The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-10
Transmission of Electrical Power.


members Of the American Institute OF
Electrical Engineers. a 5000 horsepower
dynamo operated by the waters Of Mag
ara falls. was put TO the test. Owing 10
the incomplete condition Of some OF the
machinery. the dynamo was not driven
to its full capacity. but it developed 5000
horsepower. and the test was pronounced
by some OF the foremost electrical engi-
neers Of the world 10 be a complete sue
cess. They said the machinery worked
much better than new steam machinery
ever does.
The matter OF the successful generation
Of the power at Niagara Falls having thus
been settled, the only open
question in connection with the
enterprise is that of the eco
nomic transmission OF the power to dis
tant points. The experts say that 1900
horse power can be sent TO Buffalo. twenty
miles from the falls. at 2)oOO volts pres
sure over three copper wires three-fourths
OF an inch in diameter each. and delivered
in Buffalo at a cost per horsepower very
much below the cost Of steam power gem
say that there is no reason to doubt that
every mill wheel and every electric rail-
way within a radius of 200 miles Of the
falls can be economically operated by
power from the falls distributed through
wires, and Nikola Tesla is quoted as
having said that 10000 horsepower can
be put on a wire and sent to New York
on the east and TO Chicago on the west.
The Harvesting of Niagara and the dis
tribution OF its power over a large area
by means OF electrical apparatus are mat
ters Of Importance to the whole country.
The cheapest and most reliable power in
the world is that obtained from the natural
flow of water. When such power can be
distributed at pleasure and at a low cost,
for the turning of wheels and the running
of cars, there VIII come about a revolution
in the manufacturing and transportation
systems of the world.
The city of Savannah is. or should be.
greatly interested in the transmission of
power by wire. 1t has been calculated by
an expert that more than 5000, 900 worth of
power is used in Savannah every year for
the running OF machinery and street cars
and the lighting Of the electric lamps
There is no doubt that the demand for
power will increase from year to year as
manufacturing plants are established. If
electrical power, generated from a natural
flow Of water, could be brought to the city
and distributed at a cost say IS or 20 per
cent. below the cost of steam power, it can
be seen what an immense saving there
would he. One-half of the amount now paid
for horsepower in a year would pay good
interest on quite large investment.
There is within twenty-six miles of sa-
vannah an immense water power awaiting
development whenever the captains Of in
dustry get ready to lay it under contribu-
ton. The Morning News has several times
called attention 20 it. 1t is on the Cannoo-
chez river, and expert calculations. based
on survey, have placed it's capacity at
no less than 10000 horsepower. The kind
of apparatus that will send Niagara.s en-
ergy to Buffalo would most likely also send
the Cannoochee's energy to Savannah. The
difference In distances is not great. When
the trolley builders found the current
would operate cars five miles from the
power station, they added another mile,
and it worked. Then they tried more and
more miles, and still it worked though
not so well, because of the leakage" of
the current. Similar experiences will prob
ably attend the experiments of the cleo
tricians in long distance distribution of
power from Niagara. and the chances are
that by the time Savannah gets ready to
develop the Cannoochee's power, there
will be no problem in sending electrical
energy in great volumes 100 miles.