New-York tribune., 1903-01-31
LIGHTNING FIRES NIAGARA PLANT.
Factories and Trolley Lines Supplied by
Power House Shut Down.

Niagara Falls n. Y. Jan. 30.-The plant of
the Niagara Falls Power Company dam
aged this morning by bolt of lightning which
struck cable with defective insulation. This
caused a short circuit, which blew up trans
former in the power house. The large cables
leading from the generating room TO the trans
former room were soon ablaze, and from them
the flames communicated to the transformer
house.
There was some delay in the response to the
alarm on the part OF the firemen, and when they
did arrive they refused to enter the burning
building until every machine had been shut
down. as some of the burning cables carried "A
very high voltage. Two Of the firemen were
overcome with smoke and were carried out of
the building with difficulty.
The work of replacing the damaged ca bles was
begun at once, and arrangements were made
with the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and
Manufacturing Company for power to operate
the local Buffalo trolley line. The loss will reach
$4,000
The work of replacing the reserve cables Will
take two or three days. Temporary repairs have
been made, however. relieving the electrical
famine which existed to-day in the territory
covered by the company
No serious trouble from lightning has been
experienced before at the power house. Coming
in January, it is regarded as most eXtraordl-
nary.
I,ockport y. Y, Jan. 30.-TWenty-fve OF the
ffty-fve factories here are shut down, owing
10 the fire at Niagara Falls. Fortunately most
Of the large mills by water and steam
power. The street car service is at a standstill,
except one line. which is operated by Buffalo
power and the Buffalo line. which is reduced to
one car hourly. The city lighting is not
A terrific thunder storm visited this city last
night.
Buffalo. Jan. 3O-The trolley lines in this city
which get their power from Niagara Falls We're
badly crippled early to-day, but by the use of
storage batteries a number of lines were oper-
ated though only limited number Of cars were
run. On several lines no cars were run
number Of buildings in this city were without
light or power. among them the City Hall.
A transformer is q piece of apparatus for raising
or lowering the voltage of alternating current.
For transmission d distance il Is customary 10
srnplov a voltage higher than that developed by the
,iynalnos and one higher than that which the
current is used destination The for
so doing is that less metal is required 10 conduct
a given volume OF energy al high pressure than
al = low ore The Niagara generators supply cur
rent at :, pressure 900 volts. On the old line
IN Buffalo pressure OF 1900 volts used, and
tie rev aluminium line OF 1901 transmitted % 900
Adjacent 10 the power house in Niagara in which
1hs ignsmos another small building. de-
voted entirely step up transformers. TO per
form ,he service just mentioned. Disa ablins them
current was Obliged to pass through those instru-
nents. would be- practicable TO send the cur
generated if the wires or rods which conducted II
were larger and II the step down transformers
in The sub-stations there had been constructed with
the purpose Of starting from 2eo volts. instead Of
1890 and 30