The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-05-26
BACK or NIAGARA FALLS.
Remarkable Sight 70 he Seen from
the Tunnel Under the Great
Horseshoe.

hard on the Canadian side Of the Nj
agara to prepare for generating eles-
trical power from the falls. Two OF
these companies are controlled by
American capital, and the third exclu-
sively by Canadian and English cap
ital All expect to sell their product
on the Canadian side. and TO distribute
power to points as much as 200 miles
distant from the falls. says the New
York sun
Each company has encountered some
interesting engineering problems In
the course Of the work One company.
for example, has had TO plan for a roof
OF unusual strength over its power
house. because Il is expected that the
spray from the falls in winter will
thateh the roof with five feet Of solid
ice,
No part OF the work Is more inter-
esting than that undertaken by the
Canadian company The penstock, or
great trench. OF this company, al the
bottom Of which win be placed The
turbines that are to generate the pow
er. is 1900 feet from the center of tho
Horseshoe falls
The great trench is to be 100 feet
deep by 400 feet long. and 30 feet wide.
The problem presented was to dis
charge the water from the bottom Of
this trench. after II had passed through
the turbines and done is work.
The engineers decided that In order
10 accomplish this a tunnel should lie
extended from the bottom Of the pen
stock 20 the eenter Of she Horseshoe
falls. For this purpose a shaft about
ten feet square was sunk on the Cana
dian side a little above the falls 10 a
depth Of about $50 feet
From the bottom OF this shaft was
dug a tunnel to a point few hundred
feet above the center OF the falls to
meet the line OF the 1.9O0-foot tunnel
that Is to run directly from the bottom
OF the penst0ck 70 the center Of the
falls when this line was struck the
workmen began tunneling directly to-
ward the penstock.
In order to make the removal Of the
debris easy there was dug from the
tunnel leading from the ten-foot sha't
short tunnel to a point beneath the
falls and pretty close 10 the Canadian
side. One may now stand at the mouth
Of this tunnel within a few feet Of the
whole mass OF Niagara's vast down
pour. and looking through the roaring
sheet see the dim, transfused light OF
day outside Those who have had this
privilege say II Is a wonderful sight
When the tunnel to the penstock
has been completed u Will be extended
from the point Of intersection Of the
working tunnel from the ten-foc:
shaft 70 the center Of the falls al
depth OF about $50 feet This whole
i.s00-foot tunnel win eventually be
horseshoe shape. with a vertical dia-
meter Of 20 feet
The horizontal bottom. paved with
solid blocks Of stone. win be "a feet
vide. Along this tunnel the waste
water from the penstock viii fow 10
discharge itself into the volume OF the
Horseshoe falls some feet above the
bottom.
Already a considerable part of tho
tunnel TO the penstock has been dug.
and the debris Is being daily dumped
AZ the mouth Of the short auxiliary
tunnel opening beneath the falls near
the Canadian side Il viii take i've
months 70 complete the tunnel, aud
probably a year 70 get the power sta
iion In running order.
When running fun II VIII generate
10000 horsepower Engineers from
this dsy who have seen the work in
progress describe & as Of great inter-
es ard marveleasly ingenious In the
way means have been adapted TO the
ends ~ b. accomplished