
80 much Of the water-power as the imme-
date locality required we're carried out
BY the local business men. But the linn
ffed demand for wator-pOwer in q COM
paraffvelv new and undei eloped country
and the existence OF many small water
mowers in the New England States and
other sections OF the country permitted
this great natural reservoir at Niagara 10
remain practically untouched until the
removal Of the forests impaired. and in
eTs at other places.
Tho early French explorers and traders.
impressed by the magnitude Of the water
power OF Niagara. built a mill beside the
rapids Just above the falls. In Colonial
times the British selected a site in the
Same neighborhood and erected a mill
used for preparing timbers for fortiflca-
tons along the river. Immediately below
were erected the Stedman and Porter
ho fir- f,,tfT
frontier These were followed by the con-
structiOn Of two immense raceWays These
were used by the manufacturing establish
ments, as was also Bath Island. situated
ia the rapids above the American Falls.
The water-pOwer at Niagara Falls was
first utilized by the construction Of the
hydraulic canal, about three-quarters OF
mile long. IT commenced at a point on
the shore Of the river above the falls and
terminated on the high bank OF the gorge
below the falls. The first mill was built
by Charles b. Gaskill. 1t was located on
the hydraulic canal, and that same mill
is still in operation. turning out over 700
barrels OF -four daily.
The canal became the property Of Jacob
Schoelkopf, and he erected a large mill on
IT'S banks. The mill was so successful
that II soon became necessary to increase
, the plant. The stone was replaced by
rollers and the product increased to 1000
barrels a day
When the Niagara Falls Hydraulic and
Manufacturing Company became the own
ers OF the hydraulic canal, other manufac-
turing industries located at the place All
nave been phenomenally successful and
to-day that same old canal is lined with
establishments Of every description, and
more would be there IL there was room for
them. Some Of the concerns using the
power from the hydraulic canal are the
following: Niagara Wood Paper Company.
makers Of wood pulp; John e. Quigley.
Same; Cataract Manufacturing Company.
same. They now manufacture paper as
well, and tho concerns are the largest in
the country.
The Pettibone Paper Company is also
there, and alongside OF their house is the
Oneida Community Oimited), the largest
eiiVer-plating works in the country. car
ter q Co. check book manufacturers own
a large site. and the Brush electric ugbt
plant here is one Of the biggest in the
world. The company supplies light for
the city Of Niagara Falls. the town ~
Suspension Bridge, and crosses the river |
ana supplies several Canadian towns with |
Lght as we'll Schoelkopf g. Matthews
Niagara Flour Mills are the largest this
SIDE Of Minneapolis. Their mills turn out |
$4,000 barrels OF flour annually. The |
paper and pulp mills turn out 9,156 tons |
every year Cooper shops make COB 600 |
barrels yearly. '''
Ihese nils drew but a few bucketsful
from the great food, and it WAS evil
uent that an open water canal with q
snort mead on the bank side was merely
a waste OF water. The late Thomas
diversified was the man to strike another
iaea IN this power problem. He was a
uiNIslon engineer on the State canals
ana visiting Niagara on a trip made
careful examination Of what was already
done I'm the utilization Of the forces. lie
saw that series Of canals was no soln-
uoh ana ne thought on until the idea
slIuck MN OF building a tail race or
tunnel for the radiance OF the wafer
dlter IL had done its work OF wheel
turning. This tunnel could be built AT a
lo" leVel, and in that way the full bene-
1T OF the great head or height OF the
rams could be secured. He sought mon
OF money, and after awhile succeeded in
teilns a lot Of well-known Niagara
ais business men interested in the ven
1.'e. The result was the incorporation
% me Niagara Falls Power Company
~ .'"iah d. 1885, for the purpose Of /
O''-s.i netting. maintaining and operating
t"e hydraulic tunnel and for FURNISHING
"-- power for manufacturing purposes.
Out tAe Niagara Falls people soon saw
''''y would need more mOneyed men if
'"ey wished to make their venture a
sIccess, and they naturally turned To-
" ards New York, and so to-day il is to
tN@ credit Of the metropolis that New
York brains New York capital and New
OK ideas are responsible for the sue
cess OF this monumental scheme These
are the New York people who are spend
ng their money and time on the tunnel:
J. Pierpont Morgan, George S. Bowdoin s
md {. II. COster Of the banking house ]
II DreXel. Morgan & Co.; Charles La I
lier, Edward j.. Adams and Edward I
Ninslow, OF the firm Of Winslow. Lanier !
+ Co; Brown Bros &c Co, William X
Vanderbilt. ID. O. Mills. II. Nick. Twom- t
'ly. Morris *. Jesup August Belmont $
Co.. A. J. Forbes Leith. Charles f. $
lark, Edward A. Wickes. Francis Lynde =
itctson and T. w. Whtridgc. They are .
he Wealthicst men OF the metropolis,
nd so far they have spent over 81 OO0O 900 '
b the construction Of the immense tunnel. >,
The capitalists went to work in thor -
d gh manner. Niles and miles Of land \,
long the river front were quietly pur- q
unused Tor a site for a new town TO be I,
.7eu Tor factories and mills exclusively | !,
a thousand acres were purchased for 81
N' hoInes OF wOrkingmen, and, in fact, "
''' arrangement was made 10 carry
-, N'N'5 tnlng on a big scale. The best ID
- ''01IS IN the country were engaged II
~ ti"W up the plans for the tunnel. ~
- 80 ""i"eS are Albert II. Porter, resi-
49,. t. and John Bogart and fo