POWER DEVELOPMENT AT NIAGARA. 611 



that " it would take six months for the full effect of a flood iu 

 Lake Superior to be spent at Niagara Falls." It is easy, therefore, 

 to understand how little fluctuation of level there can be due to 

 seasonal variation in rainfall. Thus we see that quite apart from 

 the fact of the vast volume and head available, and of there being- 

 no necessity for building a dam to back up the water, the situa- 

 tion is peculiarly favorable to the development of a constant 

 power all the year round. 



In spite of the generally equable level of Lake Erie, there are 

 sometimes very considerable fluctuations, not of volume, but of 

 distribution, due to high winds sweeping the length of the lake 

 and causing a considerable banking of water at the end blown 

 into. Sometimes such storms have lasted for days, and have had 

 a very noticeable effect in increasing or diminishing the volume 

 going over the fall. A more serious cause of low water is an ice 

 jam at the head of the Niagara River. It is on record that in 

 March, 1847, the water practically ceased to flow, "not enough, 

 going over to turn a grindstone," as a local paper had it at the 

 time. These two circumstances do not, however, affect the even- 

 ness of flow to any extent worth mentioning compared with the 

 seasonal variations in rivers in general. 



The total fall between Lakes Erie and Ontario is three hun- 

 dred and twenty-nine feet, and is made up as follows: From Lake 

 Erie to the head of the falls, seventy feet ; the falls, one hundred 

 and sixty-one feet, and below to Lake Ontario, ninety- eight feet. 

 Consequently, the total power running to waste is more than 

 double the five million horse power on the falls. An idea of the 

 proportion that this total bears to what may be called the world's 

 consumption of power may be had from the fact that it is com- 

 puted to be equal to the total of all the steam-generated jjower in 

 the world. 



The geographical situation of the falls with respect to near- 

 ness to the at present great power-consuming centers is, as hinted 

 above, not quite all that could be desired ; but there are, neverthe- 

 less, several cities within reach, electrically speaking, which will 

 use an enormous amount. Buffalo may be said to be next door, 

 and Rochester is within easy reach*. In the not too distant future 

 we may expect to see the great electrical manufacturing works 

 in Schenectady operated, as is meet, by electrical power from 

 Niagara. 



The power company has, however, made branch track connec- 

 tions between the territory owned by it and three important rail- 

 way lines which all pass within a few miles of the property. 

 These connections and the good freight rates which have been 

 contracted for in various directions, together with the cheapness 

 of power, will in all likelihood attract to the spot manufactures 



