The development of the Ontario Power Co

The development of electrical power at Niagara Falls has long attracted widespread attention and interest. Since the first installation upon the American side descriptions and discussions of its works and methods have been granted a conspicuous place in technical records and scientific press. It is not so well known, however, that four other developments, each larger than the pioneer, are now drawing or preparing to draw power from Niagara River. These differ so widely and so apparently as to type and character and express such differences of conception and method as to suggest even to the casual visitor a doubt as to unity of purpose. It seems fitting therefore at this time, when the largest of these is about to enter the active field, to present before the Institute, and through the channels of its Proceedings to the technical world, a statement of the purposes which have obtained and of the considerations which have led to so fundamental a departure from the type of construction hitherto characteristic of Niagara Falls, as well as briefly to describe a few features which may prove to be advances in the art of power-plant design.