The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-30
NIAGARA'S ELECTRIC ERA.
POWER TO BE SENT TO SYRIA
 CUSE, 100 MILES AWAY.


 Line as Projected the Greatest in the
 World.
 Niagara Falls, Jan. 27.-The contract to deliver electricity, generated on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, in Syracuse by March 1 marks the begin ming of new era in power develop ment by two companies, consumed at or near the fountain head. The trans mission was only to Buffalo, twenty two miles away, and much of the pow CT generated was taken in large blocks by electric chemical concerns at Mag ara Falls itself.
 But now the transmission of electric ity for long distances is sought, and the carrying out of plans already con- ceived will cause Niagara Falls to ra- diate power to every important city within two hundred miles. The ques- tion arises as to the ultimate distance over which Niagara power will be transmitted.
 hoy ttOLtoOJ lO bC ICebCllSN HJy tliS ANleAS ara, Lockport and Ontario Power com pany is one hundred and sixty miles away. This same company is said to be considering a transmission line to Cleveland, which is about two hundred miles away. New York may some time be market for Niagara Falls power
 The question of power has been de- veloped to such perfection that Niaga- ra's energy, placed on cable, could reach New York city with little loss by the way. The question Is merely one of economy. It is decided by the ini- tial cost of power, the interest on the transmission line investment and the market price for power at the terminal.
 There is reason to believe that the newer plants at Niagara are genera ting power at a very low cost This would increase the radius over which power could be economically transmit ted, The bigger the market for power the lower the cost of transmission, for big amounts can be sent over the cable almost as cheaply as small amounts. So it is possible that Niagara power will ultimately reach New York.
 AS it is the transmission lines planned are enormous. Syracuse on the east, Binghamton on the southeast, Cleveland on the west and Toronto on the north are objectives at present, and the line to Syracuse is almost complet- ed.
 The power is generated by the Onta- rio Power Company, which has a series of forebays at the first line of breakers in the rapids above the Horseshoe Falls. From the inmost forebay the water is conducted in big steel pipe i re-enforced by concrete just below the surface of the Canadian park and poured through penstocks into the Mi agara gorge just below the falls.
 One such pipe line and the power house it supplies are built The com pany can construct two other pipes and enlarge its power house to cores pond This would give the Ontario Power company a development of 25O,- 900 horsepower, making it the largest power plant either constructed or planned in the world.
 The power thus generated Is used partly in Canada, but the greater part .is sent on cables across the Niagara gorge, four miles below the falls, to the American side, where 1t Is sold in bulk to the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power company, an allied concern From this point the American trans mission begins.
 The right of way bought by the con- pany for it's transmission line is strip of land between the Niagara river and Syracuse one hundred miles in length From the river to Lockport it is three hundred feet wide, from Lockport tC Rochester two hundred feet wide and from Rochester to Syracuse one hun dred feet wide. A right of way from Locbport to West Seneca on the south ern boundary of Buffalo two hundred feet wide is also owned.
 On this ribbon of land through New York State the company is erecting 1,5O0 steel towers fifty-five feet high each weighing 25OO pounds and eacl set in a concrete base. From Roches ter to Syracuse 2,5OO "A' frames ol wooden construction are being erected these to be replaced later by steel tow CTS.
 Each tower or wooden frame has three insulators to support the three aluminium cables which carry the pow. CT. These insulators are the largest ever made and weigh seventy-fvt pounds of specially made porcelain ol a grade better than domestic crockery
 The cables supported on these towers each have nineteen strands-in fac there is 12,000 miles of heavy aluminium wire in this transmission line to Syra ouse. The power will be sent ove these cables at a voltage of 60,000,
 The very wide right of way leads tC the question of how much power cal be sent over this line. Evidently tn Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Powe Company bought the land with an ey to the future
 Roughly speaking, seven tower line can be built on this right of way, 'ant if a market were found for the poWN it would be possible to send 5000 horsepower to Syracuse or 10000 horsepower to Rochester, These fig ures are so great that they indicat, that New York in future years may b a terminal for Niagara power.
 The fact that the Niagara, Lockpor and Ontario Power Company is to fur nish the New York Central the powe to be used in the identification of it