Niagara on Tap
By Professor Thomas H. Norton
To what extent should Niagara Falls be sacrificed in the production of elec- tric power F Each year zvitnesses a groiving bitterness between tivo factions : The one insists that no scenic treasure shall be permanently marred by servi- tude to the demands of commercialism; the other claims with almost relent- less logic, that in the case of Niagara, the right of the nation to utilise the enormous poiver available, shall not be subordinated to a mere sentiment. Professor Thomas H. Norton, in a paper ivhich he read before the American Electrochemical Society, outlined a scheme zvhereby it zvould be possible to satisfy those zvho see only the beauty of Niagara, and those who see only pozuer going to waste. The following article by Professor Norton is an abstract from the paper in question, especially revised for this issue of the Popular Science Monthly by its author. — Editor.
��THERE must be some practicable, workable thesis, according to the terms of which, on our own con- tinent for example, the rights of its in- habitants shall suffer no material diminu- tion in the opportunity to fully enjoy the splendor of Niagara, while conditions are created which permit the utilization, on a satisfactory scale, of the tremendous source of power, — one of the nation's grandest assets.
The principle of an interjuiftciit zvater- fall would appear to offer a simple, but thoroughly practicable solution. It may be briefly formulated as follows:
During somewhat more than half of the twenty-four hours, especially during the night time, a waterfall is completely harnessed. Every kilowatt which it is capable of creating is devoted to the service of industry. During a shorter period — from ten A. M. to eight P. M. — the cataract resumes its normal activity, contributing to the esthetic enjoyment of all who behold it.
In the case of Niagara, naturally the most familiar of the world's great catar- acts to the readers of the Popular Sci- ence Monthly, the application of the intermittent principle would offer no dif- ficulties of an engineering nature. The topographic factors are simple.
To harness completely the great mass of descending water is a matter of comparative ease. The expense would be far less than that required for the monumental Assouan Dam of the river
��Nile, — five hundred millions. It would probably not exceed two hundred mil- lions at the outside.
One-quarter of a mile above the west- ern extremity of Goat Island, where rip- ples betray the beginning of the upper rapids, a dam would be constructed at right angles to the axis of the river. The length would be about four-fifths of a mile. Niagara River at this point is ex- ceedingly shallow. Equidistant soimd- ings from the American shore to the Canadian shore show an average depth of 3% feet. It is evident that the con- struction, based upon the rocky bed of the river, would be relatively easy and inexpensive.
The dam would possess the necessary architectural features to harmonize with the environment. The water impounded by the closing of the gates could be led by huge canals, on both sides of the gorge, to the edge of the bluff overlook- ing Lake Ontario. From this point a multitude of penstocks and rock tunnels would conduct the entire volume of wa- ter to the level of the river near Queens- ton on the Canadian side and Lewiston on the American side, where battaHons of power-houses can easily be located.
The total section of the system of can- als and penstocks required for the com- plete utilization of the average flow of Niagara River would be approximately sixteen thousand square feet. The mean flow of water, with a hydrostatic head of nearly three hundred and fifteen feet,
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