page_title: Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company
section_title: Hydraulic Power Company of Niagara Falls
hierarchical_section_title: Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company / Company history / Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company / Hydraulic Power Company of Niagara Falls
caption_attribution_description: Niagara Gorge Railroad
context_page_description: Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company was an American company, based in Niagara Falls, New York that was the first company to generate hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls in 1882. The company built upon several predecessor companies efforts to construct a canal used for hydraulic mill power. In 1918, the company merged with Niagara Falls Power Company, which later became Niagara Mohawk and in 2002 was acquired by National Grid plc.
context_section_description: In 1907, the New York Public Service Commission law was passed which regulated the rights of non-electrical corporations from engaging in the development of electric energy and distribution of it. Therefore, the hydraulic business of "Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company" became the "Hydraulic Power Company of Niagara Falls" and "Cliff Electrical Distributing Company" was formed to distribute the power. The "Hydraulic Power Company" owned the building itself, the land, the penstocks, the turbines, and the water wheels.
  The company furnished power to many of the largest factories and industrial companies in Niagara Falls, New York. Among the company's larger contracts for power is that for the Niagara Gorge Railroad, the Aluminum Company of America, The National Electrolytic Company, and many other large manufacturing interests in Niagara Falls.
  As of 1908, officers of the company were George B. Mathews (president), William D. Olmsted (vice president) Arthur Schoellkopf (secretary and treasurer), Paul A. Schoellkopf (assistant secretary and treasurer), John L. Harper (chief engineer). The board of directors was composed of George B. Mathews, William D. Olmstead, Arthur Schoellkopf, Jacob F. Schoellkopf Jr., and J. L. Romer.
caption: Niagara Gorge Railroad in 1913
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