USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 21
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growth of the appreciative interest in these propositions shown by the following men: William B. Rankine, Francis Lynde Stetson, J. Pier- pont Morgan, Hamilton McK. Twombly, Edward A. Wickes Morris K. Jessup, Darius Ogden Mills, Charles F. Clark, Edward D. Adams, Charles Lanier, A. J. Forbes-Leith, Walter Howe, John Crosby Brown. Frederick W. Whitbridge, William K. Vanderbilt, George S. Bowdoin, Joseph Larocque, Charles A. Sweet, and John Jacob Astor. Many of these men have served the corporation in some official capacity and given freely of their time and experience in the conduct of the enter- prise. Edward D. Adams was chosen president of the company, and still retains the position.
The general plan finally adopted (which largely followed that of Mr. Evershed) comprised the construction of a surface canal 250 feet in width at its mouth, on the margin of the river, a mile and a quarter above the falls, extending inwardly 1,700 feet, with an average depth of about twelve feet, serving water sufficient for the development of about 100.000 horse power. The solid masonry walls of this canal are pierced at intervals on one side with ten inlets, guarded by gates which permit the delivery of water in the wheel pit at the side of the canal. This wheel pit is 178 feet in depth and is connected by a lateral tunnel with the main tunnel serving the purpose of a tail race about 7,000 feet in length, with an average hydraulic slope of six feet in 1,000, the tunnel having a maximum height of twenty-one feet and width of eighteen feet ten inches, its section being 386 square feet. Its slope is such that a chip thrown into the water at the wheel pit will pass out of the portal in three and one-half minutes, showing the water to have a velocity of twenty-six and one-half feet per second, or a little less than twenty miles an hour when running at its maximum capacity. On the other side of the canal are wells for users of hydraulic power. Over 1,000 men were engaged continuously for more than three years in the con- struction of this tunnel, which called for the removal of more than 300, - 000 tons of rock and the use of more than 16,000,000 brick for lining. The construction of the canal, and especially of the wheel pit, 175 feet in depth, with its surmounting power house, were works of correspond- ing difficulty and importance.
After the most searching investigation by the ablest men to be found
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for the task, the turbine wheels designed by Faesch & Pickard, of Geneva, Switzerland, were adopted for the initial power supply. These wheels were built by the I. P. Morris Company, of Philadelphia, and three of them are now installed.
These matters settled, it became necessary in 1890, to decide upon one of the four methods recommended for transmitting power by ropes, by hydraulic pipes, by compressed air, or by electricity. Some of the most prominent engineers as late as in the year just named, had little faith that any method except compressed air could be successfully utilized. To settle this important question, one of the engineers of the company (John Bogart), and Francis Lynde Stetson, vice-president of of the company, made a tour of inspection to various points in Europe, England, and America, and examined the best examples of such work to be found.
The activity in discussion of all electrical problems, and the great development in the use of the subtle fluid during the past five or six years is well known ; and it may be safely stated that by far the most important result of such discussion and the investigation by Messrs. Stetson and Bogart, was the adoption of electricity for the transmission of power at Niagara Falls. This decision was reached in 1890, after the tour above mentioned was concluded-a decision based, to a con- siderable extent at least, on what was seen of such transmission in France. Later examples of transmission of power by electricity, sixteen miles from Tivoli to Rome, Italy, and for a long distance at Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere, still further strengthened faith in that method. In December, 1891, the company invited competitive plans and es- timates for development of its electric power and its transmission locally and to Buffalo. The result of the competition was the adoption of a two-phase alternating generator of 5,000 horse power capacity, develop- ing 2,200 volts. The form of dynamo adopted and employed was designed by the company's electric engineer, Prof. George Forbes, of London. A contract for three of these dynamos was entered into with the West- inghouse Company, of Pittsburg, and after their completion they were thoroughly tested and installed. On April 4, 1895, Rudolphe Bau- mann, a Swisss engineer, who was conspicuous in perfecting the hy- draulic plant, moved the hand wheel controlling the first turbine, the
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great generator at the top of the shaft began to revolve and the power was ready for transmission, testifying to the ability and genius of the various men associated in the work of producing a 5,000 horse power unit of machinery, capable of transforming the energy of falling water into electric energy and needing only suitable conductors to carry it across miles of country.
The power developed by this company is already in large and suc- cessful use, both at Niagara Falls and in Buffalo. The first distribution of electrical power was made to the Pittsburg Reduction Company, which has erected a plant for the manufacture of aluminum near the company's canal, and began using the power in August, 1895. Several other companies with local plants, and the Niagara Falls Lighting Com- pany are now successfully using the power. In December, 1895, the city of Buffalo granted a franchise to the power company to supply power to that city, under the terms of which as extended it must be prepared to furnish 10,000 horse-power to consumers by December 31, 1897, and 10,000 additional horse-power in each successive year. Un- this arrangement the Buffalo Railway Company contracted to take 1,000 horse-power at a rate of $36 per horse-power per year. A pole line was erected consisting of three continuous cables of uninsulated copper, the total length of which is about seventy eight miles. Shortly after midnight on November 16, 1896, the power was first transmitted to Buffalo under impressive circumstances. Everything operated suc- cessfully and 1, 000 horse-power is now in use by the Buffalo Railway Company for the propulsion of cars. The news of the event was sent throughout the world, making the name of Niagara Falls more familiar than ever before.
One of the important auxiliary features of the plans of this power company is the founding of the village of Echota as a suburb of the city. For this purpose the company purchased a tract of land about 3,000 feet long in a direction parallel with the river and 1,500 feet wide, comprising eighty-four acres of flat land that had been comparatively useless. The improvements here made have been effected by the Niagara Development Company, which is intimately connected with the power company, and under immediate supervision of W. A. Brack- enridge, resident engineer of the latter company. Without attempting
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to go into details, which is impracticable in these pages, it may be stated that on this tract of land is already founded a model industrial village, comprising thus far some seventy-four dwellings, built upon modern plans for perfect sanitation ; a building for stores with an assem- bly room above ; a handsome brick school building ; a complete plant for sewerage disposal according to the latest methods; water from the Niagara Falls Water Works Company ; streets paved with Telford- Macadam pavement, and other features. The dwellings are all built by the company for rental to tenants.
The power company owns about 1, 200 acres of land adjoining its cen- tral station and the surface canal, which it is designed to lease for indus- trial purposes. This land has been laid out in streets and blocks and a freight railroad has been built connecting with the lines that enter Niagara Falls. This road was built by the Niagara Junction Railway Company, which is allied with the power company and runs through the whole length of the company's property, connecting with all the main lines of other railroads entering the city, and docks have been constructed on the river, making connection with the traffic of the great lakes. At about the same time a new water works plant was estab- lished with a capacity of 6,000,000 gallons per day, the water being taken from the river a mile above the falls. The whole city is thus given an excellent water supply.
A handsome stone power house has been erected over the wheel pit, in which is a fifty-ton traveling crane ; the building is two hundred feet in length.
The accompanying map shows a part of the city of Niagara Falls, with the location and comparative area of the properties of the power company and its allied organizations.
There are three large corporations allied with the Niagara Falls Power Company, as follows : The Cataract Construction Company, the Niagara Junction Railway Company, and the Niagara Development Company.
The rapid development of the present street railways of the city of Ni- agara Falls and the immediate surrounding country has been no less re- markable than the growth of other important interests. At the present time different parts of the city itself are connected with excellent roads
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which are equipped with modern cars running at brief intervals, while Lewiston, Youngstown, Schlosser, La Salle, Tonawanda and Buffalo are all brought within short rides, some of which give the passenger glimpses of the grandest scenery in the country. The Niagara Falls and Sus- pension Bridge Railway Company was chartered October 20, 1882, with a capital of $750,000. This road with its equipment, as at pres- ent existing, has cost about $1,125,000, and owns about seventeen miles of track. It extends through and around the city and to the Whirlpool Rapids. John C. Brewster is superintendent.
The Niagara Falls, Whirlpool and Northern Railroad Company was chartered March 3, 1894, with a capital of $50,000. The total cost of the road is $72,500 ; it has one and three-fourths miles of track, ex- tending from the city line to Devil's Hole in the town of Lewiston.
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Electric Railway Company was con- solidated May 24, 1895 ; construction on the line began May 10 of that year. and the road was completed September 22 of that year. The capital is $1,250,000, and thirty miles of track are operated. The cost of the road and equipment is $2, 102, 169. The cars are run by electric power supplied by the Niagara Falls Power Company. W. Caryl Ely, president ; Burt Van Horn, secretary and treasurer ; C. K. Marshall, superintendent
The Niagara Falls and Lewiston Electric Railway Company, operat- ing the well known Great Gorge road, which extends from the falls to Lewiston at or near the foot of the cliffs along the river, was organized and the road opened in 1896. In the same year a road was extended to Youngstown.
The Niagara Falls Gas Company was organized December 21, 1859, with the following officers : Stoughton Pettebone, president ; James F. Trott, secretary ; N. Walsh, treasurer ; George W. Parsons, superin- tendent and constructing engineer. The original capital of the com- pany was $20,000 ; this amount was largely increased in later years. The works were constructed as soon as practicable after the formation of the company, being completed May 1, 1860. At a later date the company's mains were extended to Suspension Bridge village and in 1866 a gasometer was erected there. The company now has about twenty-seven miles of mains, and L. A. Boore has been its secretary and superintendent since October 1, 1883.
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At the present time the city is well lighted by electricity by the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Electric Light and Power Company, of which J. P. Chapin is manager.
The first fire company of Niagara Falls was organized in 1834, with the name of the Belchertown Company, a peculiar title taken from the old hand engine then in use, which was purchased in Belchertown, Mass. In early years the customary devices of buckets and ladders and hooks were the only appliances for extinguishing fires, until the old engine was brought into use. Two substantial stone buildings were erected, the last one in 1875, for the use of the company and their ap- paratus, which at that time comprised Cataract Engine and Hose Com- pany, No. I, Niagara Hose Company No. 2, Rescue Hook and Ladder Company No. I, and Protection Fire Company No. I, then recently organized.
At the time of the city incorporation the department consisted of the following organizations: Cataract Engine and Hose Company No. I, Niagara Hose Company No. 2, Rapids Hose Company No. 3, Belle- vue Hose Company, No. 4, Mayle Hose Company No. 5, Active Hose Company No. 6, Gaskill Hose Company No. 7, Excelsior Hook and Ladder Company No. I, Rescue Hook and Ladder Company No. 2, Flagler Hook and Ladder Company No. 3.
The city charter provided for the appointment of a chief engineer, a first and second assistant engineer, a superintendent of fire alarm, and four fire wardens, one for each ward. Herman C. Hertel is the present chief; Herman Hertel, first assistant; Oliver M. Young, second assist- ant ; William C. Edwards, secretary and treasurer. The department as at present organized comprises all of the above named companies and also the Electric City Hose Company, the Mill Reserve Hose Company, Cataract Jr. Hose Company, Emerald Hose Company No. 8, Independent Hose Company No. 9.
The Niagara Falls Water Works Company was organized January 10, 1877, with the following officers: Franklin Spalding, president ; Benjamin Rhodes, secretary; Fr. R. Delano, treasurer; Franklin Spalding, Stoughton Pettebone, Alvah Cluck, Francis R. Delano, D. R. Jerauld, William F. Evans, and Benjamin Rhodes, trustees. During the year 1877 three and a half miles of water mains were laid, and
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twenty seven hydrants set, the water being taken from Niagara River by the Holly pump used in the Suspension Bridge Water Works. This company was a private corporation with a paid up capital of $25,000.
In 1896, after the Niagara Falls Company had purchased most of the stock of this company, a new pumping station and filter plant was added at the Falls, with a capacity of 6,000,000 gallons daily. The present cost of the plant is about $308,000. There are fifteen miles of water mains. William B. Rankine is president of the company; F. U. Wilcox, secretary and treasurer ; S. T. Murray, superintendent.
VILLAGE OF SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
The village of Suspension Bridge, which in 1892 became a part of the city of Niagara Falls, as before described, was originally named Bellevue, and was thus known until June 8, 1854, when it was incorpo- rated as a village under the name of Niagara City. Since about the time of the construction of the Roebling suspension bridge and the rapid ad- vancement of the place as a railroad center, it has been called Suspen- sion Bridge.
The history of this village is almost wholly modern, except through its near relation to the important events which took place on the Niagara frontier prior to the close of the war of 1812-15, which have been de- scribed in earlier chapters. As late as 1845 there were only two or three farm houses within the village limits as they existed at the time of its annexation to Niagara Falls city. There was at that time a sul- phur spring possessing considerable local popularity a little north of the end of the bridge, over which had been erected a building. The flow of water from this spring was largely stopped by the erection of the bridge.
The land on which the village stands formerly was owned by E. P. Graves, Orson Childs, and a Mr. Williamson, an Englishman. The latter owned the central part of the tract, which included the site of the bridge landing. In 1845 a speculative organization called the Bellevue Land Company was formed by Col. John Fisk, of Rochester; Gen. Charles B. Stuart, of Schenectady ; J. V. E. Vedder, of Geneva, and Roswell G. Benedict, of Saratoga. The principal purpose of this com- pany was the purchase of a large part of the village site and the inaug-
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uration and development of various improvements thereon. Their first important operation was the construction of a roadway from a point near the end of the bridge to a landing near the river edge a little far- ther up the stream. In 1846 the Maid of the Mist, a small steamboat, was built in the eddy above the bridge and began carrying pleasure seekers and travelers up and down and across the river. In 1854 a larger and better boat was built for this purpose and launched on July 14 of that year. For a time the operations of the proprietors were suc- cessful and promising of satisfactory profits, and the future looked bright ; but later on opposing interests and other local causes resulted in ulti- mate loss.
In the settlement of affairs the then owner of the Maid of the Mist, W. G. Buchanan, decided to sell the boat. Receiving an offer from persons who insisted on the delivery of the boat at the mouth of the river, the problem was presented of how to get her below the surging waters of the whirlpool rapids, through which no living animal had ever passed. Mr. Buchanan resolved to accept the offer, provided he could find some person venturesome enough to attempt to run the boat through the whirlpool and down the swift current to the mouth of the river. It
was not easy to find a man for the hazardous undertaking and it was the opinion of many who were competent to judge, that if the attempt was made, the craft would inevitably be dashed to pieces and all on board perish. Finally, Joel R. Robinson came forward and offered his services to command the boat on the perilous trip, and James McIntyre and James H. Jones volunteered to accompany him, the former to as- sist at the wheel and the latter as engineer A day was set for the voy- age and about three o'clock in the afternoon the start was made. On- ward swept the little craft and after a vain effort to keep her near the Canada side of the stream and out of the more violent plunges of the rapids, she darted out towards the whirlpool. For a few moments the boat was at the mercy of the tumultuous waters and was hurled hither and thither on the waves, but sooner than the story can be told she was through the most dangerous part of the voyage and in comparative safety, having suffered only slight damage. In seventeen minutes from the time she left the landing she came to the dock at Queenston.
The Bellevue Land Company pursued its plans with energy and sent
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out broadcast propositions to capitalists to establish manufactures on its land, but . without expected returns. The Witmer grist mill was built in 1846-47, and in the latter year, on August 21, the International Suspension Bridge Company was organized with the following directors: William H. Merritt, Thomas C. Street, J. Cummings, Charles B. Stuart, J. Oswald, Samuel Zimmerman, Washington Hunt, Samuel De Veaux, Charles Evans, Isaac C. Colton, Lot Clark. William O. Buchanan was chosen superintendent.
The first suspension bridge was built by the International Bridge Company, under the supervision of Charles Ellet, jr., of Philadelphia, who came here in the winter of 1847 and put up at the old Eagle Tavern, on the site of the International Hotel. The venerable Theo- dore G. Hulett was consulted by the engineer and tells the following in- teresting story of what followed:
The engineer stated in detail his plan of construction. First, to provide some means of crossing the gorge with men and tools without crossing at a ferry at Lew- iston-five miles below-thus saving ten miles travel for each desired crossing. His plan was to erect two towers, one on either side, twenty-five feet in height, and to suspend a wire cable of thirty-six strands of No. 10 wire from the top of these tow- ers, with about thirty feet deflection, and upon which to place a yoke with grooved rollers at either end, and from which to suspend a cage of sufficient capacity to accommodate two men, and this cage to be drawn across from side to side by means of a stationary windlass on either side of the bank. The first thing to be settled was the size, form and material of which this cage should be constructed. The en- gineer proposed this cage to be made of wood, and instead, I suggested iron. The engineer's objection to iron was its weight. In answer, I suggested that I thought one of iron could be made of less weight and more secure than one of wood. To test this proposition, the engineer made a plan of his wooden cage, and carefully weighed, by figures, its weight. I then made a plan of a basket made of iron, which was also weighed and found to be ten pounds lighter than the wood. "We will have it iron," exclaimed the engineer, provided we can get it made. I assured the engineer that getting it made would present no difficulty, as I would make it with my own hands. The next interrogatory of the engineer was, "What shall be its form?" We both at the time were sitting in rocking chairs of the same pattern. I requested the engineer to arise, and these two rockers were drawn close together, the engineer exclaiming, "That is just what we want and will have." Next in order was the construction of the cable upon which the basket was to travel. This cable was to be constructed of thirty-six strands of No. 10 wire, each strand to be subjected to a uniform strain, and the thirty-six strands bound into a round form by being wrapped by a transverse wrapping of a small annealed wire at intervals of eight inches, each wrapping being about four inches in length. This cable was formed around an iron yoke or clevis at either end as a means of fastening to the
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rock. After the detail of making the cable was disposed of, then came the ques- tion of how to get it over. The engineer suggested offering a premium of ten dol- lars to the first boy who should successfully fly over the gorge his kite string and fasten its ends to a tree on either side. This premium brought a score of lads into the contest, and a boy by the name of Homan Walsh (who now resides in Lincoln, Neb.) was the successful winner of the prize, which was paid as soon as the kite string was secured on the bank of the stream. The following day a stronger line was drawn over by the kite string, and a rope of sufficient strength to haul over the iron cable was substituted. By means of this rope the iron cable was hauled across the river and its ends secured to the solid rock and placed upon the wooden towers. I made the iron basket and its attachments with my own hands, and it was placed upon the cable. A strong windlass consisting of a wooden drum of about four feet in diameter, and so geared that one man at the crank could haul over any re- quired load. One of these windlasses was placed on each bank, the draft rope passing around these drums at one end, and the other attached to the yoke from which the basket was suspended. This yoke was made of iron, with a grooved roller at either end that it ran upon, and the flanges astride the cable.
The first passage of this basket was attempted to be made empty, but when almost across it suddenly stopped and the windlass on the opposite side would not bring it ashore. It could be drawn back, but not forward, and the basket was drawn back to the American shore. Engineer Ellett mounted the car, which was let loose from the tower, and which descended the down grade with great velocity until its momentum was arrested by the up grade on the opposite side, when the windlass on the opposite side was set in motion and hauled the basket with its pass- enger to the point of obstruction, which was found to be a spot in the cable that had been flattened when the cable was being hauled across, and to such extent that that exceeded the width of the groove in the roller, which caused the flange of the forward end of the roller to rise upon the cable and its edge to sink between the ex- panded strands of the cable, The engineer saw the difficulty at a glance, and he soon remedied it by contracting the width of the cable, and the rollers passed over and the first passenger landed in safety across the gorge in this fairy basket. It was found that the groove in the rollers was too shallow and the tread too narrow to prevent undue friction on the transverse wrapping of the cable, and new and deeper grooved rollers were substituted. This change made this mode of transpor- tation was complete, and it was used for that purpose for more than one year, and carried across the gorge more than two thorsand passengers. This cable was used until the preliminary bridge structure was completed, and then removed.
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