Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-07
HARNESS NIAGARA
To WIN THE WAR.
Uncle Sam Acts to Increase Its
Supply of Water Power
for Industries.

NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y, Aug. 7:-
The harnessed power of the Niagara
river which. when the United States
entered the war, was being used for
purposes of peaceful industry, has
been turned into one of the principal
ties.
The federal government had to step
in to secure this result.
The treaty enacted by Great Bril-
tain and the United States in 1910 linz
its to $4,000 cubic feet per second the
amount of water which may be divert
ed for power purposes from Niagara's
220, 900 cubic feet. OF this, Canada Is
entitled to take SO, 700 cubic feet. and
the United States 10000 per second.
Three companies operate on the Ca
madam side, n two on h United
States side-the Niagara Falls Power
Co. and the Hydraulic Power Co.
When the United States entered the
war the Hydraulic Co. was delivering
an average of $4,000 horsepower to
users In Niagara Falls and western
New York. The Niagara Falls Power
Co. vas delivering $4,000 horse
power per day.
A great part of this was going to
concerns whose product could not be
used in war work. In Niagara Falls
and Buffalo are plants of the utmost
value to the government for war work
some of them producing materials
made nowhere else In the United
States.
without the abrasives. such as car
borundum and graphite, manufac-
tured in plants here, the machine
shops of the nation could not run.
Ferro-silicon. phosphorus, chlorine
all vital necessities of warfare pro-
duced in the Niagara Falls plants, de-
pendent upon water power.
These concerns could not be enlarg-
ed because the power available was
being used to Its maximum. But the
government simply had to have addi-
tional production of these war essen-
tails. Furthermore. 1t was impera-
tive tina 1t take over the electro
chemical works which dot the Niagara
river bank, to turn them into factories
for producing deadly gases and smoke
bombs.
So the secretary of war appointed a
commission, composed of Robert J.
Bulkeley and Brig. Gen. Charles KEEL
Ter of the Corps of Engineers, to study
the power situation. They recon-
mended hat the government take con-
troll of the Niagara power, cut of pow
err from non-essentia1 industries and
switch 1t to those essential to winning
the war. Secretary Baker approved
the report and designated the two men
to take control.
On December 2s. 1917, the COM
missioners issued orders for the re-
distribution of power, and both COM
panies have obeyed to the letter.
One-eleventh of all the power being
distributed by the two companies are
cut off from non-essential Industries
and re-assigned to essentials. Eleven
thousand, five hundred and eighty
four horsepower was taken from v
companies being served by the Hydro
electric Power Co. and reassigned to
five other companies. Twelve thou
sand. five hundred and e~ighty-four
horsepower was taken from three
companies being served by the Nj
agara Falls Power Co. and redlstribu-
ted to six concerns.
Two concerns-the Defiance Paper
Co. and the International Paper Co.
were deprived of all power. They
put In furnaces for the production of
ferro SILICON. their power was restored,
and they are now producing ferro-
silicon instead of print paper.
At present 1853 per cent of the
Niagara Falls Power Co.'S Juice" o
to direct war industries and another
11.65 per cent. to transportation. OF
the Hydraulic Power Co.'S supply e.
05 per cent. goes into var industries.
The war department has taken steps
to increase the amount of power. The
Niagara Falls Power &c. is not obtain
ing maximum results. The Hydraulic
Power Co. on the other hand. utilities
the full head of water allowed II. For
these reasons the war department has
brought the two companies into a
consolidation. which will result in CIV