HYDROLOGY OF NEW YORK 



653 



extending inwardly 1700 feet, with an average depth of 12 feet, 

 and computed to furnish water sufficient for the development of 

 about 120,000 horsepower. The masonry walls of this canal are 

 pierced at intervals with inlets, guarded by gates. Some of these 

 are used to deliver water to tenants who construct their own 

 wheel pits and set their own wheels, while 10 of them are ar- 

 ranged on one side of the canal for the purpose of delivering 

 water to the wheel pit of the Niagara Falls Power Company's 

 power station, where dynamos, placed at the top of turbine ver- 

 tical shafts, generate electricity for transmission. The wheel pit 

 at the power station is 178 feet in depth and connected with the 

 main tunnel by a short cross tunnel. The main tunnel as carried 

 out has a maximum hight of 21 feet and a width of 18.82 feet, 

 making a net section of 386 square feet. The slope of this tunnel 

 is 6 feet to 1000. 



The most careful consideration was given to the subject of the 

 turbines to be used, as well as to the question of power trans- 

 mission. In 1890 Edward D. Adams, who was then president of 

 the company, established an International Niagara Commission, 

 with power to offer $20,000 in prizes. This commission consisted 

 of Sir William Thomson (now Lord Kelvin), Dr Coleman Sellers, 

 Lieut. Col. Theodore Turretini, Prof. E. Mascart, and Prof. W. O. 

 Unwin. Inquiries concerning the best-known methods of develop- 

 ment and transmission of power in England. France, Switzerland 

 and Italy were made, and competitive plans were received from 

 twenty carefully selected engineers and manufacturers of power 

 plants in England, Europe and America. These plans were sub- 

 mitted to the commission, which awarded prizes to those con- 

 sidered worthy. The most important result was the selection of 

 the designs of Faesch and Piccard, of Geneva, for turbines com- 

 puted to yield 5000 horsepower each. Three wheels have been 

 built from these designs and are now in place and regularly 

 operated. 



Without going into details of the electrical work, it may be 

 stated that the Niagara Falls Power Company adopted the two- 

 phase alternating current system as best adapted to its work. In 

 the dynamos employed the field magnet revolves instead of the 



