Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-15
MARVELS OF ELECTRICITY
Practical Results Achieved from the He-
messed Power of Niagara,
MANY MANUFACTURES OPERATED BY II

MANY MANUFACTURES OPERATED BY II
Eject of the New Power on the Indus
tries of BuGaIo-Stcnm Power
on the wane-Elcctri-
cal Heat.
The triple combination OF genius, enter
prise and capital which harnessed $4,000 OF
the 100000 horse power of Niagara falls
now find that what was claimed for the
project less than ten years ago, and re-
garded by the public as visionary, has not
only been realized, but surpassed. The Cat
aract city, then a haven for slghtssers and
comprising mainly few hotels and small
shops, is now a bustling manufacturing town
drawing electric energy and population from
the power house at the head OF the rapids.
The muddy thoroughfares of five years ago
are paved with asphalt handsome stores and
office blocks have supplanted fre-traps, pop
ulation has doubled within the decade, and
is steadily increasing as the power DEVELOPS
and the uses to which it is put multiplies.
The revolution wrought by electric en-
ergy is not confined to the city at the falls.
Industrial vitality is carried over twenty
four mile wire TO Buffalo, where 1t is stead
lily superseding steam power, The change
is distinctly noticeable in the Queen City of
the Lakes. The number of chmneys
belching clouds of smoke has decreased 10
such an extent as to suggest industrial de-
cline. Here are to been seen mammoth grain
elevators of steel in active operation with
out the usual sign of activity-smoke and
steam. Breweries with half a score OF
towering stacks give little sign of life, yet
are doing business without showering the
neighborhood with SCOT. Scores of small
factories take from 1000 to 700 horse power
a day. The city street railway system, the
citys lighting system and the trolley line to
the falls obtain their electrical power from
Niagara.
GrndnuI Change.
The change in Buffalo is going on gradu-
ally. Steam power is we'll rooted there Fuel
is comparatively low and facilities for OBJ
tanning it unsurpassed. Most of the older
manufacturing establishments cling to their
steam power plants but every new industry
connects with the new energy. A late num-
ber of the Buffalo Express, in a detailed re-
view of the progress made, shows that over
II 900 horse power of electrical energy
brought from the falls is in use at the pres
ent time About half of this amount is
/
factories elevators, dock hoists, etc. At
night when most of the factories are idle the
current furnishes the power to light the city.
In this alone is the Niagara power used to
produce power. 1t runs the generators
which produce the electricity with which the
lighting is done. In working the new power
there is a loss of 10 per cent in the original.
That is, 1000 horse power Of Niagara turns
the generators that make 900 horse power
for lighting. This concern supplies 1880
arc lights for the streets of the city and an
equal number for stores, mills and railroads.
That the power is all that is claimed for
it, says the Express, SIS proved by the fact
that it's use is constantly growing. If it was
not all that is claimed for it we would not
find manufacturers throwing out expensive
steam plants and installing in their places
the electric equipment. These latter take
up much less space than do boilers and
engines, are run with less danger and with
less expense. The economy Of space is evi-
/ dent to the sight The economy of cost of
operation is not always 90 easy to demon
strate because few power-users know what
their power actually costs them. Expert
tests may prove that they are getting per-
haps so per cent of their power plant when
they supposed they were getting the full
power, but even then it is often difficult
TO make them belieVe It,
Advantages of Electrical Power.
Among the advantages claimed for cleo
tricity by users in Buffalo is that of clean
illness. In the manufacture of many prod
ucts cleanliness is next to godliness" The
perfection of this desirable element is at
tanned when electric motors are installed
and directly connected without ropes or
belts to the apparatus to be driven.
Manufacturers who have much betting
throughout mill understand that the item
ie one of not only great Importance from
point of successful operation, but it forms
one of the heavy expenses in mill operation
both for material and labor. Betting must
be kept dry and clean and be regularly in
spected Repairs are frequent and when
needed do not represent cost of labor and
material only, but great inconvenience and
delay. The last items cause a decrease in
the production of the day, week or month,
| while the fixed charges of operation remain
the same.
The use of large amount of betting in
PRODUCES at once the subject of much shaft
ing counter shafting and the like. Long
heavy shafting operating a comparatively
small number of machines means a con-
slant use OF power to overcome friction. This
friction is practically constant for all the
conditions OF service in the same mill and
inasmuch as in operation mill machines as
whole are scarcely ever averaging full duty
it will be seen that lest power. soc called
forms a very considerable item. In one
plant in this city the indicated horse power
of the engine averaged when doing the reg
ular work twenty y-six horse power, while the
dead load alone amounted to sixteen horse
power In another factory of smaller
dimension the engine showed thirteen horse
power when doing regular duty with dead
load of eight and a half horse power. In
many manufactures of larger size the same
proportion OF friction load holds good and 1t
is rare case where the frlctin load falls as
low 40 per cent OF the total power.
Electric motors can be installed to do the
same work admirably, quietly, cleanly,
economically; minimizing betting and de-
creasing floor space. The use of electric
motors will permit of machinery being
grouped closer and making a more compact
outfit. Floor space costs money in many
localities and Buffalo is no exception TO the
rule.
Another item In connection with the use
of much shafting should not be lost sight of
i e., its cost, Those who have had to buy
1t appreciate that II requires considerable
outlay of capital to buy shaftng of any
length and capable of transmitting 100 or
mi