Early Electrification of Buffalo: Contributions of Five AIEE Presidents

From GHN

It is important to note the contributions of five men associated with the Cataract Construction Company who became presidents of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, one of the predecessors of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Dr. Arthur E. Kennelly President 1898-1900 -- hired as a consultant 1894 and 1895 concerning the radius of electric power distribution that might be considered reasonably profitable by the use of high-voltage alternating current.

Charles F. Scott President 1902-1903 --  Westinghouse electrical engineer – developed the ‘Scott connection’ for connecting two single phase transformers to convert two-phase four-wire current to three-phase three-wire. Technical consultant to Edward Dean Adams during the writing of his two-volume ‘Niagara Power’.

Lewis B. Stillwell President 1909-1910 -- In March 1897 resigned his position as chief electrical engineer and assistant manager of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. to become Electrical Director of Cataract Construction. Resigned in September 1900 after the completion of Power House 1. Paul M. Lincoln President 1914-1915 -- Westinghouse engineer - joined Cataract Construction 1896 to 1902 as operating superintendent and later as resident electrician. Involved with Power House 1 and transmission to Buffalo. Invented the synchroscope. Returned to Westinghouse and later became Professor-Director in charge of Department of Electrical Engineering at Cornell. Harold W. Buck President 1916-1917-- Engineer with General Electric. Electrical Engineer for Cataract Construction September 1901 to December 1907 in responsible charge of the allied power companies. He was instrumental in the development of suspension type insulators. All prior insulators were pin type. 

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