Tunnel & Power House Construction

From 1892 to 1894, the Niagara Falls Power Company built a 6,700 foot (2042m) long, 21 foot (6m) high and 18 foot (5m) wide horseshoe shaped tunnel with inlet canal (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7).   The tunnel (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) was 160 feet (49m) underground.   28 workers died in construction related accidents during this project.   The tunnel extended from the Niagara Power Company Powerhouse.   The tunnel displaced 300,000 tons of rock and required 20 million bricks and 2.5 million feet of lumber to line and shore the interior.

Edward Dean Adams, who would later become president of the company, designed the requirements for the Niagara Falls Power Company Powerhouse #1, (1), (2), (3), (4), which was built 1.5 miles above the Falls.   It was built in bayed sections highlighted by circular topped windows measuring 14 feet wide and 15 feet high.   The building was originally 140 feet long. It was expanded to 450 feet long when all of its generators were installed.   Water delivered to the pit wheels below the powerhouse would deliver 100,000 horsepower.   The Niagara Falls Power Company Powerhouse #2 (1), (2), (3) was build between 1901 and 1903.

During 1895 and 1896, the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company constructed a stone and steel building at the water's edge in the "Maid of the Mist" gorge to use water under the full available head of 210 feet.   Four double-discharge turbines had a total capacity of 6,850 hp and were supplied with water through an 8-foot diameter steel penstock extending from the forebay at the top of the cliff to the power house below.   This arrangement was so successful that 2 more sections were soon added that made the station 170 feet long by 100 feet wide.   It had 15 turbines that produced 34,000 hp.   The penstocks of the last 2 sections were 11 feet in diameter.   This station was the largest in the world in terms of power generating capacity.   Companies served by this power were the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (Aluminum Company of America, ALCOA), which received 18,000 hp from 6 560 KW, 8 750 KW and 4 1000 KW DC generators of the Westinghouse design.   The National Electrolytic Company, which produced potassium chlorate, used 2,500 hp from 1 200 KW DC and 2 875 KW DC generators produced by the General Electric Company.   The Acker Process Company, which produced caustic soda, used 3,800 hp DC from 3 1,000 KW G.E. generators.   One generator supplied operated the Niagara Gorge Railroad and 1 generator supplied electricity to a number of small businesses.   A booster generator ran the Youngstown and Lewiston electric railroad 14 miles distant.   Two 1,000 KW, 11,000 volt 3 phase alternators made by the Bullock Manufacturing Company supplied 25-cycle current to customers located at distances up to 2 miles away.   One 700 KW 2,200 volt single phase alternator made by the Walker Manufacturing Company was used by the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Electric Light and Power Company to distribute commercial and municipal power to Niagara Falls city.   90% of the power was DC, but by 1928, 90% of the power was AC. ^{Adams 81-82}