216 - HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO
CHAPTER XV.
WATER WORKS.
The first attempt in Zanesville was made by David J. Marple and Wyllys Silliman, to whom the City Council granted the privilege of laying pipe and building a reservoir. The ordinance authorizing this work was passed in May, 1816, and the water works inaugurated in 1817.
The reservoir was located near the corner of Underwood street and Fountain alley ; was built of cut stone, puddled with white clay, and arched over with brick. In those days, the springs were much stronger than now, and water was brought from the springs' on the surrounding hills ; from the spring at Best's still-house, east of Green lane, through Mrs. Fell's pasture lot, to the reservoir—through a cut of twenty-five feet—the necessary fall. The reservoir was seventy-five feet Long and twenty-five feet wide, and nine feet deep. The logs used for piping were principally elm, poplar and oak. The work of preparing them was done on the lot where Mr: F. J. L. Blandy's residence now stands. The hole through the logs was two and a half to three and a half inches in diameter—they tapered and were driven together. The, hydrants were of the primitive order, made by driving an upright pipe, about seven feet long, into the water-mains, and at the top a piece of wood was driven in, to keep the water from flowing out, and then a faucet of wood or brass was inserted. The chief water-main ran clown Main street, below Third, with branches on the side streets, and in winter required to be well protected to prevent freezing. While water was being drawn from a hydrant at the lower end of the street, none could be had at the upper end, and vice versa. Captain John Dulty lived on the corner of Seventh and Fountain alley, and had the first hydrant on the line, and when he drew water all hydrants below were closed. The reservoir was not much higher
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than the hydrants and the pressure was not sufficient. The water was so tinctured with the wood through which it passed that it was not suitable for drinking or cooking.
The minimum price fixed for water supply to a family, was $5.00 a year, but the projectors of the enterprise never collected a cent for the use of water furnished to the citizens. The whole affair was a loss. This reservoir remained in existence until 1831, when the cut stones were taken out and sold for building purposes.
The second water works were completed in the autumn of 1842. The money used in constructing them was loaned to the town of Zanesville by the Canal and Manufacturing Company, being $39,443 .18 , for twenty-four years, from January 1st. 1842. These works were driven by water power, and continued in use until 1873, when they were entirely abandoned.
The third water works were constructed in 1868, and driven by steam, and continued in use until 1873, when the present works were constructed. The works built in 1868, are in good repair, and held as a reservoir, in case of accident to the new works. The present works, (including that on the uplands,) cost $175,000.00. There are two reservoirs, with a capacity of four million and five hundred thousand gallons. Their elevation above low water mark in the river is two hundred feet. The pumping capacity of the engines is about five million gallons each, in twenty-four hours. The total cost of all works (now in good condition), with their appurtenances, was about $500,000.
The customary "By Laws, Rules and Regulations," have been adopted. The last annual report of the Trustees of Water Works, for the year ending March 4th, 1880, contains the usual details, covering twenty-eight pages, which we do not think germain to this recital.
The following are the officers of the Water Works :
Board of Trustees—R. D. Schultz, M. Churchill, C. Stolzenbach. Superintendent, Elias Ebert ; Secretary, R. J. J. Harkins.
At the date of this report, the condition of the Water Works was as follows :
Total number of fire plugs in the city - 188
" " " Street and private sprinklers - 237
" Hydrants and taps - 2,307
" Steam engines supplied - 51
" Hydraulic elevators supplied - 4
" Brick yards supplied - 5
" Water motors supplied - 5
Length of east iron mains, thirty-two miles 116 feet
Total number of gallons pumped - 702,313,204
" Cost of pumping 1;000,000 gallons - $16 64
" " ." running the works for the year - 12,894 02
The income for each 1,000,000 gallons pumped - 30 51
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand March 15, 1879 - $ 2,220 56
Water rents and all other sources - 24,576 44
Total $ 26,797 00
Expenditures - 22,828 42
Balance on hand, March 14, 1880 - $ 3,968 58