6i4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



that was to be developed would admit of considerable subdivision, 

 not only of the units of power production (each unit consisting 

 of a turbine and generator), but also of the ways in which the 

 electrical power would best be sent out to consumers. 



As already mentioned, a number of manufacturing establish- 

 ments are locating themselves on the property owned by the Cat- 

 aract Construction Company, and to these it would at first sight 

 seem natural and best to deliver electrical power straight from 

 the power-house generators to their motors, seeing that this could 

 easily be done without much loss of voltage on the carrying line ; 

 and, on the other hand, for distant work, as at Buffalo and Roch- 



l''io. 3. INTERIOR OF LARGE MAIN TUNNEL, SHOWING JUNCTION OF LATERAL TUNNEL FROM 

 NIAGARA PAPER COMPANY'S WHEEL PIT. 



ester, to use a high potential on the line with transformers at the 

 consuming end or at both ends. It has, however, been decided 

 not to thus take advantage of the mechanical subdivision of the 

 plant to use different types of generators for different kinds of 

 work, but to adopt as a standard one good form of machine and 

 use it throughout, at least until the plant is increased. 



Perhaps the most remarkable consequence of this step will 

 be that the Pittsburg Reduction Company, which manufactures 

 metallic aluminum by the action of electricity upon certain com- 

 pounds of that metal in a state of fusion, and which expects to 

 use some thousands of electrical horse power when established at 

 the falls, will receive it in the form of an alternating current, 



