file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #fcjbg-;h4htm or #fcjbg-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#fcjbg_/pg#fcjbg-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#fc jbg_/fcjbg-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive4 ,see https3_/_/archive4org_/details_/newwonde rofworld#jjrich ,,the ,,new ,,wonder ,,of ,,the ,,world3 ,,buffalo1 ,,the ,,electric ,,city ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,with ,,compliments ,,of ,,the ,,security ,,investment ,,company ,,of ,,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y4 #aef ,,and #aeh ,,pearl ,,street1 ,,corner ,,church ,,street4 -------------- ,,capital1 #cjj1jjj4 -------------- ,,directors3 ,,charles ,a4 ,,sweet1 ,president ,third ,national ,bank1 ,buffalo4 ,,john ,,satterfield1 ,president ,union ,oil ,company1 ,buffalo4 ,,edmund ,,hayes1 ,of the ,union ,bridge ,works1 ,buffalo4 ,,hon4 ,,charles ,ex-,judge ,supreme ,court1 ,,daniels1 ,buffalo4 ,,james ,h4 ,,smith1 ,director of the ,cary ,safe ,company1 ,buffalo4 ,,walter ,g4 ,,robbins1 ,vice-,president ,buffalo ,fish ,company1 ,buffalo4 ,,james ,r4 ,,austin1 ,real ,estate1 ,buffalo4 ,,james ,b4 ,,stafford1 ,real ,estate1 ,buffalo4 ,,richard ,h4 ,,stafford1 ,real ,estate1 ,buffalo4 ,,francis ,b4 ,,thurber1 ,president ,thurber-,whyland ,company1 wholesale grocers1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,,james ,e4 ,,granniss1 ,president ,the ,tradesmen's ,national ,bank1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,,john ,,loudon1 ,capitalist1 ,altoona1 ,pa4 ,j4 ,m4 ,,guffey1 ,capitalist1 ,pittsburg1 ,pa4 ,this ,company furnishes the investor a safe and reliable channel through which he may place his money4 ,great care and judgment used before putting an investment on the market4 ,large and small investors will find it greatly to their advantage to examine the list of investments offered by this ,company4 ,choice real estate a specialty4 ,bonds and mortgages and other first-class securities handled4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,the ,,niagara ,,cataract--,,source ,,of ,,buffalo',s ,,electric ,,power4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,the ,,new ,,wonder ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,,buffalo3 ,,the ,,electric ,,city4 by ,a4 ,e4 ,,richmond4 ,illustration ,the ,matthews-,northrup ,co41 ,complete ,art-,printing ,works1 ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y4 #adbih ,copyright1 #ahib ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,niagara',s voice sings a new song4 ,through countless ages it has thundered forth its wild1 tumultuous melody1 a pan to nature in every tone4 ,now it sings an anthem to industry1 to science1 to inventive genius1 to commercial prosperity4 ,the magic wand of the electrician has been waved1 and the mighty voice swells and roars to new music of new and marvelous power4 ,the new song rising from the mist and the spray of the cataract heralds a new era in ,buffalo4 ,it heralds the evolution of the ,queen ,city of the ,lakes into the ,electric ,city of the ,world2 a smokeless1 dustless1 wholesome city where the myriad and ever-increasing wheels of industry will turn with the silent1 unseen power generated from ,niagara's unceasing current2 a city that will grow and attract and gather force and wealth and people until it comes to be known as the ,new ,wonder of the ,world4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,when the city of ,buffalo1 under the favoring conditions which have brought it to its present splendid eminence1 doubles its population in ten years1 and increases in wealth seven million dollars yearly1 what can be foretold of it when in addition to all its present wealth-producing resources it becomes the possessor of an unlimited supply of the cheapest power in the whole world6 ,contemplating this fact1 the ,chicago ,tribune said3 8,by virtue of having the cheapest power for turning its machinery1 ,buffalo will inevitably become the manufacturing centre of the nation40 ,the ,new ,york ,tribune adds this weighty testimony to the greatness of our future3 8,the past of ,buffalo is secure1 and her manifest destiny is evidently to be something tremendous40 ,already preparations are being made to bring to ,buffalo the electric power from the great tunnel at ,niagara ,falls4 ,several companies have been formed of foremost business men1 who see that in the distribution and application of the mighty power to industrial uses there are fortunes to be made1 and that the pioneers in the task will win the chief prizes4 ,the time for discussing the practicability of bringing electric power from ,niagara ,falls to ,buffalo has gone by4 ,electrical science has settled the question completely4 ,it has been demonstrated beyond all question that electric power can be transmitted long distances without material loss4 ,a number of the greatest capitalists1 and shrewdest investors in the ,united ,states1 are financially interested in the tunnel scheme4 ,before they put up their money they satisfied themselves not only that the power could be produced1 but that it could be sold4 ,they looked at ,buffalo1 #bb miles away1 and saw a city of nearly #cjj1jjj inhabitants1 spread over a large territory1 with ample opportunity for territorial growth beyond the present limits1 a city in which #c1jjj new houses were built in the year #ahia1 and in which nearly one hundred million dollars is invested in industrial enterprises4 ,they saw a city into which #bf lines of railroad enter1 representing a total trackage of about #be1jjj miles1 and including the great trunk lines leading east1 west1 north and south1 tapping all the rich raw-material storehouses of the continent at all points4 ,they saw that ,buffalo had extraordinary facilities for the distribution of manufactures by rail1 facilities created by the hand of industry1 and they saw too nature's grand gift in the great chain of lakes1 coupled to another gift of industry1 the ,erie canal1 giving us a water route to the ,atlantic seaboard4 ,these men saw that here was the place where electric power could be disposed of in enormous quantities4 ,they knew that they could send it here almost as cheaply as they could distribute it in the immediate vicinity of its point of production1 and they saw the mighty certainties in a combination of unlimited cheap power for manufacturing and extraordinary shipping facilities4 ,they knew that a market for their electrical product was forever assured1 and they planted their millions in the earth and rock of ,niagara4 ,better investment was never made4 ,read the names of some of the great financiers engaged in this enterprise3 ,william ,k4 ,vanderbilt1 ,chauncey ,m4 ,depew1 ,drexel1 ,morgan ,co41 ,august ,belmont1 ,brown ,bros4 ,co41 ,isaac ,n4 ,seligman1 ,winslow1 ,lamer ,co41 ,morris ,k4 ,jessup and others famous in the financial world4 ,,our ,,great ,,railroad ,,interests4 ,buffalo is one of the greatest railroad centers in the ,united ,states4 ,its advantages for bringing in raw material cheaply and quickly are unequalled4 ,its railroad arteries go forth in all directions1 reaching the rich mines and fertile fields and levying upon the wealth of all2 and for the distribution of manufactured products it occupies a commanding position unexcelled by any city in the country4 ,and to all this must be added its peerless shipping facilities by lake and canal1 coupled with the fact of its unique location at the point of transhipment between lake1 canal and railroad4 ,the railroad interests of ,buffalo are larger than many residents of the city have any idea of4 ,there are more miles of railroad tracks within the city limits than in any other city in the world4 ,we have #ffj miles of them4 ,the railroads own over #c1fjj acres of land in the city4 ,over one-tenth of the general city taxes levied in ,buffalo is paid by the railroads4 ,an army of over #bj1jjj men are steadily employed by the railroads in ,buffalo4 ,a great number of them own their own homes4 ,with their families they are numerous enough to make a good-sized city of themselves4 ,new industries are constantly being added to swell the bulk of railroad enterprises here4 ,the locomotive shops of the ,new ,york ,central ,hudson ,river ,railroad are among the latest4 ,they will cost half a million dollars to build1 and they will be equipped with the highest class of machinery1 costing several hundred thousand dollars more4 ,it is the intention within a few years to spend about two million dollars on these shops1 making them the largest and best equipped locomotive shops in the ,united ,states1 rivaling the ,altoona shops1 now the largest in the world4 ,the building of the ,gould ,car ,coupler ,company's works adds another to the long list of railroad supply shops located here1 among which are the ,wagner ,palace ,car ,works1 ,buffalo ,car ,wheel ,works1 ,new ,york ,car ,wheel ,works1 ,rood ,brown ,car ,wheel ,works1 all employing a large number of men4 ,these are the kind of industries that anchor a city to prosperity forever4 ,all this shows what a railroad center ,buffalo is and what splendid facilities we have for receiving and sending by rail4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,the ,,lake ,,and ,,entrance ,,to ,,the ,,harbor4 ,,lake ,,and ,,canal4 ,from statistics of lake commerce1 compiled by ,charles ,h4 ,keep1 secretary of the ,lake ,carriers' ,association1 of ,buffalo1 it is learned that #cj1bii1jjf tons of cargo were carried on the great lakes during the year #ahij4 ,mr4 ,keep figures out that if all this tonnage were loaded into railroad cars of fifteen tons capacity1 there would be a string of cars covering #ac1dff miles of railroad tracks1 or1 in other words1 four strings of cars from ,new ,york to ,san ,francisco and enough left over to run two strings of cars from ,new ,york to ,chicago4 ,and most of this immense amount of tonnage came to ,buffalo1 or was shipped from ,buffalo4 8,during the season of #ahij10 he continues1 8more than nine million tons of ore were moved by the lake route from the vicinity of the mines to the vicinity of the furnaces40 ,to give further proof of the immense volume of trade flowing to and from ,buffalo1 here are some comparative figures3 ,during #ahij the amount of tonnage passing through the ,suez canal was #f1hij1jid tons1 compared with #h1ded1dce tons passing through the ,st4 ,mary's ,falls canal1 and #ba1fhd1jjj tons passing through the ,detroit ,river4 ,in #ahia1 from ,april #ast to ,december #ast1 the grain1 including flour1 discharged from vessels at the port of ,buffalo1 reached the stupendous amount of #afd1dei1gbj bushels4 ,in #ahia the total value of imports to ,buffalo by canal was #bg1idb1bac1 and the total value of exports by canal the same year was #cf1igh1jce4 ,to handle this great volume of business #aahj boats were in use4 ,,great ,,grain ,,storehouses4 ,there are #cd grain elevators in ,buffalo1 with a total capacity of #ae1jjj1jjj bushels1 in addition to six floaters and six transfer elevators4 ,these structures have a capacity for transferring #d1jjj1jjj bushels every #bd hours4 ,in #ahia they handled #ace1cae1eaj bushels4 ,their total value is over #h1jjj1jjj4 ,several new elevators of giant size are planned4 ,two of them are estimated to cost a million dollars each4 ,,where ,,trade ,,concentrates4 ,buffalo's location is unique4 ,it is the stopping off place between distant sections for men1 animals1 lumber1 grain and general merchandise4 ,the incidental business growing out of this fact is enormous4 ,grain1 coal1 iron1 oil1 lumber and other products of this great country gravitate toward ,buffalo1 and here they are sent to the mills1 refineries and factories1 or are transferred from boats to cars1 or cars to boats1 and sent east or west as the case may be4 ,the grain receipts by lake at this port have more than tripled in the past ten years1 reaching nearly #afe1jjj1jjj bushels in #ahia4 ,these shipments are bound to vastly increase as new stretches of country in the ,west and ,northwest are opened up and tapped by railroad lines4 ,the recent passage of the river and harbor appropriation bill1 by which an expenditure of #d1jjj1jjj is authorized in securing a twenty-foot channel for lake navigation1 will result in still lower rates and greatly increased shipments by lake4 ,the saving in lake freights over the average railroad rates in #ahia was about #aej1jjj1jjj4 ,many of the largest coal trestles in the world are located here4 ,this is the greatest coal distributing point in the world4 ,our coal trade is simply enormous4 ,to give an indication of this1 it is sufficient to quote the coal shipments by lake alone from ,buffalo in #ahia4 ,they amounted to #b1cfe1hie tons1 and the shipments by canal and rail were very large4 ,a conservative estimate places the value of property used in the coal trade here at #aj1jjj1jjj4 ,this estimate1 of course1 does not include vessels engaged in the coal trade1 nor railroad property outside of that actually devoted to the coal business4 ,the lumber trade here is phenomenally large4 ,this1 of course1 is to be expected1 owing to our location at the foot of the great lakes4 ,the rich lumbering districts bordering upon the lakes are tributary to us1 and the consequence is that ,buffalo and ,tonawanda1 which are practically one1 receive and distribute immense quantities of lumber4 ,this is1 in fact1 the greatest distributing point for lumber in the world4 ,in addition to all this1 we have the largest sheep market in the world1 one of the largest horse markets in the world1 and1 next to ,chicago1 the largest cattle market in the world4 ,,the ,,wonder ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,the facts given above are all drawn from compiled statistics of the city1 and all show the splendid foundation that has been built for the vast city of the near future when the electric elixir from ,niagara's mighty power flows through all our commercial veins and arteries1 cheapening the cost of production so that outside competition can be defied1 building up every established enterprise1 bringing numberless new ones into life1 and making of ,buffalo the ,manchester of the new world6 ,more than that1 it will be the wonder of the world1 the peerless1 marvelous electric city6 ,all this is coming4 ,there is no chance about it4 ,it is part of the great onward movement of the world4 ,it is human progress1 but in this case it is a tremendous stride1 a lifetime of ordinary momentum at a bound4 ,century after century the waters of the 8unsalted seas0 leaped over ,niagara's precipice1 full of sound and fury1 but signifying nothing beyond the grandeur of ,nature in her wildest mood4 ,now1 towards the close of the nineteenth century1 this marvel of force is chained to man's uses1 and a power sufficient to run the machinery of the world is levied upon for industrial purposes4 ,illustration3 ,,where ,,the ,,golden ,,grain ,,is ,,stored--,,the ,,elevator ,,district4 ,this tunnel project is a splendid illustration of human enterprise1 of which there has been an endless procession of illustrations4 ,think of a few of the great things that have been accomplished4 ,it became necessary to cross oceans1 and sailing vessels were built4 ,the application of steam came1 and the ships folded their wings and flew faster than ever they did before4 ,the world demanded swift speed upon land1 and railroads were born1 culminating in an ,empire ,state ,express that flies from ,new ,york to ,buffalo in a little over eight hours4 ,lightning leaped from the clouds to copper wires and girdled the earth with instantaneous intelligence1 and our voices speed swifter than thought from city to city4 ,the problems of the world are being solved one by one4 ,this is the electric age1 and who can foretell what mighty things may come in the train of the pioneer work with ,niagara's power6 ,it is proposed at present to produce #abe1jjj horse-power4 ,the ,scientific ,american estimates that the force in ,niagara's current amounts to several millions of horse-power4 ,the present tunnel can be duplicated again and again as necessity demands4 ,the sale of #ae1jjj horse-power will carry the present investment1 leaving #aaj1jjj horse-power for clear profit4 ,the company has a capital of #aj1jjj1jjj to draw from1 and a number of the greatest capitalists in the country are behind the movement4 ,it is certain1 then1 that development will keep pace with the demand1 and that all the electric power needed will be forthcoming4 ,we have the great inexhaustible storehouse of ,niagara to draw from forever1 and human enterprise can be depended upon to dig the gold that may be had for the digging4 ,buffalo1 with her phenomenal facilities for tapping the mines1 the lumber forests1 the grain fields and all the other rich storehouses of the country1 and with equal facilities for distributing the manufactured product1 will1 of course1 be the chief market for the electric power produced at the ,falls4 ,it can be brought here without material loss in transmission1 while the transportation advantages conferred by ,buffalo's unique location cannot be transmitted4 ,they are immovable as the eternal hills4 ,the result is not hard to trace4 ,buffalo is going to be the ,electric ,city of the world1 instead of the ,queen ,city of the lakes4 ,in the larger manufacturing concerns here the cost of steam power has been brought down to about #ce per horse-power per year4 ,the cost of power in the smaller manufacturing concerns is much greater than this sum4 ,it is estimated that the electric power from the ,falls can be sold in ,buffalo1 ready for instant use by touching a button1 at little more than half the present cost of steam power4 ,here is room for thought and comparison on the part of those engaged in manufacturing enterprises4 ,does not cheap power settle the question of a city's manufacturing greatness8 ,can there be any appeal from such settlement8 ,give any city advantages in the way of cheap and abundant power not enjoyed by any other city on the face of the earth and what is the natural result8 ,the eyes of manufacturers everywhere are focused upon that city4 ,give to a city unequaled transportation facilities and the cheapest power in the world1 and you have the conditions for building up the greatest industrial center in the world4 ,this is ,buffalo's position4 ,far-sighted men do not talk any more about the possibilities of ,buffalo's future4 ,they talk about certainties4 ,they say with the ,new ,york ,tribune3 8,the past of ,buffalo is secure1 and her manifest destiny is evidently to be something tremendous40 ,truly1 as has been said by ,samuel ,wilkeson1 ,buffalo holds the key to the commerce of an inland empire4 ,,the ,,growth ,,of ,a ,,year4 ,the ,buffalo ,city ,directory for #ahib shows about #f1jjj more names than were contained in last year's directory4 ,in order to compute the population of a city1 it is usual to multiply the number of names in the directory by #c1 as1 for the most part1 only the names of heads of families appear there4 ,some cities multiply by #d4 ,it is certainly very modest to make the multiplier #c1 which is usually done in ,buffalo4 ,upon this basis it will be seen that the increase in our population during the past year was #ai1ejj1 enough people gained in twelve months to make a city as large as ,lockport1 ,n4 ,y41 and nearly as large as ,oswego1 ,n4 ,y4 ,counting #c people to one name in the directory1 we have a population1 in ,june1 #ahib1 of #big1cge4 ,the increase during the year has been no more than the usual steady increase in the population of the city4 ,with the addition of cheap electric power as a cause for growth1 there can be no question but that the increase in future years will be much more rapid than in the past4 ,a ,,glowing ,,prophecy4 ,on ,february #ai1 #ahhh1 before ever a drill had been started in the ,niagara tunnel1 and before the project had attracted much attention1 the ,new ,york ,times uttered this glowing prophecy for ,buffalo3 8,every furrow turned on ,dakota's plains1 almost every blow struck with keen-edged axes in the forests that stand on the rugged ,lake ,superior region2 the ceaseless hammering of compressed-air drills in ,lake ,vermillion iron mines2 the work of thousands of ,pennsylvania coal miners--in short1 almost every blow struck in primary productive industry in the region tributary to the lakes adds to the prosperity of ,buffalo4444 ,this region has proved to be the most productive of freight of all the lake regions1 and the commerce of ,lake ,superior is still in its infancy4444 ,buffalo will inevitably become the greatest milling city on earth40 ,illustration3 ,,lafayette ,,square ,,and ,,soldiers' ,,monument ,,the ,,great ,,scientific ,,paper',s ,,view ,,of ,,it4 ,the ,scientific ,american1 in its issue of ,march #e1 #ahib1 contained an extremely interesting article on the work and intentions of the ,niagara ,falls ,power ,company4 ,after speaking of the methods of construction1 etc41 the article says3 8,it is now the expectation of the company to make its first large contract for the delivery of power at a distance from the ,falls1 with the city of ,buffalo1 #c1jjj horse-power being required for the lighting of the city4 ,the present cost of a steam horse-power in ,buffalo is put at #ce per year1 and the company offers to contract to furnish power on its grounds at the ,falls according to the following scale3 ,for #e1jjj horse-power1 #aj per horse-power2 for #d1ejj1 #aj4ej2 for #d1jjj1 #aa2 and so on down to #cjj horse-power1 for which there will be charged #ba per horse-power per annum1 each power to be supplied for twenty-four hour days4 ,it is evident1 therefore1 that if the cost of transmission be within present expectations1 the company will be able to furnish power at ,buffalo at a much lower price than it is at present to be had at1 and for a far larger field of usefulness than the mere lighting of the city4 ,according to the most successful of all the recent efforts in the way of practically transmitting power electrically for a considerable distance1 only about twenty-five per cent4 of the power was lost in transmitting it by wire a distance of #ajh miles4 ,this degree of success was attained at the recent ,frankfort exposition40 ,,what ,,erastus ,,wiman ,,says4 ,that well-known and successful financier1 ,erastus ,wiman1 of ,new ,york1 who is deeply interested in electrical enterprises1 read a very able paper at the convention of the ,national ,electric ,light ,association held in ,buffalo in ,february1 #ahib4 ,in his paper he devoted considerable attention to the ,niagara ,falls tunnel scheme1 and among other things he said3 8,how vast is the internal commerce that throbs and pulsates over this fair land we may not now stop to estimate1 and how important a part this great city of ,buffalo is destined to play in it1 electrically1 we can only dimly guess4 99 99 99 ,the whole electrical community are watching with intense interest the possibility of the development in this city of ,buffalo electrical transmission arising out of the successful effort which is now being made to harness the power hitherto latent in the ,niagara ,river4 ,the boldness of the proposal1 the extent and character of the enterprise which is now nearing completion in this effort1 the pluck and push in the work1 challenge alike the attention of the engineering and the commercial world4 ,the relation of this enormous power of nature to the transmission of electricity is the most important consideration which now occupies the thoughts of those most interested4 ,the success which has attended the three-phase current from ,lauffen to ,frankfort in the transmission of power #aab miles1 without material loss1 comes just at the right moment to make it seem possible that the enormous potentialities in the forces of ,niagara can be made to reach a degree of usefulness never dreamt of in the past and hardly realized in the wonderful present4 ,it seems fortunate1 therefore1 that the convention which is here assembled should1 as it were1 be in the presence of the most stupendous event possible in the history of the science of electricity4 ,in the development of the next few years will be found ample food for thought and effort1 out of which may grow a relief for electric lighting plants of the greatest possible consequence4 ,if in the city of ,buffalo and from the ,niagara ,river there can be transmitted power in such enormous proportions as are now contemplated1 sub-divided and reduced1 so that into every factory and almost into every house the force and energy can be controlled and operated1 there is latent in every central station the possibilities that may come to every town in the country and to all electric light plants now lying idle during the day1 an imitation in modified form of the power that of all forces in the world1 ,niagara is the best example40 8,,the ,,manufacturing ,,centre ,,of ,,the ,,nation40 ,within the past year or two1 and particularly during #ahib1 ,buffalo has received a great deal of attention from the press in all parts of the country4 ,the leading newspapers of the large cities have discussed the question of ,buffalo's future growth1 and the general concensus of opinion has been that it will be phenomenally large4 ,among the newspapers that have entered into this discussion is the ,chicago ,tribune4 ,it stands in the front rank of the great journals of the ,united ,states4 ,it is very ably edited1 is a sterling1 conservative newspaper1 and its editorial utterances carry great weight4 ,in its issue of ,march #ac1 #ahib1 it printed a leading editorial about ,buffalo1 and it is here produced in full3 8,a recent article in the ,tribune setting forth the prospect that this city will ere long be the centre of operations in the ,united ,states for the largest electrical company in the world has incited more than one good-humored protest that the people here are expecting too much4 ,the ,new ,york ,tribune and the ,buffalo ,express both call attention to the fact that ,buffalo has great expectations in this matter of being the electrical centre of the world4 ,with ,niagara ,falls behind it1 and a consequence of the fact1 ,buffalo is claimed to be looming up as the chief manufacturing and shipping centre of the interior4 8,in the course of a few months from now the practicability of converting the ,falls into a source of power1 light1 heat1 and refrigeration is to be demonstrated4 ,a company is now constructing tunnels and setting a series of turbine wheels in position from which it is expected to obtain #abj1jjj horse-power without the combustion of a single pound of fuel4 ,if it succeeds in this1 every wheel in ,buffalo can be turned and every building lighted and heated at the lowest possible cost4 ,with this enormous electrical power transmitted to the city and distributed through it coal will no longer be burned there1 and the steam engine will be dispensed with in manufacturing processes4 ,by virtue of having the cheapest power for turning its machinery ,buffalo will inevitably become the manufacturing centre of the nation4 ,this is the forecast made by practical electricians and endorsed by shrewd business men as a sound deduction1 warranted1 too1 by a glance at the remarkable progress achieved by the city during the last decade4 8,in that period the city at the foot of ,lake ,erie increased its coal traffic #chg per cent41 its iron receipts #bbf per cent41 its population by #hi per cent41 and fully doubled its grain receipts and lumber shipments4 ,it is already the largest grain-receiving and coal-distributing center in the world1 the principal lumber port in the country1 and one of the greatest markets for live stock and fish4 ,its number of manufacturing establishments increased #bjj per cent4 from #ahhj to #ahij1 and it is now considered certain that they will more than treble again by the end of the century with the conversion of the ,falls into a source of electrical power1 while the population will increase from #cjj1jjj to #a1jjj1jjj4 ,and it is said #8,buffalo now seems destined to gain steadily upon ,chicago in the race for commercial supremacy4' ,illustration3 ,,buffalo ,,and ,,its ,,electric ,,power ,,house4 8,that is a noble ambition1 and the ,tribune sees no reason to find fault with it4 ,but it should not be forgotten that ,chicago will also grow1 so that ,buffalo may still be a long way behind when her promise of a million inhabitants will have been realized4 ,yet it may be said that the prospects of growth are set forth only in a mild way by either of the papers named4 ,if the transference of electrical power be performed as cheaply and efficiently as is now expected the result may be a speedy removal thither of much of the manufacturing industry of ,new ,england1 a large share of the #8,yankee notion' business that now flourishes in those ,eastern ,states1 and no little of the manufacturing energy that at present exhibits itself in the smaller cities of ,new ,york and ,new ,jersey4 ,possibly the silk industry of the latter will be found seeking the propinquity of the ,falls4 ,troy and ,rochester1 particularly the latter1 are likely to be injuriously affected1 unless it be found that the power can be transmitted to them with but little loss1 and ,cleveland may be a great loser1 while even the woolen mills of ,philadelphia may be unable to compete with those of the new center4 ,in short1 the possibilities for paper mills1 flour mills1 cotton and woolen manufactories1 and a host of other hives of industry clustering there is limited only by the quantity of power available from the descending waters1 and this great prosperity will not bring with it the smudge of coal-burning1 which has defiled the buildings and polluted the atmosphere of other cities that have attempted greatness by changing to more useful forms the raw products of nature4 ,but it is hard to see how any or all of this can materially hurt ,chicago1 and the people of this city can well afford to wish those of ,buffalo success in their new departure40 8,,another ,,manchester40 ,in a very able leading editorial1 printed in the ,new ,york ,tribune of ,february #g1 #ahib1 the future of ,buffalo was glowingly mirrored4 ,such utterances from such a source speak volumes1 and show the commanding position to which ,buffalo has risen--a position that attracts the attention of the newspapers of national eminence as well as of the greatest capitalists of the country4 ,the article referred to is herewith printed entire3 8,chicago has been so intent upon rivaling ,new ,york in population and commercial importance that it has overlooked the chances of competition from another city in the ,empire ,state4 ,buffalo1 with ,niagara ,falls behind it1 is looming up as the chief manufacturing and shipping center of the interior4 ,in the course of a few months the practicability of converting the ,falls into a source of power1 light1 heat and refrigeration is to be demonstrated4 ,if the company which is now constructing tunnels and setting a series of turbine-wheels1 succeeds in obtaining #abj1jjj horse-power1 every wheel in ,buffalo can be turned and every house lighted and heated at the lowest cost4 ,with this enormous electrical power transmitted and distributed throughout the city1 coal will no longer be burned and steam engines will be dispensed with in manufacturing processes4 ,buffalo1 by virtue of having the cheapest power for turning its wheels1 will inevitably become the manufacturing center of the nation4 ,this is the forecast made1 not only by sanguine electricians1 but also by shrewd1 practical business men1 who have watched the remarkable progress of the city during the last decade4 8,even without the successful operation of the tunnel plant at ,niagara1 ,buffalo since #ahhj has increased its population #hi per cent41 its grain receipts #aja per cent41 its lumber shipments #abe per cent41 its iron receipts #bbf per cent41 and its coal business #cfg per cent4 ,the commerce of the great lakes has involved exchanges of wheat and coal4 ,all the coal-carrying corporations have made ,buffalo their shipping point for the ,west because the grain-laden fleet is available for return cargoes4 ,the city is not only the largest grain-receiving and coal-distributing center in the world1 but it is also the principal lumber port of the country and one of the greatest live-stock and fish markets4 ,with coal1 iron1 lumber and salt available for the founding of new industries1 it has increased its number of manufacturing industries over #bjj per cent4 during the last decade4 ,these are substantial results which warrant the conclusion that the success of the project for converting ,niagara ,falls into a source of electric power will raise the population of ,buffalo from #cjj1jjj to #a1jjj1jjj in another decade4 ,the manufacturing interests of the country will inevitably center where electric power costing a fraction of either water or steam power can be supplied together with all raw materials4 ,with the help of ,niagara1 ,buffalo now seems destined to gain steadily upon ,chicago in the race for commercial supremacy4 8,it has been fortunate for ,buffalo that prosperity has not overwhelmed it suddenly1 and that it has had leisure for preparing for its good fortune4 ,already it is the handsomest residence city in ,america1 with broad1 heavily-shaded streets paved with asphalt1 with a well-designed series of beautiful parks1 and with public buildings1 hotels1 libraries and music halls worthy of a great town4 ,if its wealthy class live in luxurious palaces incomparably finer than the residences of ,eastern millionaires1 its poor and humble artisans are housed in neat and tasteful cottages4 ,it is a charming city of homes and domestic comfort1 which is gradually being transformed into one of the busiest hives of ,american manufacturing industry4 ,it is at least a pleasant thought that through the transmission of power now going to waste at ,niagara this well-kept and wholesome town may escape the smudge of coal-burning which has fouled ,chicago and impaired the freshness and beauty of ,cleveland4 ,if by the end of another decade every wheel in it from the trolleys on the electric railways to the largest iron lathe in its engineering works be turned by power generated by the turbines at ,niagara1 it will be another ,manchester1 but without smoke and grime40 ,,america',s ,,handsomest ,,city4 ,the latter portion of the ,tribune article draws attention to some very noteworthy facts connected with ,buffalo4 ,when the ,tribune says that ,buffalo is 8the handsomest residence city in ,america10 it tells the exact truth4 ,all ,buffalonians are deservedly proud of the beauties of their city4 ,many times has the writer heard exclamations of surprise and delight from the lips of strangers who1 for the first time1 were being driven through our beautiful avenues and park roads4 ,our streets are exceptionally wide and well-paved4 ,care in tree-planting has led to magnificent results4 ,well-kept1 velvety lawns of spacious extent are the rule1 and make fine setting for the thousands of architectural gems of homes with which the city is studded4 ,it has been said over and over again by traveled strangers that ,buffalo has more fine architecture in residences1 more beautiful homes than any other city of its size in the world4 ,we had1 at the close of the summer of #ahia1 about #aje lineal miles of asphalted streets4 ,it is hard as a rock and smooth as a floor and full of restful delight to those who drive over its smooth1 clean surface4 ,personal pride taken by the property-owners in its trim beauty leads to its being swept and cleaned daily1 which is done at trifling expense4 ,asphalt is being laid in this city at the rate of about twenty lineal miles per year1 and we have now more miles of asphalted streets than any other city in the world4 ,illustration3 ,,view ,,of ,,an ,,asphalted ,,residence ,,street4 ,the park system of ,buffalo contains about #ijj acres of handsome land1 which has been laid out by ,frederick ,l4 ,olmsted1 the eminent landscape artist1 and its natural beauty wonderfully added to4 ,it lies close to the finer residence portion of the city1 and is readily reached from all sections4 ,land for new parks on the south side of the city and along the lake has recently been bought1 making splendid additions to the park system4 ,the school system of ,buffalo ranks deservedly high4 ,we have over fifty grammar schools1 one high school1 another large school building used for the overflow and a new high school projected4 ,we have a ,state ,normal ,school1 ,kindergartens1 dozens of parochial and private schools1 and we have taken steps to establish manual training schools4 ,we have medical colleges of high standing1 business colleges of national reputation1 some splendid public libraries1 several of the finest theaters in the country1 and handsome churches without number4 ,no city has more right than has ,buffalo to be called the city of churches4 ,we have about #aej of them4 ,the social atmosphere of ,buffalo is delightful1 and visitors to this city always carry away with them very pleasant memories of our social life4 ,in short1 there is in ,buffalo every refinement of civilization of the highest type4 ,the busy man of affairs who seeks1 at the same time1 investment for his capital and charming social advantages for his family1 can find in ,buffalo all that he desires4 ,a ,,city ,,of ,,homes4 ,and there is still another phase of this subject that should be touched upon4 ,buffalo is a city of homes for the humble as well as the rich4 ,it is a city full of the sweet content that belongs to the home-builder4 ,building and loan associations1 of which we have a great number1 have materially helped to bring about this result4 ,but it is a fact that these associations thrive only in soil suited to them4 ,they are the outgrowth of sterling worth1 sobriety and manly ambition4 ,where they thrive we find good workmen of conservative instincts1 who are averse to taking part in labor troubles4 ,this is believed to be the chief reason why ,buffalo has always enjoyed a singular freedom from strikes4 ,be the cause what it may1 it is a fact that strikes are of a rare occurrence here2 and when they have occurred they have been quickly settled4 ,the firebrands of labor agitations have had very little encouragement here4 ,it is the more easy for workmen to own their own homes in ,buffalo from the fact that land values here are remarkably low4 ,we stretch over a large section of territory and have plenty of room for our people4 ,a first-class electric street car service gives easy and swift access to the suburbs2 while the ,new ,york ,central ,railroad runs trains every hour each way on a ,belt ,line encircling the city and tapping residence portions all around the fifteen-mile circuit4 ,nowhere is there a more conservative1 prosperous and contented community of workingmen than in ,buffalo1 and this is a fact that builds up a bulwark of safety for industrial enterprises and investment of capital4 ,illustration3 ,,far-,,famed ,,delaware ,,avenue4 ,,our ,,electric ,,railroad ,,system4 ,rapid transit is one of the essentials in the busy life of a great city4 ,buffalo has outgrown the horse car system and has now swift electric cars speeding in all directions4 ,all the great arteries of travel leading from the heart of the city are equipped with electric cars4 ,the work of putting in the electric system has been one of great magnitude1 as there was no cessation in the traffic while the change was being made4 ,though electric cars have been in operation in some of the park roads for several years1 the work of changing the system in down town streets was not started until the fall of #ahij4 ,work was then begun on ,niagara ,street1 and on ,july #d1 #ahia1 the first electric cars were run in that important thoroughfare4 ,within four months traffic on the line was tripled1 and it has steadily increased ever since4 ,elk1 ,seneca1 ,washington and ,sycamore streets1 all thoroughfares leading to the suburbs1 were next equipped with electric cars1 and at this writing 7,june1 #ahib7 the work of changing the system in ,main ,street is progressing rapidly1 and is almost completed4 ,the system is1 of course1 being changed in the most important thoroughfares first1 and the less important lines will undergo the same treatment in rapid succession1 so that it will not be very long before horse cars will be remembered in ,buffalo as the vanished symbol of a slower era4 ,the total length of the street railroad tracks of ,buffalo is over #ajj miles4 ,through the chief thoroughfares the electric cars run every three minutes4 ,a single fare of five cents is charged from one end of the city to the other1 with the privilege of changing from one line to another4 ,there are no transfer charges4 ,the company pays to the city a percentage on its earnings of two to three per cent41 graded in proportion to the amount of the gross receipts4 ,this arrangement1 which was entered into during the early part of #ahib1 was a very welcome one to the people1 particularly to workingmen1 who consequently are enabled to reach their work in any part of the city1 even the most distant1 for a five cent fare4 ,the swiftness of the electric cars1 from eight to eighteen miles an hour1 is a great factor in time-saving1 and it is much appreciated by working people1 as well as by business men1 and all who are impatient of delay in getting from one part of the city to another4 ,the ,buffalo ,railway ,company1 which operates all the lines of street railroad in the city1 has a capital of six million dollars1 so that it is financially strong and able to carry out any improvement desired4 ,cheap electric power from ,niagara will1 of course1 be available in the running of street cars in ,buffalo2 and as it can be bought very much cheaper than it can be produced by the evaporation of steam it will have a potent influence in making it possible for the company to grant still further concessions to the public4 ,the citizens' committee which recently arbitrated between the company and the public and brought about the present satisfactory agreement had full and free access to all the books of the company1 and figured out to a nicety the cost of carrying each passenger1 and the amount of profit in the business4 ,if the cost of the motive power had been cut in two1 as it will be cut by the introduction of ,niagara's power1 the committee would certainly have reported in favor of even better terms for the city4 ,thus it is a fair conclusion that the beneficent effects of cheap power generated at the ,falls will be felt by every person who rides on the street cars of ,buffalo4 ,this subject is here dwelt upon at considerable length because the writer feels that it is of great importance4 ,every manufacturer whose eyes are turned in this direction1 and who is considering whether he shall take advantage of the peerless opportunities now offered in ,buffalo1 wants to know about the street car service4 ,he wants to know1 in case he should locate his plant here1 how quickly and how cheaply he and his employees could get to and from their business4 ,it is a pleasure to assure him and all others interested that the electric street railroad system of ,buffalo is pronounced by experts to be the best in the ,united ,states1 and also that its management is of the most liberal and progressive kind4 ,the street car service of a city is part of its throbbing life1 part of its pulse1 and by it the business health and prosperity of the city can be gauged4 ,,suburban ,,electric ,,roads4 ,within a radius of a few miles from ,buffalo there are many thriving towns4 ,naturally1 with so many steam railroads running in all directions from this point1 residents of these towns enjoy excellent railroad accommodations in traveling to and from the city4 ,but the swift pace of present progress is all too rapid for the old way4 ,electric lines to suburban towns are being built or projected in surprising number4 ,an electric line to the city of ,tonawanda1 connecting with the ,buffalo street railroad system1 and in fact being an extension of it1 has been in successful operation since early in the present year 7#ahib74 ,it will be extended through to ,niagara ,falls4 ,two other lines of electric railroad to ,tonawanda have been surveyed and active preparations are being made to build them4 ,both will connect with the ,buffalo system1 and in time will be extended to ,niagara ,falls4 ,one of these has secured a very favorable route1 out ,delaware ,avenue in a direct air line to ,tonawanda1 through a delightful residence district4 ,an electric railroad is being built to ,lancaster and ,depew1 the latter being the new city of the ,new ,york ,central ,railroad just outside of ,buffalo1 where the ,central's locomotive shops1 the ,gould ,car ,coupler ,works and other great industrial enterprises are in progress4 ,this line will be in operation by ,september of this year4 ,still another electric line is to be built to ,east ,aurora1 the prettiest of ,erie ,county villages1 where the famous ,hamlin and ,jewett stock farms are located4 ,c4 ,j4 ,hamlin1 the millionaire horseman1 and owner of ,belle ,hamlin1 is one of the prominent men interested in this line4 ,strong companies have also been formed to build electric lines to ,hamburg1 ,williamsville and other suburban towns4 ,all of these enterprises indicate the profound belief which capitalists have in ,buffalo's future4 ,most of them were brought into life through the stimulating influence of cheap electric power from ,niagara ,falls4 ,those interested in these enterprises knew that cheap electric power meant tremendous and rapid growth for the city1 and that the tide of prosperity would sweep out far enough to reach all towns lying contiguous to the city1 and whose prosperity is part of the prosperity of ,buffalo4 ,they also knew that cheap electric power from ,niagara ,falls meant cheap motive power for their roads and greatly reduced cost of operation4 ,it is a modest assertion that the silent1 swift1 all-powerful currents of electricity flowing into ,buffalo from ,niagara will touch every craft1 every branch of industry4 ,it will quicken all these into renewed activity and point a thousand new ways for the employment of money1 brains and muscle4 ,it will give us light1 heat and refrigeration1 and power for the mightiest and most delicate machinery4 ,the smoke cloud of industry that hovers over and shrouds the manufacturing district of every great city1 will gradually lift from ours as the consumption of coal gives place to smokeless electric power4 ,in a few years it will be all gone1 and ,buffalo1 the 8,electric ,city10 will be famed as the cleanest and healthiest city in the world4 8,,buffalo',s ,,gold ,,mine40 ,some years ago1 ,mr4 ,james ,b4 ,stafford1 of this city1 then president of the ,buffalo ,business ,men's ,association1 conceived the idea of offering a prize of #ajj1jjj for the best plan of utilizing the current of ,niagara ,river4 ,he and over one hundred others subscribed #a1jjj each to a fund for the purpose1 and the attention of scientific men in all parts of the civilized world was directed to the problem4 ,this problem has been solved in the development of the tunnel project4 ,mr4 ,stafford is a keen1 shrewd1 level-headed business man1 and has made a large fortune by judicious investments in ,buffalo real estate4 ,he believes that ,buffalo will have a million population within ten years1 as a result of an industrial revolution in this city that will amaze the world1 the chief and controlling reason for which will be the introduction of cheap electric power4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,buffalo ,,library4 ,in the ,buffalo ,commercial of ,december #bb1 #ahia1 the following interview with ,mr4 ,stafford was printed1 under the heading 8,buffalo's ,gold ,mine30 8,if the richest gold mine in the whole world were discovered in a suburb of ,buffalo1 what effect do you suppose it would have on our people80 asked ,mr4 ,james ,b4 ,stafford of a ,commercial reporter4 8,there would be tremendous excitement1 of course10 was the reply4 8,there would10 returned ,mr4 ,stafford2 8but do you know that the richest gold mine in the world would be a mere bagatelle compared with the wealth that will spring from the ,niagara ,falls tunnel8 ,do our people stop to think what it means8 ,it means prosperity for ,buffalo beyond the wildest present expectation4 ,i believe ,i speak entirely within bounds when ,i say that it will make ,buffalo the second greatest city in the whole ,united ,states1 and that you and ,i won't be very old when our city reaches that place4 ,looking into the immediate future1 ,i will prophesy that we will have a million population within ten years4 8,just look about you and see what electricity has already done for the world1 and yet we are scarcely entered up in the ,electric ,age4 ,we are at the dawn of a new era1 and electricity1 now in its infancy1 will grow and develop until it revolutionizes the world4 ,it will give us power1 light1 heat1 refrigeration4 ,it will do everything for us that steam now does1 and here in ,buffalo it is going to cost less than water power40 8,what does it cost manufacturers for power now80 8,the water power of the country now in use costs from #af4fg per horse-power per year at ,lockport to #ef4be at ,manayunk1 ,pa41 while steam costs all the way from #ce to #age per horse-power per annum4 8,when we consider that the entire power going to waste at the ,falls is one-seventh of the entire power of the world one can comprehend what an inexhaustible mine of wealth we are on the eve of developing4 ,already the problem of transmitting electricity long distances without much waste has been solved4 ,other companies are in the field1 and before many years instead of #abe1jjj horse-power there will probably be a million4 ,buffalo being the nearest large city to the great cataract1 it will be the first to receive the benefits4 8,just let your mind run forward a dozen years4 ,electricity running through cables from the ,falls will act on our city like the warm blood running through a human body1 will permeate every part of the city1 running #b1jjj horse-power engines as easily as the dentist's drill or the family sewing machine4 ,every wheel in ,buffalo will be eventually turned by electricity4 ,it will light and heat our houses4 ,it will be cheaper than anything else4 ,the impetus that it will give our manufacturing enterprises will be incalculable4 8,add to all this our great natural advantages and no wonder our expectations should be great4 ,we are midway between the great producing regions of the ,west and the more thickly populated sections of the ,east1 with its continually increasing export trade4 ,what better point could be found for the manufacturing centre of the country8 ,here all the shipping from the western chain of lakes discharges its cargoes of grain1 lumber1 ore1 etc41 reloading with up-cargoes of coal 7and all the great coal-carrying transportation corporations have branches that now terminate in this city71 laying at the door of the manufacturer the raw material at the lowest possible freight rate1 with twenty-six lines of railroads leading from here in every direction 7many of them trunk lines71 with a canal and waterway to the seaboard giving the manufacturer the finest shipping facilities possible4 8,buffalo already boasts of the largest coal distributing point in the world1 the largest sheep and fresh fish market in the world2 one of the largest horse markets2 the largest grain distributing point in the world2 the second largest cattle market in the world2 we are destined to be the largest flour milling city in the world1 and with our suburban port of ,tonawanda we have the largest lumber market in the world4 8,in the last ten years we have increased our population #hi per cent41 and with this new and wonderful factor that no other city in the world's history has ever had1 it is not a wild statement to make1 but one that the present outlook would warrant1 that ,buffalo and not ,chicago will be the second ,american city40 ,,electric ,,power ,,on ,,the ,,canadian ,,side4 ,col4 ,albert ,d4 ,shaw1 formerly ,u4 ,s4 ,consul at ,montreal1 ,canada1 and later at ,manchester1 ,england1 is at the head of a company which proposes to produce electricity on the ,canadian side of the ,niagara ,river4 ,this company has secured the passage of a bill through the ,ontario ,parliament permitting the incorporation of a company with a capitalization of #c1jjj1jjj1 and a privilege of bonding to the extent of #e1jjj1jjj1 with the object of producing electricity by means of a tunnel upon the ,canadian side4 ,in conversation with a writer for the ,philadelphia ,press1 in ,april of this year1 ,col4 ,shaw said the ,canadian company had not been organized to compete with the ,american company1 but rather to supplement and act in concert with it4 ,he explained that as the land on the ,canadian side is devoted to park purposes1 it cannot be used for the location of manufactories1 and therefore the power produced must be transmitted to other points4 ,in this connection he went on to say3 8,such power can certainly be carried to ,buffalo4 ,an electrical plant has been established about #af miles from the city of ,rome1 ,n4 ,y41 and the power there furnished is conveyed to ,rome with perfectly satisfactory results4 ,buffalo is only a little more than #bj miles from ,niagara1 and with the higher voltage which can be obtained there is no doubt that city can be furnished with electric power sufficient to run all the manufactories of ,new ,york ,state were they located there4 ,after our company is organized in harmony with the ,new ,york company we shall begin work1 and ,i think can complete it within a year40 8,the water power furnished by the ,niagara ,river above the ,falls10 continued ,col4 ,shaw1 8is estimated to be equivalent to #c1jjj1jjj horse-power4 ,when we recollect that the ,connecticut ,river at ,holyoke only furnishes about #bd1jjj horse-power1 and the river at ,minneapolis only #ah1jjj1 some idea can be obtained of this enormous power which has hitherto been going to waste4 ,the ,american company has built a tunnel #h1jjj feet long4 ,the entrance to it is a long distance above the ,falls1 and the exit where the waste water flows into the ,niagara ,river is just below the suspension bridge4 ,this tunnel is capable of furnishing power equivalent to #adj1jjj horse-power1 an amount of power which vastly exceeds anything furnished anywhere else in the world4 ,the ,niagara ,river never runs dry4 ,there never is an appreciable diminution in its body of water4 ,everywhere else where water power is used manufactories are compelled either to have a steam plant which can be relied upon in dry weather1 or else to run the risk of shutting down for lack of power4 ,that can never happen on the banks of the ,niagara40 ,col4 ,shaw went on to speak of the plans of the ,american company1 with which he is familiar4 ,after stating that manufacturers from all parts of the country have been in communication with the ,american company with a view of locating plants in the city of ,buffalo1 and that expert engineers estimate that the electric power which can be developed and furnished will be practically illimitable1 he said3 8,the ,canadian company will be able to furnish tremendous voltage whenever wires properly insulated are ready to receive it4 ,the ,new ,york capitalists who virtually own the ,american company1 and will be in harmony with the ,canadian1 are even more enthusiastic than they are in ,buffalo4 ,i have talked with a number of them since ,i have been in the city4 ,they are careful men1 not likely to be carried away with false enthusiasm1 and who look at such things purely from a commercial point of view4 ,they are of opinion1 as ,i am1 and as everybody else is who has made a study of this matter1 that the great manufacturing city of the future is to be located upon the bank of the ,niagara ,river1 and the time is not far distant when the city of ,buffalo will extend from its present site full twenty miles to the north4 ,the number of manufactories which have already decided to move from various other towns1 some of them in the far ,west1 to ,buffalo1 is an indication of what the future will be4 8,the power is permanent and is dependent upon no changes of the weather4 ,moreover1 it is cheap power1 and will always be sufficient1 no matter how greatly any manufacturer may desire to increase his plant4 ,furthermore1 the contiguity of this place to convenient transportation is another temptation to manufacturers4 ,for instance1 it has been demonstrated that the grain of the ,west can be brought there and manufactured into flour at least #aj cents a barrel cheaper than in the great milling cities of the ,west1 and that of itself is a handsome profit4 8,furthermore1 transportation charges1 such is the relation of ,buffalo and its vicinity to water and rail routes1 will be cheaper there than at any other manufacturing center in the ,united ,states4 ,the raw material can be brought either by the lakes or by rail to the doors of the mill1 and the finished product can be sent out by lake1 by the ,canadian ,canal to the ,st4 ,lawrence ,river1 by the ,erie ,canal during the season when water transportation is open1 and there are #bf different lines of railway centering there4 ,the manufacturers have been figuring pretty closely4 ,competition is so great that it is frequently the economies which represent the difference between success and failure1 profit and loss4 ,all those of them who have already decided to locate in that vicinity and utilize this great power are of opinion that the saving in expenses will of itself represent a fair profit on the capital invested4 ,within #bj years it would not be surprising to see a city1 or a link of cities practically one1 containing #a1jjj1jjj people1 and perhaps the largest capital investment in manufacturing in the ,united ,states1 with perhaps one or two exceptions4 8,it is strange that this magnificent power which has been wasted heretofore should not have had earlier development4 ,several attempts have been made to develop it1 but capital has been timid until some of the great financial geniuses of ,new ,york ,city became interested40 ,,electricity ,,in ,,the ,,household4 ,it is certain that electricity will be so cheap and plentiful in ,buffalo that it will come into general use in the homes of our people4 ,it will be cheaper than gas for light1 and coal for heat4 ,it will run the family sewing machine4 ,the electric motor will become a part of every well-ordered household4 ,the ,scientific ,american1 speaking of the new uses of electricity coming in the train of its cheap production1 says3 8,domestic life will be attended with many comforts and conveniences4 ,the cook will only need to touch a button1 and presto1 her electrical stove will be in full operation1 the pot will boil1 the oven bake1 the turkey roast1 the pump move1 the washing machine turn2 while the electric refrigerator will freeze the water1 preserve the meats1 vegetables1 milk1 butter1 eggs1 and other supplies4 ,no coal1 no wood1 no dust1 no dirt1 no oil1 no gas4 ,the lady of the house will be relieved of care4 ,she presses a button1 and every nook and corner of her dwelling glows with cheerful light4 ,touch another and the electric fire glimmers in every room1 diffusing genial warmth4 ,the electric lift takes her up or down stairs4 ,the telephone conveys her orders to market1 and distributes her social commands among friends and neighbors40 ,illustration3 ,,nature ,,at ,,her ,,loveliest -- ,,the ,,park ,,lake4 ,,electricity',s ,,manifold ,,uses4 ,in the same article occurs a concise statement of the varied uses to which the incoming low-priced power will be applied in ,buffalo4 ,it is as follows3 8,near to ,niagara1 only twenty-two miles distant1 is ,buffalo1 already a large and prosperous city1 the head centre of lake navigation4 ,the simple extension of conductors over the short distance above mentioned will bring to the people of ,buffalo direct share in the economic and other advantages of the new and great enterprise4 ,light1 heat and motive power for streets1 vehicles1 works1 shops1 factories1 stores1 churches1 dwellings1 can be supplied from the dynamos at ,niagara more economically1 probably1 than by any other means4 ,local steam engines may be dismissed2 their occupation1 for ,buffalo1 will be gone4 ,even the steam fire engines may retire4 ,the electric pump will beat them out of sight40 ,,plenty ,,of ,,banking ,,capital4 ,buffalo is blessed with splendid banking facilities4 ,there are now nineteen banks of deposit in the city with a total capital of nearly five million dollars and a reserve of nearly eleven millions4 ,five new banks have been started here since the spring of #ahia4 ,our bankers are cautious1 conservative business men1 and banking business in this city has always been conducted on conservative lines4 ,the solid financiers who control these great barometers of our business life have never invited disaster by loose1 speculative methods4 ,like the arch in the foundation wall of a massive structure1 gaining strength from increased weight1 has been the prudence of our bankers1 and to-day our banking institutions rest upon secure foundation and are ready for the branching out and growth that will come to them with the rapid increase in industrial enterprises resulting from the world's cheapest power4 ,prudence has been the watchword of success in the past1 and it will continue as the governor in the greater transactions of the greater future4 ,,our ,,low ,,tax ,,rate4 ,some facts about ,buffalo's tax rate are fitting at this time4 ,in a carefully written article from the pen of the ,hon4 ,charles ,f4 ,bishop1 ,mayor of ,buffalo1 and printed in the ,sunday ,express of ,april #c1 #ahib1 the following facts are given3 8,property in ,buffalo is assessed at much less than its real value1 and its tax rate has for many years1 for all purposes 7,state1 ,county and ,city7 except local improvements1 averaged about two dollars per hundred on the assessment4 ,at first thought this may seem high1 but a careful examination of the reports of other cities shows that the rate elsewhere is generally much higher4 ,in ,new ,york it is #a4ie2 in ,chicago #e4jj2 in ,brooklyn #b4eg2 in ,cleveland it is #b4gi2 in ,cincinnati #b4he4 ,and this reasonable rate of taxation is not obtained by rapid increase of our bonded indebtedness except for acquiring valuable property for permanent use1 or the extension of great public improvements4 8,indeed1 so careful has the increase of indebtedness been guarded that now with an indebtedness of #aa1dfd1eca the city is the owner of real estate valued1 in #ahij1 at #g1hjd1bfg and personal property valued at #f1hbh1gfe4 ,surely this statement shows a due regard for the tax-payers' interests2 and coupled with the fact that ,buffalo maintains school facilities as good as those of any city1 police and fire departments that for efficiency are unsurpassed1 and furnishes a water supply that for purity and cheapness is unequaled1 it presents a very well-grounded claim for municipal economy4 8,the total of assessments annually shows a gratifying increase of wealth1 and of necessity the expenses of the city must also increase with greater population to serve and more extended public improvements to maintain4 ,i am sanguine1 however1 that in a few years the increase in values will create a noticeable decrease of tax rate40 ,,our ,,city ,,water4 ,buffalo's source of water supply is the same as the source of our marvelous electric power4 ,it is the ,niagara4 ,we get it pure and undefiled1 in unlimited quantity1 and it is as cheap as it is pure and plentiful4 ,the service is under the control of the city government4 ,our water rates are cheaper than those in any other large city in the country1 manufacturers are given very low special rates1 and yet there are several hundred thousand dollars available every year for further extensions to keep pace with the rapid growth of the city1 which is constantly pushing out and developing in new sections4 ,the pumping engines and entire plant are first-class in every particular4 ,niagara's water1 as is generally known1 comes down from the great lakes1 and enters the river at the foot of ,lake ,erie1 where ,buffalo is located4 ,a mile down stream is an inlet pier through which the water supply for the city is drawn by mammoth pumping engines4 ,analysis shows that there is no organic matter in the water1 and that it is absolutely pure4 ,there is an entire absence of any possibility of its being defiled before it reaches ,buffalo4 ,all dredgings from the ,buffalo harbor and river1 canal and slips must be and are1 as provided by stringent law1 dumped below the inlet pier4 ,thus it will be seen that this great requisite in the health and prosperity of a city is assured in pure and unlimited supply forever4 ,,natural ,,gas ,,fuel4 ,a very large section of the residence portion of ,buffalo is supplied with natural gas fuel4 ,it is brought in pipes from ,pennsylvania1 and also from ,canada1 and is extensively used for fuel in this city4 ,it is sold to consumers for #be cents per thousand feet net1 and on an average costs no more than coal4 ,the freedom which it gives from the task of handling coal and ashes1 and the entire absence of dust and dirt in connection with its use1 are greatly appreciated in thousands of ,buffalo homes4 ,the ,canadian supply gives rich promise of abundant yield1 and its principal market is in ,buffalo4 ,the source of the ,canadian supply is only a few miles from ,buffalo4 ,the tremendous extent of the ,pennsylvania field is well known4 ,illustration3 ,,waterworks ,,power ,,house ,,and ,,inlet ,,pier ,,in ,,niagara ,,river4 ,,electricity ,,supplanting ,,steam4 ,as electric power has heretofore been produced1 for the most part1 by the consumption of coal and evaporation of steam1 it has had to compete with steam on disadvantageous terms1 as the steam lay one step nearer the base of the power1 namely1 the fuel4 ,coal produced steam2 steam1 in turn1 produced electricity2 and as success in any line of manufacture consists largely in the application of economical methods1 steam power has been preferred to electric power because it has been cheaper1 except1 probably1 in running small plants with electricity supplied from a central station4 ,in ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 this is done to a very considerable extent1 the idea being that electricity produced by steam can be furnished from a central station to many small factories as cheaply or almost as cheaply as steam power could be produced on a small scale in each one of the factories4 ,the centralization of the power economizes both in machinery and labor4 ,in larger plants1 however1 it has been found impossible to produce electricity from steam power to compete with steam4 ,waste in the process1 steam being the parent force1 prevents a pound of coal from producing as much electric power as steam power4 ,to accomplish such a thing would be like turning base metal into gold4 ,but with electric power produced by the water power of the ,niagara ,falls tunnel1 steam is dethroned as the ,king of ,force4 ,electricity takes its place and builds an empire on the banks of the ,niagara4 ,and the heart of that empire is ,buffalo1 and will be forever4 ,the wonderful power has its source near to us2 only a few miles of copper wire brings it to our workshops2 and here are concentrated shipping facilities unequaled upon the continent4 ,economy in collecting the raw material1 and distributing it again in the shape of manufactured articles1 is as important as economy in manufacturing4 ,with cheap power from the ,niagara we have the two great economies joined4 ,what a tremendous aggregation of advantages6 ,no wonder conservative business men prophesy a million population for ,buffalo within ten years4 ,no wonder the ,new ,york ,tribune says that our 8manifest destiny is evidently to be something tremendous40 ,,room ,,in ,,which ,,to ,,grow4 ,when a person undertakes to point out sections of ,buffalo that will be most affected by cheap electric power he is confronted with a difficult task4 ,it is certain that the entire manufacturing district will at once respond to the vivifying influence of the electric currents1 and that new industrial sections will be opened up at many points4 ,manufactories will be enlarged1 hundreds of new ones will be started1 as hundreds of manufacturers from the outside will crowd in to take advantage of the splendid opportunities open to all4 ,fortunately1 we have a great deal of room in which factories may grow and spread1 and as the railroads tap a very large portion of the city1 there need be no fear of restricted shipping facilities4 ,although ,buffalo has a population of nearly #cjj1jjj1 its population per acre is only #aj4bc4 ,st4 ,louis is #aa4ea2 ,cleveland1 #af4da2 ,cincinnati1 #ah4ef2 ,san ,francisco1 #cj4bb2 ,brooklyn1 #dg4fb2 ,new ,york1 #eh4hg4 ,these figures are full of suggestion4 ,there is room in ,buffalo4 ,and beyond the city line there are thousands of broad acres ready to be used for factories or homes4 ,there has been a steady1 legitimate increase in values in all parts of the city and surrounding country4 ,particularly in the northern part of the city1 to the north of the park1 among lands lying in the direction from which the electric currents will flow1 there has been a strong movement1 and it is probably true that this foreshadows a growth in values that will be startling to many4 ,far-seeing men forecast the future by picturing a city that will grow towards the seat of the electric current1 followed always by the railroads in the path of progress1 until ,tonawanda is reached and absorbed2 and stretching further still1 will finally reach the great cataract itself4 ,is this too much to expect of a city that holds within its exclusive grasp the two great economies--cheap power1 cheap freights6 ,it is well to keep these two things steadily in mind4 ,but as the city grows in length it will grow in breadth4 ,it will widen out on all sides1 and all parts of the city will share in the general prosperity4 ,,the ,,philadelphia ,,reading4 ,nothing gives better evidence of the growing importance of ,buffalo than recent action of the ,philadelphia ,reading ,railroad ,company4 ,this great company has at ,philadelphia and along the ,delaware ,river greater terminal facilities than any other railroad company operating on the ,atlantic seaboard4 ,in ,february1 #ahib1 it obtained control of the ,lehigh ,valley system1 thereby securing a direct route from ,buffalo to ,philadelphia4 ,the new and more active management saw the tremendous importance of obtaining a foothold in ,buffalo1 which already holds the key to the traffic of the great lakes1 and now stands upon the verge of extraordinary manufacturing development by reason of ,niagara's cheap and unlimited power4 ,within a comparatively few years ,buffalo will be the chief manufacturing center of the country2 the possibilities of traffic radiating from this point are boundless4 ,it was a master stroke of ,president ,mc,leod of the ,philadelphia ,reading to establish his railroad securely in ,buffalo4 ,it is a well-known fact that the ,lehigh ,valley has the best terminal facilities of all the railroads centering here4 ,within the past few years millions have been spent in perfecting them4 ,following this stroke with the ,lehigh ,valley1 the ,philadelphia ,reading made a traffic contract with the ,buffalo1 ,rochester ,pittsburg for fifty years1 giving still further evidence of belief in ,buffalo4 ,the export business of the ,philadelphia ,reading is vast1 operating as it does in connection with a line of transatlantic steamers1 and this opens up a new line of thought4 ,the impetus given by cheap and plentiful power to manufacturing in old and many new directions in ,buffalo will of course be very great1 and it is certain that thousands of industries depending upon export trade will flourish here1 close to the storehouses of the raw material and of the world's cheapest power4 ,numerous avenues to the seaboard are therefore an essential part of the grand plan of our industrial prosperity1 and the addition of the ,philadelphia ,reading is one of very great importance4 ,yet this should always be held in mind--would the ,philadelphia ,reading have reached out after ,buffalo business if it had not been worth while reaching for8 ,the fact is that we attract great transportation enterprises as the magnet does the needle4 ,,the ,,union ,,iron ,,works4 ,during the present summer the ,union ,iron ,works1 long unused1 are being rebuilt in the southern part of the city1 the plans calling for one of the finest plants of the kind in the ,united ,states4 ,part of the plant will be used for the manufacture of steel1 and at the beginning a force of about #a1bjj men will be employed in this part of the works alone1 in three shifts of eight hours each1 work being constant night and day all the year 'round4 ,what stimulus is it that brings this industry into life8 ,why was it not located at any one of a dozen other points that might be named8 ,why wasn't it located close to the iron mines8 ,these and all other collateral questions have already been answered in this volume4 ,we have power cheaper than the cheapest anywhere else1 joined with transportation facilities that are unexcelled--the two great industrial economies again1 cheap power1 cheap freights4 ,,the ,,copper ,,industry4 ,one of the largest aggregations of capital in the world is the ,calumet ,hecla ,smelting ,company4 ,it controls the rich copper mines of ,lake ,superior with all their inexhaustible stores of wealth4 ,two years ago the company bought a very large tract of land on the banks of the ,niagara within the city limits of ,buffalo1 and began the construction of an extensive smelting works4 ,the ore is brought here direct from the mines1 and here it is reduced and the whole output of the mines distributed from this point4 ,why did the ,calumet ,hecla ,company locate in ,buffalo8 ,because of its peerless location as a distributing centre for one thing1 and cheap electric power for another4 ,not long ago1 in ,buffalo1 a live electric wire fell athwart a lamp post1 and in the twinkling of an eye the iron was fused by the current4 ,that was smelting by electricity4 ,the brainy men of the ,calumet ,hecla ,company knew what they were doing when they located beside ,buffalo's electric power house4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,erie ,,county ,,savings ,,bank--,a ,,million ,,dollar ,,building4 ,,enormous ,,manufacturing ,,capital4 ,the foregoing are simply instances of many new enterprises that have lately been started in ,buffalo4 ,the manufacturing establishments of this city tripled during the ten years between #ahhj and #ahij1 and the proportion of increase since #ahij has been much greater than before4 ,it is believed that the capital invested in manufacturing enterprises of all kinds in ,buffalo amounts to nearly #ajj1jjj1jjj4 ,what will it be after the full force of ,niagara's lightning has struck us8 ,,an ,,eternal ,,power ,,house4 ,the source of ,buffalo's electrical power is the force in running water1 but unlike almost every other water power it is never-ceasing4 ,its supply comes from the hills and watersheds of half a continent4 ,the ,niagara can never run dry1 can never diminish in volume to make an iota of difference4 ,it is the narrow end of a funnel through which a resistless force must ever flow4 ,it is a force that will always exist4 ,for all time the power of the ,niagara developed into electricity will turn the wheels of industry within the great city upon its banks4 ,no emergency steam plants will be needed1 as on the banks of many rivers1 to supply the place of failing water power4 ,niagara's power is eternal4 ,a ,,great ,,field ,,for ,,investors4 ,nowhere on the ,north ,american continent is there so grand a field for investment as in ,buffalo4 ,values here have been and are phenomenally low4 ,it has been and is a conservative city4 ,there has never been a boom in ,buffalo4 ,there has been increase in values1 but no inflation1 no boom4 ,talk of a ,buffalo boom has been heard1 but the presence of a boom is here denied most emphatically and earnestly4 ,values in ,buffalo and vicinity are lower than in any other progressive city of its size in the country4 ,there has been so much available land that inflation has been checked4 ,a great deal of ,buffalo property has changed hands within the past year or two1 but at very reasonable figures4 ,millions will be made within a few years by landholders1 and without effort on their part4 ,a dollar planted in the soil of ,buffalo today will spring up as two dollars next year4 ,when a city doubles its population it at the same time quadruples the value of its real estate4 ,it is freely prophesied that ,buffalo's population will be doubled in five years1 quadrupled in ten4 ,the cheapest power in the world and unequalled shipping facilities--by railroad1 lake and canal--will produce this wonderful metamorphosis4 ,cheap power6 ,cheap freights6 ,a world of wealth is contained in the combination4 ,buffalo has a most substantial foundation on which to build a manufacturing metropolis4 ,it is a conservative city1 full of careful1 cautious business men4 ,it has come along by comparatively slow and always steady progress1 taking no forward step until strong and ready for it4 ,commercial depressions have affected us but little4 ,panics have avoided us1 for panics are like plagues and seize hold where the conditions are unhealthy4 ,we have had neither plagues nor panics2 we have a healthy city physically and financially4 ,now a new era has dawned4 ,we are about to leap to an eminence undreamed of in years gone by4 ,strong from the strength of right business living we are equal to the swifter pace of the new order of things4 ,the sublime force of the ,niagara is chained and diverted to manufacturing uses4 ,every wheel in ,buffalo will be turned by this marvelous power at far less cost than machinery can be run anywhere else in the wide world4 ,there's a giant force behind the leap4 ,cheap power6 ,cheap freights6 ,these are the talismanic symbols of a mighty greatness4 ,,great ,,importance ,,of ,,the ,,lake ,,traffic4 ,the ,review of ,reviews in a recent article on the traffic of the ,great ,lakes1 proves the extraordinary importance of this traffic and of ,buffalo's location from a commercial standpoint4 ,it must always be borne in mind that the great bulk of the lake traffic is tributary to ,buffalo4 ,the article referred to is as follows3 8,few persons who have not made a personal study of the matter realize the magnitude of the traffic of the ,great ,lakes4 ,there were over #a1ajj more vessels passing through the canal into ,duluth1 ,minnesota1 in #ahia1 than passed through the ,suez ,canal the year previous4 ,through the 8,soo0 ,canal at the outlet of ,lake ,superior there were more than three times as many vessels and nearly a million and three-quarters tons more freight in #ahij than through the ,suez ,canal during the same year4 ,there is not the same absolute record of vessels passing through the ,detroit ,river as is obtainable for the two points previously mentioned4 ,but an estimate made by ,hon4 ,george ,h4 ,ely1 of ,cleveland1 shows that in #ahhi there were more than #cf1jjj1jjj tons of freight carried through the ,detroit ,river4 ,this sum seems large when it is stated by itself1 but the real magnitude will perhaps be better appreciated when it is known that this is #aj1jjj1jjj tons in excess of the tonnage at all the seaports of the ,united ,states for the same year1 and #c1jjj1jjj tons in excess of the total arrivals and clearances1 both coastwise and foreign1 of ,liverpool and ,london combined4 ,the arrivals and clearances of vessels at ,chicago for #ahij numbered #ba1eda1 while the corresponding aggregate for ,new ,york was but #ae1bhc4 ,the entries and clearances for the entire seaboard of the ,united ,states in that year were #cg1gef1 while for the ,united ,states ports on the ,great ,lakes the arrivals and clearances numbered #hh1bhj4 ,the traffic of the ,great ,lakes in #ahia was #bg per cent of the total traffic of all the railways of the ,united ,states for the same year1 and if the tonnage carried on the lakes had been carried instead by rail1 at the average price per ton per mile1 it would have cost1 in round numbers1 #aej1jjj1jjj more than was actually paid for its transportation by water40 ,,beautiful ,,grand ,,island4 ,down the ,niagara river from ,buffalo a few miles the noble stream divides and forms ,grand ,island4 ,this is ,buffalo's watering-place4 ,hotels1 club-houses1 summer residences and public pleasure grounds abound all along the river's banks on either side of the island1 while the rich farming land of the interior is devoted to agriculture4 ,the air of the island is pure1 the scenery delightful1 and the ride upon the river to and from the city is full of restful charm4 ,many pleasure steamers ply between the city and the island resorts1 and do a large and remunerative business4 ,but for the great mass of busy people some sort of transit more rapid than steamers is necessary4 ,this want is about to be met4 ,a project has lately ripened to build a bridge from the mainland and run an electric railroad across the bridge and clear around the island1 connecting with the street railroad system of the city4 ,long-headed men foresee that when this is accomplished there will be a quick and large appreciation of land values on the island1 and it is certain that within the next few years fortunes will be made in ,grand ,island lands as well as in those of ,buffalo and other sections of the mainland4 ,with the increased demand for manufacturing sites1 industrial enterprises will certainly seek that portion of the island nearest to ,buffalo and ,tonawanda1 and the other side1 facing ,canada1 will continue to be occupied by summer resorts1 club-houses and residences4 ,,conclusion4 ,in this little volume an effort has been made to acquaint the reader with the splendid present and the glorious future of ,buffalo4 ,among the great events in the history of industrial enterprises the turning of ,niagara's water power into electric force is one of the most portentious4 ,a vast field1 teeming with wealth1 lies open to our view1 and the tremendous possibilities--nay1 the certainties--for ,buffalo are sharply defined4 ,if one tunnel can be constructed1 so can two1 or a dozen1 or a score4 ,power will keep pace with the demand for it--power cheaper than any other on the face of the earth--and1 as it can be easily transmitted1 it will be chiefly used where it can be best used1 and that is1 where the acme of shipping facilities is found and must always concentrate1 in ,buffalo4 ,the thunder of the ,niagara will remain where the waters leap1 but its swift lightning is ,buffalo's4 ,illustration3 ,,niagara ,,falls #afj ,,feet ,,high ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's note3 ,missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected4 ,typographical errors were silently corrected4 ,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book4