Evening journal., 1896-11-16
.IAGARA'S POWER USED
he Mighty Falls Now Propel
Buffalo Street Cars.
8E BIG ENTERPRISE A SUCCESS.

,e Thousand Horsepower of Electric
EBergy Was Realized at the Starting
II the Plant-Tha Capacity to BE In
,reased to Fifty Thousand Horsepower.
BUFFALO, Nov. 16.-The turning Of a
itch IN the big powerhouse at Niagara
lis this morning completed a circuit
lich caused Niagara river to Cow uphill,
to speak, by returning fraction OF its
iistless energy, which had already swept
st the gates of Buffalo, back into this
y 81 miles distant. The harness was
ckled that bitches the factory wheels Of
iffalo 70 the greatest cataract on earth.
lis morning the street cars of this city
D moved by falls power. Hereafter tho
Is must work enough to earn their liv-
b.
Nrhe buckling of the harness could have
sn done as well ~ hours earlier, but
ing to the fact that the father Of VIII
m B. Rankine Of New York, secretary
the Niagara Falls Power company, is a
rgyman, and in Difference to his wishes
Niagara falls power was not turned
the transmitting system at noon yes
day as had been expected. The force Of
,erts having the work in charge were
" for the past "a hours testing the
ious connections and going over the
chincry to make sure that everything
3 in proper order. When everything was
readiness for the switch to be thrown
r, the electricians were confident that
i re need be- no cessation of the current
n flowing over the wires OF the Buffalo
eet railway system.
s he distance covered by the line between
4 ffaio ard the falls is 27 miles and the
B ert electricians who have tho work In
A rye estimate that the loss of energy
q I be less than 10 per cent and may moi
ch exceed five. Careful tests are to b'
4 DO in this connection, tha tests covering
q h night aud day ard clear as well a.
n ~ weather Tho electricians are pay
particular attention to this test as OF
81 perfect insulation of the carrying linz
s. ends much of the future success Of th
lertaking.
Substantially Constructed.
ri he line that has been built to carry tn
rent bearing wires is of most substan
nature. Unlike the ordinary telegraph
I'd !, the poles are placed very close to
Ter and are braced in such a manner a
be proof against heavy storms. A
S res the poles arc set double and ar
ed to numerous smaller poles to pre-
! sagging. The overhead line extend
5 q the powerhouse at the falls 10 tn
limits OF Buffalo, where the wires en-
cement condAits. On tho overhead lin
insulators are found unequal to th
In and porcelain insulators were sub
ID to current OF 30, 600 volts befor
pnt in use. There arc at present o.
poles eight cables, each with carry
capacity of 5, 900 horsepower, or 40, 90
epower 10 all. The poles are of such
tantial character however, that thi
iber of cables can be doubled withou
Getting them to a greater strain tina
S. nsidered safe.
ne only contract made so far for Oh
|s 5ery OF power in Buffalo by the powe
pany is that with the Buffalo Stree
way company for 1000 horsepower
er the contract with the city the con
on Of the undertaking of deliVerin
f' sr In Buffalo was not obligatory befoi
June. 1t was In order TO secure Il
~ ract with the street railss-s~ s.'-'' sr..sl
vsss work was hurried through SO fs
OF time. Contracts with others d,
to use the electrical power viii no
ade, and it is thought that by tn
s, ing Of spring the power win be we
ibuted throughout the city.
nee the inception of the undertaken
during its carrying out the compan
frequently called upon Messrs Ed
md Tesla for advice, and these famoJ
ers Of clectIicity have been frequef
ors 70 the Niagara falls powerhou.
I've technical problems. The pow,
sell in Buffalo for Ss6 horsepowg
mum and under its contract wit
ity the company must increase its cl
y 10000 horsepower per year until tf
mum Of $1,000 horsepower has bee