The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-06
PAGES IL no 20.
NIAGARA FALLS UP TO DATE.
THE GREAT POWER USED TO MAKE
ALL KINDS OF PRODUCTS.

Operates n Big Real" Diamond Fac
tOry-EiHs Driven Out steam aud
Substituted Electricity worked by
Its Water WheeIs-WOrke So
Cheap That Capitalists Fight For
Ground.
Niagara Falls. June Niagara has
opened for the season. This used to mean
that the bridal couples had begun TO ar
rive, but now IL means, besides this, a
great deal more II means that the Falls
have been set In operation TO turn all the
newly erected mills and factories within
hundreds OF miles OF here
Niagara Falls, which is one OF the
worlds nine wonders, never freezes to tho
extent OF stopping the vast volume of wa
ter which runs over II, and for this rea-
son electricians have been at work upon It
for years in the hope of turning this water
In the right direction to obtain a constant
current TO operate the machinery that OPP
crates the plants.
Much has been done previously, but with
the opening of the season of 1897 comes the
triumphant opening of Niagara Falls, for
the rival companies are all on hand, and
have turned their respective shares In the
Falls towards their respective machinery
until wonderful results are accomplished.
II is the old story OF the little water
wheel that grinds the wheat that Is
brought to the MILL but on a larger scale.
Niagara does It's grinding up to date: II
supplies the power, which is what the tide
did for the primitive little mill of long
ago. and the power starts the turbines
that communicate with the dynamos that
generate electricity for modern use.
The latest OF Niagara's feats Is the
making of diamonds a diamond factory Is
in fun blast IL turns out the real carbon
crystals, which are undoubtedly diamonds.
The system used Is the Moison system.
Hollow cylinders OF soft iron are filled
with purified charcoal Soft iron Is then
melted In crucible In an electric fur
mace at about 5000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The cylinder is then thrown into hot iron,
and is taken out and suddenly cooled;
acids then separate the iron from the car
bon crystals. In that way tiny but pure
diamonds are obtained.
The power to run the electric furnaces
Is obtained from the Falls, on the Cana
dian side, where there Is a diamond fac
tory. The products are sold IN two lots
one as real diamonds, small but perfect
and the other as the large imitation dia-
mond, very valuable because Of its purl-
~, but with a slight flaw from the present
imperfect method of making.
It was planned at first that the Canadian
power-house should be built I'm Victoria
Park, close to the Horseshoe Falls. but.
as IL now stands, the whole work of gem
Grating power and Transforming It into
electricity Is done In great cavern SCOOP
ed out of the rock between $50 and 200 feet
under the river and a short distance back
from the Canadian end Of
the Horseshoe Falls. Water from
pipes IN the rock TO the turbines In this
subterranean power-house and carried Off
by a short tunnel leading to the foot OF
the Horseshoe Falls. The turbines connect
directly with the dynamos. and almost the
only sign above ground OF the mighty
forces being harnessed below Is a num-
ber Of comparatively insignificant looking
wires leading up from these dynamos and
carrying electricity off into the distance on
iron poles. These plain-looking wires,
however carry some 10000 horsepower.
Only a little of the great bulk OF Niaga-
ra's force has been turned aside but this
little revoyes the largest water-wheels in
the history of mechanics. The dynamos
that are attached TO the water wheels are
the biggest OF their klnd they produce g.
900 horse power
one OF the most remarkable parts OF Nj
agara's machinery Is the new tunnel
which lies under the city and carries wa
ter TO the new power company's pit II Is
a hydraulic tunnel nearly two miles long,
and IL turns the wheels of the largest pa
per mill in the world. A few hundred
feet away II works the biggest aluminium
lhuuhlig III tillh country
To see these great wheels turning YOU
must obtain guide, who will take you
TO the different companies works. There,
unless you are a mechanic, you will find
the view disappointing for you will see
only group Of buildings and hear only
a great whirr, but II you understand Il
you viii realize the immense work being
done Ly water.
One OF the Niagara companies has a
lanai which runs with the speed Of 400
900 horse power This Is equal 10 all tho
power used IN the six largest manufac-
turing cities In the United States II Is
used 10 send a current OF electricity by
wire overhead to Buffalo for lighting pur-
poses. and to Rome and 10 Tonawanda,
and II Is thought u will be utilized before
the summer Is over as far west as Mlnne-
apolis, and as far east as Lowell, both
FOR cloth-manufacturing purposes.
Edison and Nikola Tesla agree that
there Is no reason why this power could
not be sent In the same overhead way to
Boston, and, In fact to all the cities IN
the United states, the only objection be-
ing that there is power nearer at home
ia some Of the cities where there Is a
small local falls"
The turning Of Niagara to use In grind
ing out food products Is sEch a small
part Of It's work that Il Is not enumer-
atcd. very small portion OF Its dyna-
mo power Is used to grind wheat, oats
and cereals; but these small food indus
tries are not TO be mentioned by the side
Of the metal industries that require greas
horsepower.
Electrical power Is sent out broadcast
from Niagara at an immense profit. The
only cost rs the first expense OF putting
up electric wires 20 carry the power away.
After this Is done the falls does all tho
rest. There Is no further expense Capt
talists are noting the figures, and they
flock here with their electricians, AMI,
after the unimportant prcliminarles, 20 to
work 20 set up the plant.
Niagara Falls wds a holiday place up to
five years ago, and until this year did not
begin 10 feel the results Of It's enormous
manufacturing ability. IL has now grown
until IL Is a large city containing manu-
featuring interests and curlosities IN every
line OF industry. The great company
which Is under contract with the state
Of New York to substitute electricity for
mule-pOwor on the Erie canal has an but
completed ifs work, and Is now sending
rs electric power 10 cities as far south as
Albany and making preparations to reach
New York.