New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-08
NIAGARA IN HARNESS.
COLOSSAL INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS NEAR
THE FALLS
GIGANTIC ELECTRICAL WORKS JUST STARTED
THE HYDRAULIC CANAI.-CHARTER AND


THE HYDRAULIC CANA1-CHARTER AND
PLAN OF THE MODEL CITY
Niagara, n. Y. July (SpeciaD.-We are
hearing a great deal in these days about mar
Messing Niagara" and most Of us forget that
Niagara's power was first bitted and curbed
into practical service more than thirty years
ago The expensive and elegant plant OF the
Niagara Power Company. while as yet far from
complete is sufficiently installed to make the
most searching tests possible and to demon
strate the feasibility of its scheme. One OF the
siant machines is now being run daily for test
ing. At first the speed used was quite low. 100
revolutions per minute. and II was with many
fears and sudden starts Of false alarm that the
engineer worked the speed up to its present
reading $50 revolutions per minute. The long
drawn shrek OF distant locomotive would
hiring him 10 his feet in instant to search
for the part Of his colossus that needed oiling.
for IL is no joke % have a great iron wheel.
seven feet in diameter and weighing thirty SIX
TONS and turning at $50 revolutions per minute
get into any kind of trouble. But there 1t Is
now. running safely. evenly. and doing every
now and then in some test its 10000 horse
power or more Of work.
THE HYDRAULIC CANAL
The average reader has good general idea
what the Cataract Construction Company has
done and intends TO do. 1t will turn out It's
100000 horsepower with its ten machines as
early as possible after the first three-no" prac-
tically installed and serving the uses or the
Pittsburg Reduction Company-fnd full employ
ment But who knows what the Hydrauhc or
Schoelkopf Canal is? We hear a little of 1t;
vet II Is able every day to supply mills and
shops on the bluffs below Niagara with more
power than the three machines of the electrical
plant could were they in active use Bridai
Veil-Oh, yes We have seen it," True. and
perhaps have eaten bread made OF Bridal Ven
-four. The canal grinds that.
Starting in from point somewhat north or
the Cataract Construction works and passing
below the tracks Of the New-York Central and
Hudson River Railroad. is a canal that till now
has been 20 feet wide and IL feet deep. 1t is be-
ing widened to 100 feet and deepened so as 10
allow grain and iron steamers to run through
II down to the mills and foundries. This canal
has long been able to supply enough water to
develop about 10000 orse-power and after the
alterations completed will be able TO 1ur-
nish 100000. The mills in which this power is
applied are or the bluffs at the American side.
1ust below the new Suspension Bridge. There
are the Bridal Veil Milling Company, the Mag
ara Wood Pulp Company. Schoelkopf Ma
thews, the Gaskell Pulp Mil. the Cataract Flour
Mill. the Pettibone Paper Mil. the City Water
Works, the Cliff Paper Mill and the Cliff Pulp
Mil. and the Schoelkopf Electric Light Plant,
all depending for their power wholly or in part
upon the water supply of the canal
HOW THE POWER Is OBTAINED.
Shafts are run down into the rock some sew
enty feet and the turbines driven under that
pressure. The waste water from these can again
b utilised by the plants below the bluff. having
h,,v,d font Of all frnn xl,hi n
draw power. Such for instance is the Clin
Pulp Mill standing upon the bank Of the river
at the base of the cliff. 1t is this surplus water
from the mills that makes the Bridal Veil Falls.
from which the milling company takes its name.
AS II is perhaps the best illustration Of the
work done by the canal. its description may
be Of interest. The mill proper is large stone
building Of five stories, seventy feet high. and
covering about acre Of ground. The elevator
Is built against the wall of the mill. separated
from II on the ground floor only by an arched
passage through which run four tracks with
switching tables and two scales attached From
above the grain is piped direct into the bins and
the bran and flour returned to the cars. The
elevator has storage capacity of 1000 BUSH
els, and the usual running output is 12o0 TO
1.400 barrels day. with a possibility Of 1900
day. The grain is brought from Buffalo By
will be brought directly by water. The mill
now employs thirty hands. and the coopers'
shop adjoining about twenty Every floor
is fitted throughout with fire hose and automatic
sprays, the water for which is supplied from
the water-works near by. This supply can be
delivered at a pressure sufficient to throw
stream from the street over the highest point
Of the mill, and the city works can be immedi-
ately connected in case of need with two other
Independent supplies. Such the opportu-
mites for manufacture Niagara proper
THE MODEL CITY'S PROSPECTUS.
But there is still another scheme on foot Of
which. as yet. too little is known. The l16th ses-
sion Of the New-York Legislature incorporated
Model Town Company" Of which w. T. and z.
NJ. Love. Of Lewiston, N. Y; Augustine Davis,
Of Auburn Park. H.; L. l. Bailey. Of Wellsboro.
Penn. and W. A Wilson. of Knoxville. Tenn.
appear incorporators W T. Love being presi-
dent. Their object, as set forth by their char
ter. is to establish city on the banks Of Lake
Ontario This charter IS a most remarkable
document. 1t gives the company power to es-
tabsh and control an industrial school, univer-
sity. surface and elevated roads, electric light
and power plants water and gas works. pneu-
matte and electric mail and freight convey
and public telephones with lines ex
tending to its Offices in other cities. The company
may reserve rights OF way within It's territory.
as 1t may desire, and with the consent OF the
Railroad Commissioners may extend railway
lines Of one to ten tracks 10 connect with other
lines within a radius Of thirty miles 1t may
acquire by condemnation any property IT cannot
purchase for streets. parks. harbors. wharves.
railroads. sidetracks. switches or cattle-yards.
and may store water the high gro nd above
its property. Contracts made BY the 1rnpany
with any nonresident alien shall be OF tn
force and effect as II made with any ca izen.
giving foreign capital like opportunities with
American for holding and transferring properties
obtained from the company.