Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-05-26

that required for clearing out the forebay. To
screen the tunnel intakes from logs ice, etc. there
would be built an L-shaped reinforced concrete
wall, rising from the ledge Of the river bed to
sufficient height above the surface to divert hoat
ing objects into the currents sweeping onward
and over the two Falls According to the engineer
ing estimates, two tunnels can be cut and turbo-
generators placed and made ready for service
within an interval of two and half years.
Today, in the vicinity of Niagara Falls it costs
anywhere from $40 to 500 to generate by steam
horsepower year. If we strike an average, and
call the outlay $50 per annum, it should be man,
fest that economy of $120OO0,OOO in coal con-
sumption may be effected while adding tremen-
dousIy to the power available for industrial and
other purposes. If it be, assumed that horse
power year in the run Of steam plants calls for
the burning of tons of coal, then the substitu-
tion Of hydroelectric energy will save each twelve
months quite 12O00,0OO tons of fuel which, other
wise would have to be mined and transported
from the nearest fields, those in Pennsylvania.
1t is pertinent to emphasize here that in Buffalo,
only about 25 miles distant from Niagara Falls,
a big public service electric company develops
two-thirds Of its current at present by means Of
steam, and it is obliged to do this because it
not obtain all Of its energy from the compara-
lively nearby hydroelectrc plants. Think of it,
there within stones throw, to speak, of the
thunderous waters of the Falls, this concern has
to rely upon coal to generate $4,000 out of the
100000 horsepower needed by its customers. Thir-
ty years ago, the population of Buffalo was 250-
600 and is now 505,S75. increase of 1913 per
cent in three decades. The city of Niagara Falls,
when Incorporated in 1892, had population of
about 10000, and in the interval it has grown 600
per cent owing principally to the influence Of the
availability Of hundreds of thousands of horse
power in the form of electrical energy.
Indeed electricity is playing its part throughout
a wide zone lying around Niagara Falls-the
NY Of
current from that point, 160 miles away. and the
loss In transmission is less than 10 per cent at a
voltage of 10000. Using a potential Of 10000
volts, the Canadians distributing current near
ly 25O miles; and by raising this pressure to 22O-
600 volts, the radius of distribution could be
heightened to 500 miles, Under existing condi-
tons, the five pioneer companies located at the
Falls are developing 650,OO0 horsepower; and it
Is matter Of common knowledge what this has
brought about in the realm of electrochemical in
dustres Visualize, then, what fnOmentous evolu-
tions in our productive capacity would be made
possible If million and a half more Of motive
current were at hand
-Four years ago, in the State of New York alone,
the power requirements totaled something more
than 3,0OOOOO horsepower, and the demand was
then increasing under normal circumstances at
the rate of 100000 horsepower each twelve-month.
Therefore If the Goat island project were pushed
to completion, and equipped to provide a maxi
market for every kilowatthour of its output with
In the span Of comparatively short while. 1t
should be recognized, however, that this scheme
would, of necessity, divert water from the Falls.
and according to the measure Of this diversion,
affect the volume and possibly the scenic grandeur
of the cataracts. For this reason the proponents
of this enterprise do not urge its adoption first,
but advocate instead, the construction Of the dam
farther down the river.
AS an engineering undertaking, the dam pro-
posed at Fosters Flats, little less than five
miles below the Falls, would be much more am
bilious enterprise, and would permit of the devel-
opment of 100000 horsepower Of electrical en-
ergy. The plan is to take advantage Of the drop
of 102 feet in the river level between the foot
of the Falls and the site chosen by rearing mass
i've structure from the base line to the crest of the
spillway. This barrier would raise the water level
within the impounding area high enough to sub
merge the existing rapids and modify at the same
time the character Of the Whirlpool by making
it larger and more impressive. But the scenic