Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-02-27

If the stupendous undertaking Of
certain English capitalists is carried
out to successful conclusion Darkest
Africa will become Lightest Africa,
for with the unlimited power of Vic
toria falls on the Zambesia harnessed
and transmitted into electrical energy
there will be no limit to the possibili-
ties resulting therefrom. The breadth
of the falls is 5,400 feet and the fall of
the water is $50 feet to the gorge be-
low. This energy now going to waste
is to be utilized and the electricity
generated transmitted over 600 miles
to the gold mines at johannesburg
How bold such plan is can be appre-
ciated when it is stated that the long
est transmission of electrical current
up to the present time is only little
over $50 miles. And so if the project
succeeds it will not only mark a
marvellous development in the hand
ling of the electrical current, but the
labor problem of the Rand will find
easy solution. The firm of Sir Doug
las Fox and partners are the en-
gfneers-in-chief of the enterprise,
known as the Victoria Falls Power
company, Limited, the advisory board
including such eminent scientists as
Lord Kelvin, NJ. Andre Blondel, of
Paris, DR.. Klingenberg, professor at
the Royal Technical college of Berlin,
and DR.. E. Tissot, of Bale, amongst
the engineers associated with them
being Mr.. Ralph D. Mershon, of New
York, who has a worldwide reputa-
ton in connection with longdistance
electrical transmission, and Mr.. Ar
thur Wright, consulting electrical en-
gineer to the boroughs of Brighton,
Marylebone and Stepney; while also
connected with the project are such
wellknown names as Sir Lewis Nit
chell, general manager of the Stand
ard Bank of South Africa, and Mr.. H.
Wilson Fox, manager of the Chartered
company, and originator of the power
scheme. The Victoria falls lend them
selves admirably to the generation of
electricity by hydraulic power, and
the construction of the proposed
works offers no great engineer
ing difficulties. To begin with, cleo.
trical plant for the production of So
900 horse power will be installed,
though the intake and the canal will
be made large enough for double that
capacity. The intake will be on the
left or northern bank of the river,
above the falls, and the canal will con-
duct the water to spot near the top
of the gorge at the first bend below
through steel tubes to the power
house near the waters edge $50 feet
below. By high tension electric cur
rent the power will be conveyed to
the Rand, and at the main receiving
station system of hydraulic storage
will be installed. The object of this
is to store the energy not Immediate
ly wanted by pumping water to the
top of high hill, whence it is re-
leased, as required, for the production
of fresh electrical power. Coupled
with this hydraulic storage will be a
steam-driven reserve station, with a
capacity of 10000 horsepower, as a
standby in case of temporary inter-
ruption of the current from the falls,
another guarantee that users of the
supply will have absolute security for
it's continuity. 1t is well to remember
that the enterprise will in no way in
terfere with the beauty of the falls,
for the British South Africa company
has fenced off large area as pub
lie park, extending some miles along
both banks. The Victoria Falls Pow
er company will have a total capital
of $30,000,000. The first instalment
Of the work will be completed in two
years, and the company will effect a
saving of $5,O00,0O0 per annum in the
cost of working the mines.