USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Pittsfield > The history of Pittsfield (Berkshire County), Massachusetts, from the year 1800 to the year 1876 > Part 55
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In the year 1808, Hon. Ashbel Strong conveyed to the com- pany, by deed, the right to take water from the springs upon his farm,-a little north-east of what is now known as the "Spring- side " estate-and about a mile and a half from the park-the consideration being the right to take as much water for his house on South street as was allowed to any member of the company, and also for a watering-trough at the farm. From what source the company obtained its supply, previous to this date, we can- not absolutely determine; but probably Mr. Strong's springs were used under an unrecorded permission. Earthen tile-pipe, in which the water was conveyed and distributed, is frequently dug up on the line from that point, to and through North street, and in the neighborhood of Park square; but nowhere else in a position where it can be supposed to have been used for this pur- pose.
The insufficient depth, less than four feet, at which the pipes were laid, affords a sufficient explanation of the bursting of the pipe.
The next distinct proposition for water-works in Pittsfield, of
1 See vol. I., page 142. Later owners of the farms around Wendell square found excellent water, but at a depth of ninety feet.
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which we have knowledge, was in 1819; and the only informa- tion regarding it is the following advertisement :
NOTICE.
At a meeting of the citizens of Pittsfield, the undersigned were appointed a committee to receive proposals for delivering water at their respective houses, about sixty in number, at an annual rent (or perhaps on contract), east, to Mr. Simeon Brown's house [facing the foot of East street]; north, to Captain Ingersoll's [opposite St. Joseph's church]; south, to Maj. H. C. Brown's [a point below Broad street], and west to Doctor Childs's [opposite the railroad-depot]. As many families will need two outlets, the whole number that will be required may be ninety. Rent shall be required only while the water is fur- nished; and each occupant shall be under suitable restrictions in the use of it. The water from either the East or the West river will be preferred-whence it is proposed to have it taken by means of a force- pump, and thence conveyed in logs, or taken out and conveyed by a canal. Proposals to be received during all this month.
L. POMEROY, H. C. BROWN, T. A. GOLD.
January 11, 1819.
This movement originated in the excitement caused by a fire ; but nothing came of it.
In November, 1827, three buildings opposite the Baptist church were burned, in part from the lack of water, and the Sun warned the citizens to provide against a similar deficiency in the future. In 1828, John Dickinson and Oren Goodrich undertook to supply this pressing need by an aqueduct fed by a cluster of springs about a mile from the park, and situated upon Captain Dickin- son's farm. The natural outlet of these springs fed a reservoir on Onota street.1 From this reservoir, the water was conveyed in two-inch lead-pipes to a brick distributing-reservoir, near the south corner of North and Melville streets. The fall of the water was only eleven feet, which was not sufficient for the suc- cessful working of the aqueduct ; and it was soon abandoned. The failure seriously embarrassed both of the enterprising proprietors, and, coming at a crisis in Captain Dickinson's fortunes, was suffi- cient to turn the scale against him.
1 This reservoir was afterwards the mill-pond which furnished water-power for a button-factory, run by a Mr. Kilbourn, as it now does for the brewery of Gimlech and White.
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HISTORY OF PITTSFIELD.
Until 1855, the locomotives of the Western railroad were sup- plied with water from the Dickinson springs-the level of the depot being some thirty feet lower than that of North street-but they finally became insufficient for the increasing demand, and resort was had to the town water-works. About 1853, the Ash- bel Strong springs, of 1795, were also again called into use by an aqueduct for the supply of Springside-then the residence of Abraham Burbank,-and the Young Ladies' Institute.
These repeated efforts to furnish the Central district with pure water, indicate the popular sense of its great necessity ; which was also shown by the suggestion of many unexecuted plans. Among others, Gordon Mckay, in 1842, urged various schemes upon the citizens of the town; but, failing to meet with any encouragement, he postponed his efforts to a more favorable sea- son. This seemed to come in the year 1850, when Thomas F. Plunkett called Mr. McKay's attention to the abundant and con- venient supply of excellent water in Lake Ashley, a pond of some ninety acres extent, lying upon one of the summits of Wash- ington mountain.
The existence of this lake was, of course, well known, as it was laid down upon the state-map, and was often visited by sports- men, wood-cutters, and like classes of observers; but little was known accurately of its qualities as a source of water-supply. Mr. McKay was much impressed by Mr. Plunkett's suggestion ; and, after visiting the lake, he brought the subject before the newly organized Library Association. The association at once became interested; and, at its request, Mr. McKay, with the aid of John C. Hoadley and Thomas Colt, during the summer of 1850, made careful surveys, and prepared elaborate estimates of the cost of an aqueduct.
A report, drawn up by Mr. Hoadley but embodying the opin- ions of all the explorers, was submitted to the association on the 19th of September. It strongly recommended the introduction of water from Lake Ashley,1 which they described as " a beauti- ful sheet of water lying in a basin of white sand-stone (granular quartz), near the summit of Washington mountain ; its elevation, above the surface of the ground in the park, being not less than
1 So styled upon the state-map, although in accordance with the local cus- tom of changing such names as ownership changed, it was known in Wash- ington as Lanckton pond.
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seven hundred feet, and its distance about six and a quarter miles. * * * The outlet is at the westerly end, and runs down the mountain, almost exactly towards our village ; so that a point may be selected for taking the water from the stream at a sufficient elevation at about two-thirds the distance of the pond."
No actual analysis of the water had been made ; but, from the testimony of families living in the vicinity, and from their own observation, they believed it quite soft, and free from every impur- ity. Upon the same authority, they believed that the supply would never be less than one million two hundred and fifty thou- sand gallons of water daily, or sufficient for fifty thousand inhabit- ants at the rate of twenty-five gallons each, daily. They also decided that a fall of three hundred feet, and a pipe of six inches in diameter, "would best unite the conditions of adequacy, econ- omy, and convenience ;" and they believed that iron-pipes of this size would furnish a supply for the wants of the village as long as they should endure : and that, in case of fire, it would be suffi- cient to keep four hydrants playing with such force as to send the water to the roofs of the highest buildings in town, without interfering with its ordinary use. The cost of the pipes from the reservoir, through Elm and East streets to the east end of the park, and thence through North street to Maplewood ; through West street, nearly to the point now occupied by the depot; and through South street, below Broad, would be twenty-seven thou- sand nine hundred and eighty-two dollars. The cost of distribution through twelve other streets, in four-inch pipes, three-eighths of an inch thick, was placed at nine thousand three hundred and fifty-seven dollars. The total cost of construction, including land- damages, superintendence and incidental expenses, was estimated at thirty-nine thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine dollars ; and the committee stated that they had a proposition from responsible parties to contract for the entire work upon this basis.
The whole number of houses which were already built, that might be supplied from the pipe thus distributed, was three hun- dred and sixteen. The number of hydrants to be put in and sup- plied was forty-one.
The estimates of probable revenue were: From the Western railroad, three hundred dollars;1 water-rents, seventeen hundred
1 The interest of five thousand dollars which the railroad-company offered 71
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dollars; amount properly chargeable to fire-department, eight hundred dollars ; total, twenty-eight hundred dollars.
The annual expenses were estimated as follows: Interest on forty thousand dollars, at five per cent., two thousand dollars ; cost of superintendence, collection, and repairs, four hundred dol- lars ; total, twenty-four hundred dollars.
The committee believed that the charge of eight hundred dol- lars to the fire-department, would be fully compensated by the relief from other expenditures, which the water-works would afford ; but that the amount would constantly decrease with the growth of the village, and consequent increase of water-takers.
Their plan of carrying out their recommendations was for the fire-district to petition the legislature for the necessary powers, and then to construct the works by a loan, bearing five per cent. interest, and payable in thirty years. In regard to the loan, the committee say :
The constant growth of the population, and the more rapid increase of wealth, would make the burden comparatively light, even if the stock had to be paid at maturity by direct taxation; while the same causes will inevitably insure such an increase of revenue, as to provide for the extinction of the debt by a sinking fund. Nor is it visionary to sup- pose that the very enterprise here recommended, will aid materially in advancing the growth and prosperity of the town. The great defi- ciency of water, and the wretched quality of nearly all we have, are seri- ons objections to Pittsfield, either as a place of residence or business- particularly of business requiring steam-power. But fortunately thesc objections are easily removed. When, to the numberless advantages which nature and art have bestowed in our soil, climate, location, and scenery, our enterprise shall have added the pure and abundant supply of water which Providence seems to have prepared and held in reserve for us, we may safely challenge the most favored towns in the state to hold out greater inducements than our own, for residence or business.
The saving to individuals in the reduction of premiums of insurance, . and in diminished risk from fire, would be very great, but wholly unsusceptible of calculation; and the diminution of those diseases which are thought to be induced by the use of impure water, would be an inestimable blessing.
The committee recommended a public meeting, which was held, and appointed the following gentlemen to prepare a petition towards the construction of the works, in consideration of a free supply of water for their locomotives.
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regarding the water-works : E. H. Kellogg, Robert Campbell, John C. West, Charles Hurlbert, N. S. Dodge, John C. Hoadley, and George Brown. This committee made their report to a legal town-meeting, January 11, 1851, generally concurring with the opinions expressed by the Library Association's committee, but suggesting that the supply-pipes should be laid by the district, which would involve an additional ontlay of seven thousand dol- lars. Still, they thought fifty thousand dollars would cover the whole cost.
No perfectly unobjectionable boundaries could be fixed; but it was agreed that the fire-district was the most convenient section of the town to undertake the enterprise; it being already a body corporate, with defined limits, for purposes not unlike those which it was proposed to add. The district, however, being a corpora- tion somewhat novel to the laws, and with whose character for responsibility the general public was not familiar, it was pro- posed that the town should be the nominal borrower, with power to idemnify itself for its liability, by taxing the polls and estates of the district.
The committee appended to their report the form of a statute, embodying their recommendations; and the town instructed the selectmen to petition the legislature for its enactment, whenever they should be requested by the district to do so.' And at a meeting of the district, January 1st, a motion that such a request should be made was offered; but met with so strong an opposi- tion, led by Hon. E. A. Newton, that resolutions were substituted, postponing the subject until November, and appointing a com- mittee to make a thorough examination of the quantity and qual- ity of the water of Lake Ashley; and also to inquire concerning other sources of water-supply. This committee consisted of John C. Hoadley, Wellington H. Tyler, Robert Campbell, Thomas F. Plunkett, Walter Laflin, M. H. Baldwin, John Brown, George S. Willis, C. B. Platt, and N. G. Brown. The meeting passed a vote "thanking Messrs. McKay and Hoadley for their public- spirited efforts in behalf of supplying the village with pure water."
In November, the committee reported very strongly in favor of Lake Ashley, both in regard to the quantity and quality of its water. Observations made monthly from January to November, and after every heavy rain or thaw, showed that Ashley brook,
4
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the stream issuing from the lake, was never turbid or dis- colored ; and that five-sixtlis of its natural flow was derived from springs.
The natural minimum flow of the stream would be sufficient for the ordinary wants of the village; but the committee justly thought "that any system of water-works, to be worth construct- ing, should be adequate to meet the exigencies of fire, and pro- vide for an increase of population. Recourse must, therefore, be had to a reservoir." Upon this point they say :
Fortunately the lake affords an ample and excellent reservoir, avail- able at a small cost. It appears, by measurement from the map of the state, to contain an area of one hundred and fifty acres ; and it was judged by your committee to be of at least that size. A depth of two feet upon one hundred and fifty acres, will contain ninety-eight million and ten thousand, which, at the rate of six hundred and thirty-one thousand gallons in twenty-four hours, would give us a full supply of the capacity of the pipe for one hundred and fifty-five days, without any assistance from the natural flow. A dam which should raise the water one foot, and a slight excavation of the outlet, which should enable us to draw one foot below the present surface, would give an ample sup- ply during the longest drouth, and could be made at a moderate expense, without comprising much land not comprised within the sandy beach of the lake, or laying bare much of the bottom.
Samples of the water of Ashley brook, taken monthly, between January and June, were submitted, for analysis, to Dr. C. T. Jackson, the state-assayer; and the average of all the analyses for the six monthis, gave the following result: Total solid matter in an imperial gallon, three and eighteen hundredthis grains ; matter of organic origin, one and forty-four hundredths grains ; of mineral nature, one and seventy-four hundredths grains. The mineral ingredients were sulphate of lime, carbonate of lime, car- bonate of magnesia, sea-salt, and oxide of iron, with traces of phosphates and sulphates.
Doctor Jackson also examined ten samples of well-water, from different sections of the village. The purest of these samples, which was taken from a well on Fenn street, contained twenty- nine grains of solid matter ; fourteen of a vegetable, and fifteen of a mineral character. The most impure specimen was drawn from the well at the residence of Dr. Robert Campbell, on East street ; one gallon of which contained no less than fifty-six grains
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of solid matter ; twenty-four of vegetable origin, and forty-two of a mineral character. The Springside water, brought in lead-pipes to the Young Ladies' Institute, was comparatively pure; yielding only fifteen grains of solid matter, of which eleven were mineral.
The principal mineral-salts in the well-waters were the carbon- ates of lime and magnesia, the sulphates of soda and potash. Some phosphates were also present in noticeable quantities. In a letter to the committee, Doctor Jackson asked : "Do not your citizens have calculi in the bladder, from the deposits of your very calcarious waters ? I do not see what prevents them from form- ing, if your folks, as I suppose they do, really drink the well- water of the town."
Doctor Jackson's inquiry might have been answered emphati- cally in the affirmative. Very painful and frequent cases of the disease mentioned, and others of a like character, were directly traceable to the use of these waters ; and the collection of calculi, in the cabinet of the Medical College, was startling for the num- ber and size of its specimens.
The report of the committee was submitted to the district, in November, 1851, and the postponed resolution, to request the selectmen to petition the legislature for authority to build the water-works, was warmly pressed by Messrs. Hoadley, McKay, Tyler, and others, and as strongly opposed by Messrs. Newton, Martin, and Laflin. Finally, the opponents of the measure hav- ing raised some doubt as to the accuracy of the estimates of cost, the following committee was appointed to re-examine that mat- ter, and also to present a plan for defraying the cost of construc- tion : Gordon Mckay, T. F. Plunkett, George W. Campbell, George S. Willis, E. A. Wells, J. C. West, and W. H. Tyler.
This committee reported, January 1, 1852, that the estimates were correct, and recommended a loan to defray the cost of the work. These recommendations were adopted, with an amend- ment requiring that the charter should only be accepted by a two- thirds vote in both a town and a district meeting.
The desired powers were conferred by the legislature of 1852; those of the district to be exercised during the construction of the works through three commissioners, to be chosen by ballot. To defray the cost of the undertaking, the town was authorized to issue water-scrip, to an amount not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, and payable in not less than thirty years ; and to indem-
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nify itself by taxing the polls and estates of the district. This scrip was to be delivered to the district, to be disposed of at its discretion, for the purpose for which it was issued.
No vote upon the question of accepting the provisions of this act was reached for nearly three years. But everything con- nected with the subject was discussed with spirit in the news- papers and in public meetings ; so that, when a vote was taken in 1855, the result was a foregone conclusion. In the district, the vote was seventy-five to four in favor of acceptance, and in the town, one hundred and eighty-five to eleven.
On the 26th of February, Ensign H. Kellogg, Thomas F. Plun- kett, and John E. Dodge, were elected commissioners ; and on the 29th of March, they reported that they had made surveys, ascer- tained the amount of work and material required, and received proposals from various contractors. The meeting requested them to go on with the work at their own discretion, and they pro- ceeded with vigor. A dam was built at Lake Ashley, sufficiently high to raise the surface four or five feet above its summer-level. A point for a filter and reservoir was selected on Ashley brook, three miles from the Elm-street bridge, at an elevation of one hundred and thirty-six feet above the level of the park.
The question of the best material for pipes was considered by the commissioners a very grave one. Recent experience in this country and Europe, they said, had developed great defects in that generally used, viz., iron; which becomes so encrusted with rust and tubercles, as in many instances to seriously diminish the capacity of the pipes, and in some to destroy it altogether. They determined, therefore, to examine into the merits of Ball's Patent Indestructible Cement Pipe. This pipe, which was made at Jersey City, consists of a thin core of iron coated within and with- out by a peculiar cement. It had been used in several cities and towns, which were visited by the commissioners, who, after ascer- taining proximately the terms which the patentees would offer, reported to the district in favor of its use.
Their recommendation was adopted, and a contract was made with the Jersey City company, who agreed that the works should be completed October, 1855. They were finished before that date ; but the person employed in supervising their construction was unfaithful, and in some respects incompetent ; and, moreover, in his angry impatience, let the water into the pipes with reckless
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haste. A great number of breaks was the result, and the time required to repair them extended so far into the winter, that very little service-pipe was laid till the spring of 1856. The leaks were, however, supposed to be thoroughly repaired, and the con- tractors readily consented to an allowance of seven hundred and seven dollars for the delay, which the commissioners accepted as just.
The price paid for work and material according to the terms of the contract, with the above deduction, amounted to forty-four thousand four hundred and fifty-two dollars and ninety-two cents. The amount of pipe laid was twenty thousand one hundred and eleven feet of ten-inch diameter; seven hundred and fifty-five feet of eight-inch ; one thousand one hundred ninety-six feet of seven-inch; three thousand six hundred and forty-eight feet of six-inch ; four thousand seven hundred and eighty-five feet of four-inch; seventeen thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven feet of three-inch. Thirty-one fire-hydrants were provided under the contract, and also the necessary air-vents, gates, and other appurtenances.
The commissioners expressed the utmost confidence in the cement-pipe as the best material for conducting water, then known, and the same opinion is still held by many; but, unfortu- nately, circumstances prevented a conclusive test of its merits in Pittsfield. Few, if any, persons in 1857 were aware of the extreme depth to which the frost sometimes penetrates the earth in Berkshire; and no one took into consideration that the water, entering the pipes at a temperature approaching the freezing point, helps to chill its bed, and yet further deepen the frost. The contract, therefore, only provided that the pipes should be laid at a depth of four and a half feet, reckoning from their top ; while later experience has given some instances of the earth's freezing to the depth of six feet. The first winter after the pipes were laid was severely cold, and the water in many of the distri- bution-pipes, being unused and motionless, was frozen; but few of them were burst. A still more severe winter followed; a number of the distribution-pipes were again frozen, and a consid- erable number burst.
These repeated disappointments were extremely vexatious to all parties. Still it was hoped that with the increasing use of the water, and by a liberal provision of waste-pipes, for the severest
.
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weather, freezing would be prevented. No remedy, however, proved sufficient until the pipes were re-laid.
Experience has shown that had iron-pipe been laid at the same depth, it would not have sufficed; and it is equally evident that the cement-pipe, at whatever depth laid, would have been, with the imperfections caused by the faithlessness of the overseer, sub- ject to constant leaks. The commissioners did indeed suppose that the injuries had been thoroughly repaired. But it is a pecu- liarity of the cement-pipe, that, although when broken by freez- ing, it is not so completely shattered as iron is, yet it cannot be mended with its own material so as to be at once ready for use, but must be left to harden. When hasty repairs are required, the fracture is first wound with some other substance, over which the cement is laid ; and it often happens that when the winding decays, the break re-appears; and this happened frequently in this case. The breaks continued to occur year after year ; the patience of successive water-boards was exhausted; and when- ever the new pipe was to be laid, iron was employed; and, after a few years' experience, at a greater depth. In 1876, very little cement-pipe remains, except in one of the mains between the vil- lage and the reservoir, which, being rarely used, can be effectu- ally repaired when broken.
The act of the legislature empowering the district to build the water-works, provided that after their completion they should be managed by such officers and agents as it might determine upon. On the 13th of April, 1857, therefore, it was voted to commit the works to the charge of three commissioners; the first board to be chosen with members holding office for one, two and three years respectively ; their successors for terms of three years. Under this arrangement, the commissioners have been : E. H. Kellogg, 1857-1859; T. F. Plunkett, 1857-1859; Seth W. Morton, 1857- 1859; Thomas Colt, 1859; Jabez L. Peck, 1859-1863; George Brown, 1859-1862; Edwin Clapp, 1860-1864; N. G. Brown, 1866-1872; William R. Plunkett, 1864-1876 ; John Feeley, 1864-1876; Henry Colt, 1864-1865 ; S. T. Chapel, 1872-1875.
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