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"The Niagara Power Number of Cassier’s Magazine contains a complete record of this great and novel undertaking; more fascinating than all the feats of Aladdin with his wonderful lamp. Cassier's Niagara Number."
So proclaims the publisher of this 1895 collection of 10 articles telling of the pioneering waterpower development of the era. The special issue celebrates the new technology of long-distance transmission of electric power. Articles by experts of the day detail the engineering and construction feats accomplished at Niagara Falls: the monumental canal, powerhouse, and tunnel which preserved the scenic values while providing affordable electricity to the Buffalo region.
The Niagara project was the prototype for the hydroelectric projects of the past century, and of the electrical grids which serve the entire world. Before it, there was Edison's direct-current (DC) central plant system of steam power generation, which could economically serve power only short distances. After Niagara, Tesla's alternating-current (AC) model triumphed, hugely increasing transmission distances and extending electrical service outside the urban core. The project also required commercial development of high-head reaction turbines and large AC generators. All this innovation and entrepeneurship is presented by the leaders of the development and their contemporaries.
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