The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-11
NIAGARA POWER HOUSE.
= Twentieth Century wonder at the
Pan-American Exposition

= Twentieth Century Wonder at the
Pan-AmerIcmn Exposition
BUFFALO, y Y, Jan 1L-Oee Of the
thoroughly interesting side trips 10 be en-
toyed in connection with visit 70 the
Pan-American Exposition will be the trip
10 Niagara Falls 70 view the wonderful
installation in the big power house Of the
Niagara Falls Power Company It is this
station that viii supply the electric en-
ergy to be used on the exposition grounds,
and an inspection Of it viii bring the Wis
itor in touch with the most marvellous
electrical power development Of the pres
ent time
The power house proper is a beautiful
stone building nearly 500 feet long The
front section is occupied by the company's
Offices. and 10 the rear stretches the one
story section known as the dynamo room
Beneath this room there is a great slot,
over go feet long and 179 feet deep. cut
out OF solid rock II is this slot. or wheel
pit that forms the home OF the ten power
full turbines that give power TO the dyna-
mos or generators in the station These
turbines are each Of 5000 horsepower ca
pacity, and they are connected to the dy-
namos by a tube shaft which extends up
the wheel pit The construction is such
that the weight of the shaft and the re-
VOIving parts of the dynaInOS practically
float upon the water that passes through
the turbine. The weight Of these parts is
many thousand pounds. all adjusted with
such nicely that there is but the least
possible friction
The water that supplies the turbines is
taken from an inlet canal connected with
the upper Niagara River. This canal is
$50 feet long, 100 feet wide at the tail
end and $50 feet wide at the entrance
It's normal depth OF water is u feet
Passing from this inlet canal. the water
goes into penstOcks and is carried down
the wheeI-pit upon the turbines. the head
being about 1876 feet. After passing
through the turbines and developing
power, the water flows into the big tun-
mel tail race. This tunnel is $500 feet
long. It reaches from the power house TO
the lower Niagara River, where the
stream of water that flows from it may
be seen intersecting the river under the
upper steel arch bridge just below Pros
pect Park. The tunnel passes right IN
der the main part Of the City Of Niagara
Falls at a depth Of about 200 feet In di-
mansions the tunnel is Is feet 10 inches
wide and u feet and 4 inches high It's
form is that of a horseshoe and from end
to end il is lined with four courses of
NlLIIucu DITCH IL OTuCI 70 assure pSEUa-
nency-
It is in this station that viii be the
great power house OF the Pan-Americaa
Exposition. It is a magnificent spectacle
TO stand on the visitors gallery in this
power house and look upon the wbirIing
dyIamos as they make go revolutions
c, cry minute. The average person finds
il difficult to realize that these machines
are generating a force that is befns
transmitted miles and miles away to the
exposition grounds, there 10 delight all
within the gates by the wondrous effects
created when used in any OF its possible
forms. How wonderful ii viii be 10 look
upon the highest electric light on the top
of the electric tower and stop to consider
that the force that gives it its remarka-
Bile brilliancy is developed by means Of
turbines located deep down in the big
wheel-pit in Niagara Fails! The electric
tower viii be 391 feet high. The wheel
pit where the turbines are is I79 feet
deep. The distance between the two IS
over twenty miles