The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-06
[NIAGARA'S POWER /
| GOES TO SYRACUSE
1
ELECTRICITY GENERATED AT
FALLS WILL RUN FACTORIES.
New York City May Ultimately BE
Reached by Great Electric Octopus
Tt Is; Merely Question Of Economy-
Steel Towers Fifty-ive Feet High to
Conduct the Gables. ~, y..3

Niagara Falls.-The contract to de-
liver electricity, generated on the Cana
dian side of Niagara Falls, in Syracuse
marks the beginning of new era IN
power development at Niagara. The
tirst era saw power developed by two
companies, consumed at or, near the
fountain head. The transmission was
only to Buffalo, twenty-five miles away,
taken in large blocks by electro-ch chem
zeal concerns at Niagara Falls itself.
But now the transmission of cleo
tricity for long distances is sought, and
the carrying out of plans already con-
| ceived will cause Niagara Falls to "a
d:ate power to every important city
within 200 miles. The question arises as
tc the ultimate distance power will be
transmitted.
Syracuse, to be reached by the Mag
ara, Lockport & Ontario Power company
is said to be considering transmits
sion line to Cleveland, which is about
200 miles away. New York may some
time be market for Niagara Fal
| power.
Not Engineering Question.
The question is not an engineering
one. The transmission of power has been
! developed to such perfection that Mag
reach New York city with little loss by
the way. The question is merely one OF
economy. 1t is decided by the initial
cost Of power, the interest on the trans
mission line investment and the market
price for power at the terminal.
There is reason to believe that the
newer plants at Niagara are generating
n
increase the radius over which power
could be economically transmitted. The
bigger the market for power and the
| lower the cost of transmission, Tor big
amounts can be sent over the cable
almost rs cheaply as small amounts. So
it is possible that Niagara power will
| ultimately be sent to New York. -
AS it is, the transmission lines
planned are enormous. Syracuse, on the
east, Rlnghamton on the southeast,
Cleveland on the west and Toronto on
the north are objectives at present, and
the line to Syracuse is almost COM
pleted.
The power is generated by the On.
tarlo fover company, which has a
breakers in the rapids above the Horse
shoe falls. From the inmost forebay the
water is conducted in big steel pipe
reinforced by concrete just below the
surface of the Canadian park and
poured thru penstocks into the Niagara
gorge just below the falls 49,
Can Enlarge Power. . 81:
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 accordingly.
This woald give the Ontario Power
7 company a development of 25o,ooo-
horse power, making it the largest
a pawer plant, either constructed or
The power thus generated is used
partly in Canada, but the greater part
: is sent Gu cables across the Niagara;
,, gorge. four miles below the falls, to the
American side, whore it is sold in bulk
to the Niagara, Lockport & Ontario
{, Power company, an allied concern. From
! this point the American transmission
begins.
The right of way bought by the COM
y panv for it's transmission line is a strip
Of land between the Niagara river and
> Syracuse, 160 miles in length. From
the river to Lockport it is 500 feet
wide, from Lockport to Rochester, 200
= feet wide, and from Rochester to. SYRIA
/ cuse, 100 feet wide. A right Of way
. from I.ockport to West Seneca on the
I southern. boundary of Buffalo, 200 feet
wide, is also owned.
On this ribbon Of land thru New
( York state the company is erecting
1900 steel towers IS feet high, each
: weighing, $500 pounds and each set in
Syracuse $500 "AO frames of wooden
n construction are being erected; these
are to be replaced later by steel towers
NJ Each tower or wooden frame has
Is three iDsulators to support the three
% aluminium cables which carry the power
These iilsulators are the largest eve
made and weigh seventy--hve pounds
apiece-seventy pounds of spe
cially made porcelain=of a grade better
than domestic crockery. 49, IT,
$4,000 Miles of Wire. -.
The cables supported on these tower
each have nineteen strands-in fact
there are $4,000 miles Of heavy alum
~ mum wire in this transmission line t.
~ Syracuse. The power will be sent owe
50 these cables at a. voltage Of 10000.
% the question Of how much power; can b
- sent over, this line Evidently tn
Niagara, Lockport & Ontario Powe
= company bought the land with an ey
= to the future. - 49, - ),
y Roughly speaking, seven tower line
:: cal be built on this right Of way, an
90 if market were found for the powe
50 horse power to Syracuse, or 100000
40 horse power to Rochester. These figure
q a. are Sc great that they indicate.tha
co 60 New York in future years may be
IS terminal for Niagara power. -. s s5.s:
90 The fact that the Niagara, Lockpo1
- & Ontario Power company is to 'furnis
=. the New York Central the power to- b
IS used in the Identification of its line
25 vest Of Syracuse shows where the ma
90 90 kct for Il big proportion Of this powe
''' will be- The amount to be used is col
80 iectural The railroad has made col
'ao it il said. an option on very much NOR
20 The surplus will be used for pure]
.05 industrial business wherever customer
80 are found. d. .~ -. -
md - -.
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