The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-05

Cars Run and Factories Operated.
BY Walden .Fawcett.
fCopyright. 1901, by Walden Fawcett.) }
San Francisco, Oct. 30.-More won-
derful than the famous water power
institution at Niagara Falls is a plant
in the interior of Califirnia on the
Yuba river, 200 miles from San Fran
cisco. The California plant has water
wheels of greater capacity than any
others of the kind in the world, and its
big generators. which convert a roar
ing mass of falling water into electric
power, are the largest machines of the
type ever constructed for this purpose.
The generated electricity, moreover.
is carried farther before it is used than
such power has ever been carried else
where. Nor are all the superlatives
exhausted in thus describing this har-
messed waterfall and its pathway of
vibrant lightning down to San Fran
cisco, 200 miles away, for, in order to
get the electrical energy to its desired
destination, human ingenuity COM
bined with characteristic American
daring. has just accomplished one of
the most remarkable achievements in
the history of engineering.
The Straits of Carquinez, across
which 1T was necessary to carry the
stored power If the best market was
TO be open to II, connect San Pablo
and Suisun bays, which together form
the northern portion of San Francisco
bay. Through this comparatively mar
row channel the entire central portion
of the state of California is drained,
and, in addition. there is an ocean tide
of about five feet, so that, although the
water is over 100 feet in depth. there
is at all times a heavy and dan
gerous current Experiments proved
that while it was barely possible
that telegraph or telephone
cable might be laid in these tempestu-
Gus waters. the laying and operating
of the huge wire ropes designed as
tunnels for the passage of electrical
power current was out of the question.
IF power cables can not be laid un-
derneath the water why not suspend
them above?" said the engineer. and,
accordingly, the construction of a gi-
gantic suspension bridge consisting of
four cables was begun. Two slender
steel towers, each as high as an ordi-
nary Office building, were reared on
opposite points of land overlooking this
mile wide waterway, and the great
wire ropes were swung so high that
the tallest masted vessel afioat might
sail underneath without harm.
The conditions were not easy which
forced resort to the amazing project
of the giant span as desperate
chance; nor was the decision hastily
arrived at to undertake what many
experienced engineers pronounced
foolhardy attempt Many exactions
were Ia be met also. For instance. the
United States government In granting
permission for the crossing stipulated
that the cables should be suspended
at least 200 feet above the surface of
the water, since the peak Of the high
est mast OF the Shenandoah, the larg-
est vessel OF the American merchant
marine is 1874 feet above the water
line.
The. bluff on the north side OF the
straits on which the tower is erected
Is 1862 feet above extreme high tide and
the great steel skeleton itself is 225
feet in hight The tower on the south
shore ls not IN itself so lofty as the
other. but by reason Of being perched
on higher ground its top is fully eighty
feet higher than that OF the other tow
er. The erection % these towers proba-
bly, called Tor more daring on the part
Of the men who built them than any
skyacraper that was ever constructed.
They are built of iron and steel
throughout and - stanchly put up
that they can withstand q pressure
from the wind Of forty pounds on eg-