Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
South
Atlantic States |
Georgia | Macon |
Macon was founded in 1828.
The first water system in Macon may have been built as early as 1842, when the council paid a bill for a "reservoir and aqueduct" that had been installed by the fire department.
Robert Collins and James B. Ayres were granted permission in 1846 to "bring water from any springs ... in suitable pipes." The system appears to have been operating by 1849 when Collins and Ells offered to supply water to a fountain which the council accepted. Ells was Charles Atwater Ells (1807?-1867), a local merchant who took over ownership of the system. This system was acquired by the Macon Gas Company on November 8, 1861, and the city transferred to them the right to distribute water. Another similar contract was made on October 23, 1866 "to increase the supply of water for fire purposes."
The Macon Gas Light and Water Company was incorporated in 1876 by Joseph M. Boardman, William B. Johnston, John L. Jones, John J. Gresham, Peter Solomon and Charles A. Nutting, The company was granted a franchise to install pipes in late 1880 and they began to install pipes in January 1881, The system began operating in June when the young daughter of local merchant Samuel Taylor Coleman pressed a lever that started the engines. Coleman had two daughters, Mary J. Budd (1871-1905) and Alberts Hawkins (1869-1949).
An 1881 law allowed the city of Macon to hold a vote to authorize entering into a contract with the company, which was done. The contract was renewed for twenty years on November 21, 1891, but the company fell into receivership in 1895 which lasted until 1899, during which time administrator T. D. Tinsley had the system rebuilt with permission of the court. The company was returned to the stockholders in 1899, and in 1911 the city purchased the water system for $699,000 and took possession on on November 1, 1911.
The Bibb County Water and Sewerage Authority was formed in 1966 to take over the water system and was later renamed the Macon-Bibb County Water and Sewage Authority.
The name of this authority was changed to the Macon Water Authority in 1992.
Water is provided by the Macon Water Authority, which has a short history page.
References
1842 Georgia
Telegraph, July 12, 1842, Page 3.
Council Chamber, Regular meeting, July 8, 1942. Bills passed: Chairman
Fire Department $83.87 for reservoir and aqueduct.
1846 Georgia
Telegraph, February 24, 1846, Page 3.
Council Chamber, February 20, 1846. The following applications were
granted:
Whereas, Robert Collins and James B. Ayres have applied for leave to bring
water from any Springs on the town common, in suitable pipes under ground
to the city, and as the same may be of much public utility, it is hereby
ordered, their application is granted; and that they are authorized to
carry said pipes under ground through any streets or alleys in the city,
and to use any spring or springs on the public ground; Provided they do
not interrupt their use for other ordinary purposes, and provided, also,
that their supply supply any public cisterns which may be built in the
city, with water, to be used in case of fire, free of charge.
1849 Georgia
Telegraph, July 3, 1849, Page 3.
Council Chamber, June 29, 1849. Resolved that Collins & Ells be
notified to have the water play at the Fountain, (Mulberry street) three
hours in the morning, and three hours in the afternoon during each day.
1853 Georgia
Telegraph, February 1, 1853, Page 3.
Council Chamber, January 28, 1853. Committee on the Fire Department.
Proposals for building water cisterns. Said Cisterns to be connected
with the Water Works, supplying the city by 1 1-2 inch pipe, not
exceeding.
1853 Georgia
Telegraph, June 28, 1853, Page 2.
Resolved, That the mayor be authorized to have the Reservoir and pipes in
front of the Washington Hall repaired, so that it may be kept filled with
pure water. Carried.
1857 "Water Works for Macon," Georgia Telegraph, July 7, 1857, Page 2.
1861 Macon Telegraph,
November 12, 1861, Page 3.
Council Proceedings, November 8, 1861.
To the Hon. Mayor and Council of the City of Macon:
Gentlemen: Your petitions humbly represent to your honorable body,
that they have been solicited by some of the large consumers of water
furnished by C. A Ells & Co. (who have given notice that they have
abandoned the enterprise and can no longer supply them) to get their
supply of water from the Gas Company's reservoirs, beg that Council will
grant them the privilege to continue the supply to such consumers as they
may be able to supply with pure water, and to lay their pipes through the
streets of the city for that purpose, for such time and upon such
conditions as may be agreed upon by your Honorable Body and the Directors
of the Gas Light Company -- and your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
J. M. Boardman, Pres., Macon Gas Light Company. November 1st, 1861.
The committee to whom was referred the application of J. M. Boardman,
President of the Macon Gas Company, for leave to furnish customers with
waer, and asking to be informed upon what conditions they could do so; beg
leave to report, that they have proposed to that Company what they
conceive to be an equitable arrangement whereby customers might be
supplied through their main and the city pipes, that have just been
purchased from C. A. Ells & Co. through which they supply the fire
Cisterns.
1866 "Macon Water Works -- The Election To-day," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, April 16, 1866, Page 4.
1870 "Macon Canal and Water Works," Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Georgia Journal & Messenger, June 14, 1870, Page 4. Note there are two separate articles on this page.
1870 "Macon Canal and Water Works," Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Georgia Journal & Messenger, June 21, 1870, Page 4.
1870 "The Macon Canal and the Transmission of Water Power," Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Georgia Journal & Messenger, December 20, 1870, Page 1.
1871 "The Holly System of Water Supplies," Georgia Weekly Telegraph and Journal & Messenger, March 28, 1871, Page 4.
1876 An act to incorporate the Macon Gas Light and Water Company. February 17, 1876.
1880 "Proposition of the Macon Gas-Light and Water Company," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, August 8, 1880, Page 8.
1880 "Another Proposition for Waterworks," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, August 17, 1880, Page 8. Proposal by Jesse W. Starr, Jr.
1880 "Our Waterworks. Pump, Engine, and Pipes Purchased," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, December 10, 1880, Page 2.
1881 "Waterworks," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, January 14, 1881, Page 4. Two articles, pipe laying commenced.
1881 "Our Waterworks. Laying the Mains -- Strike of the Georgia Darkey," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, January 28, 1881, Page 8.
1881 "Macon's Healthful Flow Begins. Little Girl's Hand Starts the Giant Engines and Our Waterworks Begin to Play," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal & Messenger, June 10, 1881, Page 8.
1882 Macon from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1882 "Water on the Hill. Something About the Water Works Interests Every Citizen," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal, and Messenger, March 10, 1882, Page 8.
1882 "A $50,000 Fire. Macon Visited by a Serious Conflagration," Georgia Weekly Telegraph, Journal, and Messenger, March 17, 1882, Page 3.
1882 Macon, Engineering News, 12:373 (October 28, 1882)
1888 "Macon," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Macon," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1890 Memorial History of Augusta, Georgia : from Its Settlement in 1735 to the Close of the Eighteenth Century | From the close of the eighteenth century to the present time, by Charles Colcock Jones and Salem Dutcher
1891 "Macon," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1896 "Water Company is Held Liable. Public Service Corporations Must Perform Their Duties," The Atlanta Constitution, November 17, 1906.
1897 "To be Reorganized Soon. Bondholders Committee Macon Gas Light and Water Co.," The Macon Telegraph, January 15, 1897, Page 5.
1897 "Order is Passed. Judge Speer Makes Important Ruling in Waterworks case. Mains are to be laid. Court directs that work necessary to protection of both parties shall be done," The Atlanta Constitution, June 6, 1897.
1897 Municipal
Engineering, 13(6):391 (December, 1897)
Macon, Ga. - T. D. Tinsley, receiver for the Macon Gas Light and Water
company, has been granted permission to issue $100,000 in certificates of
improvements to the water works. A new pumping station will be
built.
1897 "Macon," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1908 Macon Gas Light and Water Company v. Freeman, Administrator, 4 Ga. App. 463, July 8, 1908, Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia.
1911 "Big Bond Issue Voted By Macon. City Will Pay $699,000 for Water Plant," The Atlanta Constitution, March 19, 1911, Page 5.
1915 Underground
waters of the coastal plain of Georgia, by Lloyd William Stephenson
and Jethro Otto Veatch. USGS Water Supply Paper 341
Page 148: The city of Macon is provided with a water-supply system.
The plant is owned by the Macon Gas, Light & Water co. and the source
of supply is Ocmulgee River. The pumps which lift the water to the
standpipe have a daily capacity of 10,000,000 gallons. The capacity
of the standpipe is 3,000,000 gallons.
1918 "The Developing and Financing of Macon's Water System," The American City, 19(3):200-202 (September 1918)
1923 "Macon's Water System, Chronologically" by Osgood Clark, City Clerk, The Macon Magazine, (December, 1923).
1966 An Act to create the Bibb County Water and Sewerage Authority. March 2, 1966. See 1992 act for amendments to this act.
1983 Eugene
W. Stetson, by Adrienne Moore Bond
Page 49: In 1910, the City of Macon had a problem securing an
adequate water supply for its growing population. At that time water
and gas were provided to the city under a contract with the Macon Gas
Light and Water Company. Realizing that the contract was due to
expire in 1912, Major John T. Moore appointed a committee composed of W.
T. Anderson, Eli Elkan, William H. Fetner, Oscar E. Dooly, Charles A.
Caldwell, and Eugene W. Stetson to investigate ways in which service could
be improved. The result was a decision to transfer ownership of the
waterworks to the city, and this was effected on 30 September 1911.
1984 Kith
and Kin: A Portrait of a Southern Family (1630-1934), by
Carolyn Lawton Harrell
Page 190: During the year 1850, the municipal government liquidated
a sizable debt without embarrassment. The city placed in operation
the first section of a public water works.
1992 Macon Water Authority Act. March 23, 1992.
1996 An act to amend an Act known as the "Macon Water Authority Act" approved March 2, 1966. March 25, 1996.
1996 History
of Macon: The First One Hundred Years, 1823-1923 | 2007
Reprint | This was originally written around 1929 and published in
the The Macon News in 1929.
Page 45: 1850 Macon's first waterworks were put in operation by C.
A. Ells, the source of the water being a huge cistern at the foot of the
hill fronting Wesleyan College. The water was used by Mr. Ells and
the hotels of Macon, the entire expense of operation being borne by Mr.
Ells.
Page 46: 1852 Plans were also proposed for the supply of water for
extinguishing fires, the system of employing wells and cisterns for this
purpose having proved inadequate, as witnessed by the number of
destructive fires during the past two years.
Pages 77-80: Macon's Water System
Some records of the Macon Gas Light and Water Company are held by the Georgia Historical Society.
© 2015 Morris A. Pierce