One of the largest achievements for Paxton was the Emperor Fountain. This water feature is a dramatic view and is located in the canal pond at Chatsworth. The fountain was admired by the sixth Duke who had visited Russia and met Czar Nicholas. The Czar, knowing the Duke was coming to visit, make plans to make the outdoor fountain even larger and bigger than those they could be found in Russia. With only six months until the visit, water available was measured to see if a very large jet of water could be installed. Once he received confirmation, a large hydraulic feature was installed for a new water feature. This included over two miles of pipe to the aqueduct in order to drain the later. In addition, a reservoir, more than three feet above house and eight acres large was created. The Duke was very surprised by the amount of work this caused when he visited the location. Work continued day and night in order to complete the fountain in 6 months time.
The Emperor Fountains were like no other of their time due to the technology that was needed. The lake that supplied the fountain could release almost 4000 gallons of water per minute when at its peak capacity. Many experiments took place to arrive at the correct solution for water supply to the fountain. Brass nozzles could be found on the fountain and a typical jet could shoot over 260 feet in the air, with a record of reaching almost 300 feet. This was the first time that water jets had been able to reach such a height. The fountain was completed in time for the scheduled visit, but the Czar never came to visit. The fountain was grand but it should be noted that the wind actually made it appear as if the fountain shot water much higher. It was actually quite a bit of a pain as the water became a bit of a nuisance.
On September 26,1939, the Penrhos College in Wales, arrived in Chatsworth. To welcome their arrival, all fountains in Chatsworth were running. Water shot hundreds of feet into the air, giving them a wonderful view of the fairytale landscape.