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Her Water Works System--Its Cheapness and
Efficiency--Historical Review of the
Early Source of Supply.
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Wells and Pump Logs--Early
Movements for
the Present Works--Division of Opinion.
The Improvement Party in the
Election of 1867.
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The Original Plant--Subsequent
Improvements
Financial Success &c.
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BY B. F. SLOAN.
History
Opinion
Legislation Location
Engine's
Statistical & Financial
Past Board Members
The Author
The water system of Erie is the most
complete and perfect in the State. Besides being inexhaustable, its purity is
beyond the pale of just criticism. In more than one-half the city in area, and
more than two-thirds in population and business, the pressure is sufficient to
extinguish or control fires without the aid of the fire department. Almost every
manufactory and large business block, as well as all the railroad depots, and
round-houses, are provided with private fire protection. These facts give Erie
the reputation among underwriters of being one of the safest cities in the
country. While this is true, a just comparison of the cost of water for domestic
and manufacturing purposes between this and other cities shows that for
cheapness, Erie stands unrivaled. A table in the last annual report of the Board
of Water Commissioners giving the cost of water to the average householder in 25
cities, compiled from official reports, shows that Erie is the lowest. A similar
table of meter rates for 1,000 gallons metered in 163 cities and towns shows
that nine only of the whole number charge less than Erie. In one of these, where
the charge is but 11/100 of a cent less, there is no expense for pumping
machinery nor for lifting the water, as it is furnished by gravity; and in the
remaining eight, the loss in the meter rate is made up by heavier rates for
domestic use, and by payment for fire hydrants, or by a constant yearly
appropriation, by the city to the department, or by both, showing that the sums
lost by decreased meter rates are more than made good by a general tax on the
people, not all of whom are water takers, for the benefit of railroads and
manufacturers. In other words, the many in the cities referred to are made to
bear additional burthens for the benefit of the few. That is not the case in
Erie. Equity and justice is the rule in Erie's water rates, and not the
exception. Top
Up to 1840 Erie depended for its water
supply upon wells and cisterns, and an occasional visit in the heat of summer,
when these nessary adjuncts to every household were dry, of the
"water-man" with a cart filled with water from the bay. In that year
the borough--it was not a city then--built its first works. They were a small
and primitive affair--consisting of lines of pump-logs laid in some of the most
thickly built-up streets. The supply was taken from a large spring on the Reed
farm, south of Eighteenth street, and west of Parade. Though comparatively
insignificant, these simple gravity works were very useful in their day. They
gradually ceased to be used, and were totally discontinued when the supply of
the Reed House was taken from the present works. In 1853 a movement was made in
councils to supersede the pump-log system with something more in accordance with
the demands of the people, but after making some preliminary surveys the matter
was allowed to rest until 1865, when by an act of the legislature John W.
Shannon, Esq., and certain other citizens, were incorporated under the name and
style of the "Erie Water and Gas Company." This company shortly
afterward organized in accordance with the provisions of the general law of the
State relative to the formation and organization of gas and water companies,
approved March 11, 1857. By its charter the Erie Water and Gas Company was
privileged to have a capital of $100,000, to build and maintain gas and water
works, to increase its capital to an amount sufficient to cover the cost of
erecting its works, and to furnish and contract to furnish water and gas to
individual persons and to corporations, etc., etc. The same act authorized the
mayor and councils of the city of Erie and the commissioners of Erie county to
contract with the said company for supplies of water and gas. On the 16th of
July, 1866, the councils passed a resolution appointing a committee to procure
the services of a competent hydraulic engineer "to examine and report to
the councils plans for both sewerage and water" at the earliest moment
practicable. The committee thus appointed applied, among others, to H. P. M.
Birkinbine, Esq., of Philadelphia, a hydraulic engineer of known reputation for
both scientific and practical ability in his profession, and were fortunate
enough to engage him to make the desired examination and report. On the 23rd of
February, 1867, Mr. Birkinbine's report was prepared and submitted to the
councils. This report reviewed the various sources of water supply open to the
choice of the city, and recommended that the water of Lake Erie be taken from
the bay. It put the cost of works at $350,000. At the same session of the
councils a bill providing for the election of three water commissioners was
read, and it was resolved that our senator and representatives be urged to
insist on the passage of it. About the same time the Erie Gas Company procured
the passage of an act supplementary to their charter, authorizing them in
conformity with the provisions of the general law of March 11, 1857, to
introduce water wherever they were authorized to introduce gas. This act was
approved March 9, 1867. Two days afterwards, viz.: March 11, 1867, the city
councils passed a resolution directing the mayor to enter into a contract with
the Erie Water and Gas Company to supply the city with water for fire purposes
for twenty years, from July 1, 1868, or as soon thereafter as the works could be
completed, provided it should be not later than two years from the date of said
contract; if not completed within two years the contract to be null and void. By
this contract it was agreed that the city should pay a yearly rent of $9,000 for
50 fire plugs, and the contract was to be further subject to the following
conditions, viz.: that the said water and gas company commence building within
one year from the date of contract, and that if within one year from the date
thereof the city should begin the construction of water works of sufficient
capacity to supply the wants of the community the said contract be null and
void. The city was further to have the right at any time within five years to
purchase the works of the company on certain specified terms. The contract thus
proposed was duly entered into; but was never carried out in any of its
particulars, except those which provided for its nullification by act of the
city. It may be well to note here that had this contract with the Shannon
company been carried out, the city to-day would be paying $54,000 annually for
300 hydrants--the number now in use. Top
During this time there was practically no
division of opinion that there was one "long-felt want" in Erie that
sooner or later must be filled--and that was an unlimited and unfailing supply
of water. The city had a first-class fire department, but it was like the play
of Hamlet, with Hamlet left out. The Hamlet in this case was water. But like
every other question of public policy, there was a division of opinion as to the
source from which it should be procured. A large and most respectable minority
opposed the plan of taking water from the bay, and advocated a resort to the
springs on the ridge south of Erie, and other streams rising on the same ridge
or near it, or to Millcreek, or to Lake Pleasant, as on many accounts
preferable. It was argued by this party that the water of the bay was, in
consequence of its liability to contamination from the inflow of sewers and of
the canal, then in operation, not fit, or at least not likely long to remain
fit, for use for drinking and culinary purposes, and it was further urged by
them as a great objection to the plan that the cost of pumping would be large
and continued. The majority contended, on the other hand, that to pump water
from Lake Erie would cost no more in the long run than would the dams,
reservoirs, etc., which it would be necessary to construct in order to bring in
and render available by gravity alone, at a head sufficient to serve all
purposes, the water of the various sources named, and further, that in the cases
of several of those sources such a head could not be obtained at all without
pumping. The strife about these questions was carried on with considerable
feeling, and several public meetings were held to discuss the point in dispute.
The mayor's election of 1867 was made to turn mainly upon these and similar
issues. That election resulted in the emphatic triumph of the party in favor of
immediate and extensive city improvement. Top
Strengthened by the verdict of the people
the friends of the present system of water works immediately applied to the
legislature for an act authorizing their construction. The act of April 4th
followed. It is entitled "A further supplement to the charter of the city
of Erie, to provide for the appointment of Water Commissioners, and to define
their powers and duties." This act made it the duty of the Judge of the
Court of Common Pleas to appoint three persons to serve as Commissioners of
Water Works--one of whom to serve one year, one two years, and one three
years--and one annually thereafter at the May term of court. The first
appointments were William L. Scott, Henry Rawle and William W. Reed. After
several preliminary meetings, on June 29, 1867, the board was permanently
organized by the election of William W. Reed, president, and the appointment of
William Brewster, secretary. The first step was to make a personal examination
of various plans of water works--in the meantime inviting suggestions of any
feasible plan to take water from inland sources southward of the city. No such
plan having been suggested, negotiations were opened with Mr. Birkinbine,
mentioned above, and in November a permanent engagement was made with him to
take charge of the construction of the works. At the same time the plan devised
by him was adopted. Top
The first engines purchased--two in
number were of the kind known as the "Cornish Bull
Engines"--originally invented and designed by the celebrated inventor,
James Watt. For their kind, and before more modern inventions and improvements
superseded them, they were considered very fine and economical machines. Their
pumping capacity is, single, 2,500,000 gallons per day; double, 4,000,000. In
1885, after a careful computation of the amount of water pumped by the old
engines during the preceding year, the Board of Water Commissioners were
convinced that the limit of supply had been nearly reached, and that an
additional pump must be provided. The following year a contract was made with
the Holly Manufacturing Company, of Lockport, N. Y., for a 5,000,000 gallon per
day Gaskill Engine. The contract price was $24,850 for engine and foundation.
The work of building a new engine house and placing in position the new pumping
engine was completed early in 1887, and the new machine accepted June 11th of
the same year. A description of this machine is not compatible with the length
of this article. Suffice it to say that it is claimed by its inventor and
generally acknowledged to be the most economical in the use of fuel of any
machine in existence. This is borne out by the fact developed on its trial test
before acceptance--that with $1 worth of coal it raised to the reservoir 515,673
gallons of water against a head of 237 feet, increased by friction to 244 feet.
This test is equivalent to the power of one pound of coal required to raise its
own weight to a height of 1,220,000 feet, or 231 miles. It is a safe assertion
to make that no pumping engine has ever made an equal record.
Top
The construction account of the works to date foots up about $1,000,000. There are 60 miles of 4, 6, 12, 20 and 30 inch distributing mains; from 5,000 to 6,000 private street connections--all put in by the department at an expense of over $60,000 (no other city does this)--300 fire hydrants and 550 stop valves, or water gates, varying in size from 4 to 30 inches. It should be noted in this connection, that this 60 miles of pipe gives to Erie one and one-half miles to each 1,000 inhabitants--an amount of pipe to population larger than any other city in the country. All this vast work--(we include the entire plant)--has been accomplished by an outlay, on the part of the city, of $675,000 in bonds, discounted at 80 cents on the dollar, and the earnings of the works, as shown by the following table:
The ex-members of the board are William L. Scott, from 1867 to 1868; Henry Rawle, from 1867 to 1872; William W. Reed, from 1867 to 1879; John C, Selden, from 1868 to 1872; M. R. Barr, from 1872 to 1877; John Gensheimer, from 1872 to 1878; M. Liebel, from 1877 to 1881; J. M. Bryant, from 1878 to 1881; G. W. F. Sherwin, from 1879 to 1885; and Benjamin Whitman, from 1881 to 1887.
The present board is George W. Starr, C. Kessler and C. J. Brown.
The officers are, president, George W. Starr; secretary and treasurer, B. F. Sloan; assistant secretary, George C. Gensheimer; clerk, Will W. Reed; superintendent of street work, William O'Lone; inspectors, A. F. Crane, F. W. Koehler, John D. Spafford; mechanical engineer, F. A. Roth; assistant mechanical engineers, George R. Miller, John Kelly; firemen, R. W. Simons, Joseph Burns, Jacob Mullen; watchman at pumping works, Thomas Tidman; keeper of reservoir and grounds, Samuel Pfister.
The senior in the service of the department is Mr. Gensheimer, appointed clerk in April 1877, and promoted to assistant secretary in 1883. Inspector Crane is next, having been appointed in July, 1877. The present secretary and treasurer was appointed on the resignation of John C. Perkins in 1878,and consequently has been in service 10 years. Top
B. F. Sloan was secretary and treasurer for the Erie Borough Board of Water Commissioners in 1888. As such Mr. Sloan's designated jobs ranged from Billing Clerk to Chief Financial Officer to Head of Public Relations. The preceding story was reproduced from a publication known as "Erie, Penn'a Illustrated" which featured a variety of Erie area developments prior to 1888.
