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| North
Central States |
Indiana | South Bend |
South Bend was incorporated as a city in 1865.
South Bend elected water commissioners in 1872, and three of them, William H. Beach, Elliott Tutt, and Clement Studebaker, contracted for a Holly water system on March 20, 1873 but city voters on May 6, 1873 chose a standpipe system that had been championed by Leighton Pine, superintendent of the Singer Sewing Machine factory in South Bend. Three water-driven Flanders pumps supplied water to a standpipe and was distributed through Wyckoff wooden pipes.
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| 1873 Standpipe Pipe from Early South Bend | 1873 Standpipe Under Construction, from Early South Bend | 1873 Standpipe Completed |
The system was successfully demonstrated on December 25, 1873, highlighted by a wager between Pine and John M. Studebaker (brother of Clement). Studebaker bet Pine a cow that the system could not deliver a steam of water above the belfry of the Studebaker factory, where he and former vice-president Schuyler Colfax would stay high and dry. Pine won the bet by soaking both men, and the cow was duly transferred and auctioned off for the benefit of the Ladies Benevolent Aid Society.
Water is supplied by the city of South Bend.
References
1871 Turner's South Bend Directory for
1871-2
Pages 166-167: A company has recently been formed for the purpose of
erecting Holly Water Works and furnishing the city with pure water from
the St. Joseph river. Action has, however, been deferred for the year
1871, it being considered too late in the season to commence operations.
Another year will, doubtless, see this important work completed. A good
system of water works would be highly advantageous to South Bend, although
we have at present an abundance of most excellent water for domestic use,
furnished by wells; while thirty public cisterns, entirely self-supplying,
are distributed throughout the city for fire purposes. These cisterns are
six feet in diameter, with a minimum depth of six feet of water. No steam
fire engine can make any perceptible diminution in the depth. These
cisterns form an extraordinary means of protection against fires, and, in
connection with a well organized and efficient fire department, serve
greatly to reduce the premium on insurance. We have one first-class steam
fire engine, which will soon be duplicated. Few cities have so good
protection against the ravages of fire as South Bend, and few during the
past five years, have suffered so little.
1872 "The Water-Works Question," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, November 9, 1872, Page 2.
1873 "Our City's Water Supply," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, January 11, 1873, Page 1.
1873 "Letters by W. H. Beach and Leighton Pine," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, March 15, 1873, Page 2.
1873 "New Light on the Waterworks Question," by Leighton Pine, The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, March 22, 1873, Page 1. | part 2 |
1873 "Water-Works Literature," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, March 22, 1873, Page 2.
1873 "Water
Works Contract," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, March 22,
1873, Page 2.
March 20, 1873 contract with the Holly Manufacturing Company for two pairs
of reciprocating pumping engines and two rotary pumps, along with
installation of complete system of water works.
1873 "The Water-Works Question," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, May 3, 1873, Page 2. | Part 2 |
1873 "Water
Works Meeting," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, May 3, 1873,
Page 3.
Holly meeting, Saturday evening, May 3, 1873; Stand Pipe meeting, May 5,
1873.
1873 "Stand Pipe," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, May 10, 1873, Page 2.
1873 "The City Elections - Water-works the Issue, and the Stand-Pipers Victorious," The South Bend Tribune, May 10, 1873, Page 3.
1873 "The City Water Works - What the Stand Pipe is to be Like," The South Bend Tribune, July 12, 1873, Page 1.
1873 "The
Water Works," The South Bend Tribune, July 12, 1873, Page 3.
Bids opened.
1873 "Our
Water Supply," The South Bend Tribune, July 19, 1873, Page
2.
The Report of the Engineer - A Comparison of the Various Bids Received -
The Economy of having an Engineer.
1873 "Our
Water-Works," The South Bend Tribune, July 26, 1873, Page 3.
The Bids Received by the Council for Pumping Machinery
1873 "The Water Works Committee Decide in Favor of the Vergennes Pump," The South-Bend Weekly Tribune, August 2, 1873, Page 3.
1873 "South Bend City 20 Years' 20 per Cent. Water-works Bonds." The South Bend Tribune, August 22, 1873, Page 4.
1873 "The Efficacy of the Flanders' Pumps," The South Bend Tribune, October 20, 1873, Page 2.
1873 Water
Supply: Address to the Citizens of South Bend by a Majority of the
Committee; the Different Systems Considered, by William H.
Beach, Elliott Tutt, and Clement Studebaker.
This was probably printed for and distributed at the water works meeting
on May 3, 1873, prior to the vote on May 6th.
1873 "The
South Bend Water Works," The South Bend Tribune, December 6,
1873, Page 2.
Includes information on the Wyckoff wooden pipes.
1873 "South
Bend," Chicago Tribune, December 26, 1873, Page 5.
New Water-Works Tested -- A Bet Decided -- Presentation to Mr. Colfax.
1874 "More
Water-Pipes," The South Bend Tribune, June 30, 1874, Page 4.
Five more miles of Wyckoff wooden pipes.
1874 Panoramic view of South Bend, Indiana. Standpipe is No. 6
1875 Ordinance, rules and regulations for the control and management of the City Water Works, adopted by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, April 3rd, 1875. Includes tariff of rates.
1875 An
illustrated historical atlas of St. Joseph co., Indiana. Compiled,
drawn & published from personal examinations & surveys by
Higgins, Belden & Co. | Also here
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Page 19: Water works pump house and stand pipe on Pearl Avenue.
1879 "The
Holly Hydrant Suit Against the City," The South Bend Tribune,
July 19, 1879, Page 1.
They learned that the point in controversy is not the hydrant itself, but
the outer shell which projects it from frost. Mr. Hatch, the
attorney for the Holly company agreed to make a settlement with the city
for $173.40, which would permit the use of the 42 hydrants which are now
here, and that are infringements of the patent.
1879 The
South Bend Tribune, July 22, 1879, Page 2.
The city attorney reported the result of his visit to Cincinnati in regard
to the hydrant infringement suit. The report was concurred in and
the mayor was ordered to compromise with the Holly company by a money
payment unless the matter could be arranged by substituting Cummings &
Co. for defendants.
1879 The
South Bend Tribune, September 23, 1879, Page 2.
A communication from John E. Hatch, attorney for the Holly company in the
suit against the city for infringement of certain patents on hydrants, was
received stating that the case had been dismissed.
1880 History
of St. Joseph County, Indiana
Page 861-862: Water Works
1881 South Bend, from Engineering News 8:433-434 (October 29, 1881)
1882 Elliott Tutt (1812-1882) grave
1882 South Bend, from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1885 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Indiana.
May, 1885
Sheet 1 shows water facilities description
Sheet 3 shows Sound Bend Water Works and standpipe
1888 "South Bend," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1889 Rules and regulations for the control and management of the city water works adopted by the Board of trustees of the city water works, of the city of South Bend, May, 1889. Includes Tariff of Rates.
1890 Panoramic view of South Bend, Ind. Water works is no. 3.
1890 "South Bend," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Indiana.
July, 1891
Sheet 1 shows water facilities description
Sheet 4 shows Sound Bend Water Works and standpipe
1891 "South Bend," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1893 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Indiana.
December, 1893
Sheet 1 shows water facilities description
Sheet 4 shows Sound Bend Water Works and standpipe
1897 "South Bend," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1899 Sanborn
Fire Insurance Map from South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Indiana.
Sheet 1 shows water facilities description
Sheet 6 shows Sound Bend Water Works Central Pumping Station with
standpipe
Sheet 10 shows North Pumping Station
1901 South
Bend and the Men who Have Made it: Historical, Descriptive,
Biographical
Page 43: The Water Works.
1904 Report of the Department of Public Works of South Bend, Indiana, Concerning the City Water Works for the year ending December 31, 1904.
1907 "Water System of South Bend," Fire and Water Engineering 43(17): (October 23, 1907) | also here |
1907 A
History of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 1, by Timothy
Edward Howard
Pages 371-377: Water Works
1910 Rules, regulations and water rates of South Bend city water works. June, 1910.
1916 Report of Water Works Department for the year ending December 31st, 1916.
1916 The General Ordinances of the City of South Bend, Indiana
1918 Report of Water Works Department for the year ending December 31st, 1918.
1923 Report of the City Water Works for the year 1923.
1962 "South Bend," from Public Water Supplies of the 100 Largest Cities in the United States, 1962, US Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 1812, by Charles Norman Durfor and Edith Becker
1983 "Raising
the Huge Tube," by Craig and Alec Hosterman, The South Bend
Tribune, July 31, 1983, Pages 3-5 | Part
2 | Part 3
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Monumental engineering fear celebrated after erection of South Bend's
standpipe.
2015 "Standing
Tall, Saving Lives," The South Bend Tribune, December 7,
2015, Page A4
Lofty water pipe towers over young city, protects it from fire.
© 2019 Morris A. Pierce