| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| New England States | Massachusetts | Salem |
Salem was first settled in 1626.
The first public water supply in Salem was Frye's Aqueduct, which was organized on July, 1796 by Daniel Frye and others. The system began operating on November 18, 1796. Daniel Frye, Eleazer Pope, Jacob B. Winchester, and John Stimpson incorporated themselves as "The Proprietors of Frye's Aqueduct."on September 8, 1807, under the auspices of the 1799 Massachusetts Aqueduct Law. This system served Frye's Tavern at 94 Boston Street in Salem (still standing) and other nearby buildings, and records show it was still operating in 1852.
The Salem and Danvers Aqueduct Company was incorporated n March 9, 1797 "for the purpose of conveying fresh water by subterraneous pipes into the towns of Salem & Danvers." The source for this system was located in what is now Peabody and it further described there.
The Union Aqueduct in
Salem and Danvers was organized on December 30, 1799 by Caleb Low, Robert
Shillaber, Samuel Purinton, Stephen Larrabee, Amos Purinton, and Lydia
Trask. The proprietors met in 1801 to discuss repairing the system,
but no further information has been found on this system.
An 1864 law allowed Salem to construct its own water works, and it formed a Board of Water Commissioners who designed and constructed the system. The City then formed the Wenham Water Board on October 5, 1869 to operate the city water works, which were transferred to them on November 16, 1869. An 1869 law allowed Salem to supply water to Beverly.
The City of Salem currently distributes water that is provided by the Salem/Beverly Water Supply Board, which was formed by a 1913 law.
References
1797 An act to incorporate William Gray Junr. and others for the purpose of bringing fresh water into the towns of Salem and Danvers by subterraneous pipes, March 9, 1797.
1806 Rules
and Regulations of the Proprietors of the Salem and Danvers Aqueduct,:
As Established by Their Directors, for the Direction of Those Persons who
Have a Right to Take Water from the Same
1st. - For a family of 5 persons or less, 8 dollars
2d.- For a family of 6 persons, or less than 9, 9 dollars.
3d.- For a family of 9 persons, or less than 12, 10 dollars.
4th.- For a family of 12 persons or upward, 12 dollars.
5th.- For a public or boarding house, 12 dollars.
6th.- For a West-India goods stores, from 8 to 12 dollars
7th.- For a mansion house and West-India goods store, under the same roof,
from one tube only, not to exceed 16 dollars.
8th. Six months rent to be paid in advance, and the expence of the
branch with the ventstock shall be paid for as soon as it shall be fixed
into the house or premises of any person whatever.
1818 Salem Gazette,
July 3, 1818, Page 2.
New Article of Traffic - Last year a still house, with all of the coppers
and implements, was exported, per order, from this town to New-Orleans;
and also bored logs for an Aqueduct.
1839 An act in addition to an Act to incorporate William Gray, Jr. and others, for the purpose of bringing Fresh Water into the towns of Salem and Danvers by subterranean pipes. April 6, 1839.
1860 "History of the Salem and Danvers Aqueduct" by Charles M. Endicott, from Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, Volume 2, Number 3 (June 1860)
1864 "Extracts from the Records of two Aqueduct Corporations in Salem and Danvers", communicated by Henry Wheatland from Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, Volume 6, Number 1 (February 1864)
1864 An act for supplying the city of Salem with pure water. May 13, 1864.
1864-1869 Report of the Water Committee of the City of Salem, 1863 and Works Transferred from the Salem Water Board to the Wenham Water Board, November 18, 1869, and several Annual Reports of the Wenham Water Board of the City of Salem.
1869 An act relating to the Salem water works and to supplying the inhabitants of Beverly with water therefrom. June 12, 1869.
1869 Account of the proceedings upon the transfer of the Salem water works, to the city authorities, Nov. 16, 1869: and the addresses of W.P. Phillips, and William Cogswell. This includes further history of the Salem & Danvers Aqueduct.
1876 The Worthington Steam Pumping Engine: History of Its Invention and Development by Henry R. Worthington, includes reports on the Worthington pumping engine in Salem.
1877 Annual Report of the Wenham Water Board of the City of Salem, | Volumes 7-11 | Additional reports |
1881 "Salem" from Engineering News 8:303-304 (July 30, 1881)
1882 Salem, from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1888 "Salem," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Salem," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Salem," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1893 Act act to provide additional Water Supply for the City of Salem. May 18, 1893.
1894 Engineering
News 31:232 (March 22, 1894)
The Salem Water Board has recently issued an illustrated special report of
over 40 pages on an additional water supply.
1897 "Salem," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1907 Report of the Salem Water Board
1910 Report of the Committee on Additional Water Supply for the Cities of Salem and Beverly.
1913 An
act to provide an additional water supply for the cities of Salem and
Beverly. May 26, 1913. Created the Salem and Beverly
Water Board.
© 2015 Morris A. Pierce