Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-11-03
The City of Buffalo.

GU aNSoiuluS 10 tue requirement. Vi a
given port, though all are very much small
er, except Cleveland.
The City of Buffalo.
Buffalo is the chief commercial city Of
the Lake Erie group. 1t is also the great
est lake port of the West except Chicago.
The location is superior, its facilities un-
equalled. There are no swamps 10 I'LL or
hills to level, The city covers AZ square
miles, has more than $50 miles OF streets,
and has more miles Of asphalt pavement
than any other city in the world; also $50
miles of street car line. The railroads, at
East Buffalo, own 1000 acres of land, on
the surface of which, and elevated, are
$50 miles of track, where the enormous
business pertaining 70 the traffic OF 20 diff
ferent lines is converged. There is no
other railroad centre in this country that
compares, either in adaptation Of means
or volume of business transacted, with
Buffalo. The business part of the city is
distinct from this quarter of the town,
while the broad avenues that embrace the
residential portion lie to the north, toward
Niagara, which will become part of greater
Buffalo within the first quarter of the
next century. The Cataract Power COM
pany furnishes the street car system with
electric power, and the lighting of streets
and many buildings is done by the same
company. The great job printing plant
of the Buffalo Courier, and many manu-.
featuring companies requiring power, are
receiving ii from the Cataract company.
l have itemized this factor, for in few
years it is destined to help make Buffalo
one of the greatest manufacturing cities of
this country. Already immense buildings.
ten miles down the river, are filled with
machinery which is being operated by the
unseen and smokeless agent furnished by
the Cataract Power company.
AS only a few people know how the
water of Lake Erie is utilized in generating
electricity, venture to take the space nee
essary briefly TO explain it. One might
visit Niagara, edo the falls" which are as
popular resort as ever-and after staying
at this instructive place a week, would
know nothing of the light, heat and power
which the rushing waters Of Niagara are
sending over to Buffalo for the convenience
of its inhabitants. More than a mile above
the falls the visitor, if permitted to enter
the company's premises, might learn that
the first thing done was TO sink a shaft 10
feet in diameter and $50 feet deep. From
the bottom of the shaft large tunnel was
excayated down the course of the river.
beyond the falls and town, then by extend
ing the tunnel toward the left, the river
was soon reached, at a level which is
nearly 275 feet lower than the top of the
shaft above mentioned, Lake Erie being
5I3 feet above ocean level and Lake On
tario PAT feet.
vertical, spiral, iron wheel, 125 feet
high and seven feet in diameter, was then
inserted, encased in an iron tube, the nee
essary machinery was attached to 100 large
dynamos, all located in a large, substan-
tial stone building, an iron Aume was ex-
tended to the waiting water, the gates
we're hoisted, and the water does the rest.
More shafts are to be drilled and more
wheels inserted when the demand shall re-
quire them. This one wheel can generate
1000 horse power. The expense so far of
the outlay is nearly 100000
A few statistics taken from custom
house reports perhaps may be instructive:
All vessels arriving at the port of Buffalo
for the year 1898, 1920; tonnage, 8. 129.-
9l8; all vessels cleared, 564S; tonnage.
6,1S4, 100; the arrivals and departures of
canal boats were 921s; number of vessels.
steam and sail, owned at port of Buffalo,
S42; tonnage, 194,Oo4. Total grain re-
ceipts by lake, 1898: Flour, barrels, TO-
S7l, o5S; wheat, bushels, sS, s72, 1877; corn,