Several of the electric power companies with immense generating plants at Niagara Falls, it is reported, have agreed to co-operate with Mr. Tesla in an effort to reach Mars by wireless.
The development of the hydraulic power of Niagara on the Canadian side is leading to some interesting sequences.
A tribunal called the hydro-electric power commission has been created [says a writer in a recent issue of _Cassier's Magazine_], and in the hands of this body has been placed the entire domestic regulation of the power product of stations coming within government control.
In addition there has been given to the various municipalities the right to undertake the distribution of electrical energy within their respective limits.
In order that the commission may be in a position to dictate terms to the existing private companies it is important that the co-operation of the municipalities be obtained, and this appears to be partially accomplished.
The city of Toronto has already arranged for 15,000 horse-power of electric energy from Niagara, the price being $14 to $16 per horse-power for a supply for a 24-hour day, including transmission to Toronto, the local distribution to be in the hands of the municipality, and it is believed that a number of other cities and towns will make similar arrangements.
These arrangements are made with the hydro-electric power commission, and it in turn must either secure the power supply from the existing private companies or else proceed to develop its own stations.
It is hardly probable that the latter alternative will be found necessary, since the result would be to leave the private corporations with the greater part of their prospective custom permanently taken away, so that the real consequence of the recent legislation is to compel the companies to supply the municipalities through the commission at prices determined by the engineers of the new body.
It is possible that such measures will prove advantageous to the public, but much will depend upon the manner in which the law is carried out. It has been intimated that this legislation will render it exceedingly difficult for promoters to induce outside capital to engage in the development of natural resources in Canada hereafter.