| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| North
Central States |
Michigan | Alpena |
Alpena was incorporated as a city in 1871.
The city awarded a water works franchise to Walter P. Hanchett in August, 1877, but his scheme proved to be infeasible and the contract was cancelled.
The Alpena City Water Company was incorporated in early October 1878 by local businessmen and entered into a contract with the city on October 14, 1878. The company built a Holly water works system that began service in November, 1879, using two Holly rotary pumps and a Dixon duplex pump that delivered water through Wyckoff wood pipes. The pumps were primarily driven by water, but had a steam boiler as a backup. A second pumping plant was built in 1886 with two Walker pumps.
The city tried for years to buy the water company, and local voters decided overwhelming in 1904 to build a city-owned water and light plant, which was completed the following year. Faced with this, the company agreed to sell the plant to the city in April, 1905 for $60,000.
The water system is owned by the city of Alpena and currently managed by Suez North America.
References
and Timeline
1877 "Water
Works," Alpena Argus, June 27, 1877, Page 3.
Geo. N. Fletcher comes to the rescue, and offers to form a joint stock
company for the purpose of establishing and operating the needed water
works.
1877 "Alpena,"
Detroit Free Press, August 26, 1877, Page 5.
Contract with Walter P. Hanchett, of Rochester, New York
1877 "Council
Proceedings," Alpena Argus, August 29, 1877, Page 2. | part
2 |
Contract between City of Alpena and Walter P. Hanchett, Esq. of Rochester,
New York.
1877 "Water
Works," Alpena Argus, August 29, 1877 Page 3.
Contract with Walter P. Hanchett.
1877 "Council
Proceedings," Alpena Argus, October 3, 1877, Page 2.
Communication from W. P. Hanchett stating that proposed plan is not
feasible.
1878 Alpena
Argus, October 9, 1878, Page 3.
Last week a Water Works Company was organized in this city, and we may now
look forward to the time when our citizens will be supplied with pure and
wholesome water for domestic purposes. The officers of the company
are: President, W.H. Potter; Secretary, W.H. Johnson; Treasurer,
Geo. L. Maltz; Directors, F.W. Gilchrist, H.R. Morse, A. Pack, Geo. L.
Maltz, W.H. Johnson, A.W. Comstock and W.H. Potter.
1878 Contract between the City of Alpena and The Alpena City Water Company. October 14, 1878.
1878 Alpena
Weekly Argus, October 16, 1878, Page 3.
On Monday evening, the contracts and documents were all finished and
signed between the city authorities and the officers of the Alpena Water
Works Company, and the water works question is now settled.
1878 Alpena
Argus, November 13, 1878, Page 3.
Every boat from Bay City now brings a load of large water pipe for the
water works and business will soon be commenced.
1879 "The
Water Works," Alpena Weekly Argus, June 25, 1879, Page 2.
Description of the works and machinery.
1879 "Council
Proceedings," Alpena Weekly Argus, November 19, 1879, Page
2.
Communication from the Alpena City Water Company.
1879 Alpena
Weekly Argus, November 26, 1879, Page 3.
The Water Works Company gave a trial of the pipes on the south side of the
river, one day last week, and it appeared that the works were equal to the
emergency, being capable of throwing six or eight streets over one hundred
feet in high.
1882 Alpena, Engineering News, 9:84 (March 11, 1882)
1882 Alpena from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1884 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Alpena, Alpena County, Michigan. August, 1884
1886 "Good
News for the Citizens," Alpena Weekly Argus, June 2, 1886,
Page 3.
The Alpena Water Co. will soon have new pumping works in operation.
The pump house will be erected on the bay shore near Avery's mill.
There will be two pumps, each having a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons per
day. The present pumping plant will not be disturbed and will be
useful in case of accident to the new works. M. Walker, of Port
Huron, will erect the works and expects to have them in readiness in about
ninety days. Pure bay water and a brand new railroad will make 1886
a remarkable year for Alpena.
1886 Alpena
Weekly Argus, September 1, 1886, Page 3.
M. Walker, the contractor of the new water works, left for Fentonville
last Friday.
1886 "New
Water Works," Alpena Weekly Argus, December 22, 1886, Page
3.
Pure bay "water has long been a desire of the citizens, and at last their
commendable wish is gratified, as the new waterworks are in complete
running order and have been pumping water from Thunder Bay for some time
past. The water now furnished as far as appearance and taste is concerned,
is not excelled by that of any city.
The water works building is situated between Trowbridge street and Thunder
Bay, not far from Avery's mill. They are about one mile from the business
portion of the city. The building is of brick, and the interior is divided
into two rooms, each 24x36 feet. From the works there extends into Thunder
Bay for a distance of 1,200 feet, a wooden pipe, 12 inches in diameter.
The pump room is spacious and contains two double pumping engines.
In reality there are four pumps. They can be run singly, in pairs,
or all four as one, as may be desired. The steam cylinders are each
12x14 inches with 12 inch stroke. Each of the four pumps is 8x12 inches
with 12 inch stroke. They each pump five gallons per revolution. There
ordinary speed is 52 revolutions per minute, and the four pumps supply
1,040 gallons per minute ; 62,400 per hour; 1,497,600 per day. The pumps
can be run over 100 revolutions per minute, and furnish over 300,000
gallons of water per hour. The pumps are arranged so that any one can bo
stopped without interfering with the work the others. They run without
much noise and present a fine appearance. The guages on the pumps,
for ordinary speed, indicate 7 pounds low pressure, and 20 pounds high
pressure.
In the boiler and furnace room there are two tubular boilers, each 5x14
feet. The ordinary steam pressure 70 pounds. Only one boiler is in use.
The other is in readiness to start at a moments notice. Thus when it is
necessary to clean out or repair the boiler that has been used, the other
is put in operation, thus preventing delays in pumping water. It seems as
if every possible means have been taken in order that the supply of water
may not be stopped. Tho works were erected, and pumping machinery supplied
by M. Walker, of Port Huron. The cost to the water company for pumps,
building and grounds is about $20,000. Next season it is the
intention to clean up the grounds between the pump house and the bay and
make a sort of lawn. The bay shore of the property will be wharfed, and no
doubt some one will erect a boat house there. A fountain will also be
erected, and that part of the city will undergo a great change, and bo
very desirable for private residences. The Third ward is booming.
In addition to the new works, the water company still retain the old works
and machinery at the dam, and the powerful pumps there will bo kept in
readiness in case they are wanted. The water company deserves thanks for
their enterprise in erecting the new works, and substituting bay water for
river water. The company now owns seven pumps and have laid in the streets
13˝ miles of water pipe.
1888 "Alpena," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Alpena, Alpena County, Michigan July, 1890
1890 "Alpena," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Alpena," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1893 An act to authorize the city of Alpena to raise money for the purchase of or the erection and maintenance of water-works. May 27, 1893.
1895 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Alpena, Alpena County, Michigan November, 1895
1897 "Alpena," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1901 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Alpena, Alpena County, Michigan July, 1901
1902 Alpena
City Water Co. v. City of Alpena, March 13, 1902, 130 Mich.
518, Michigan Supreme Court
A city may make a valid contract with a waterworks company under 3 Comp.
Laws, § 8511, notwithstanding such contract violates a charter provision
restricting the annual tax levy to a certain per cent, of the assessed
valuation.
A contract providing that a waterworks company shall furnish water free of
charge for public purposes, in consideration that the city will “save and
keep harmless the waterworks from any city or school tax,” is not invalid
as an exemption of property from taxation.
Such provision applies to all the waterworks which it is necessary to
erect in the proper conduct of the business, though acquired after the
execution of the contract.
A highway tax levied by authority of the city for highways under its
control is a city tax, within the meaning of such contract.
Where, for 20 years, a city has received and paid quarterly for all the
water it contracted for, evidence that the company failed to furnish the
best quality of water, and that it allowed mains in the Streets to be
frozen up and the hydrants to become out of repair, is inadmissible in an
action by the company to recover taxes it was compelled to pay, and from
which the city agreed to save it harmless.
1904 "Municipal
Water Works!," Alpena Evening News, January 5, 1904, Page 3.
The Council adopted a resolution submitting question to the People.
It will be voted on March 14.
1904 "People
Declare for Municipal Ownership," Alpena Evening News, March
15, 1904, Page 3.
1,012 in favor; 38 against
1904 "Suit
to Restrain," Alpena Evening News, October 28, 1904, Page 3.
Started by City against Water and Lighting Cos.
1905 "Proceedings
of the Common Council of the City of Alpena," Alpena Evening
News, April 3, 1905, Page 2.
Resolution to purchase Alpena City Water Company for $60,000.
1905 "Notice
to the Public," Alpena Evening News, April 6, 1905, Page 1.
The city of Alpena has purchased from the Alpena City Water company the
entire water works plant of this city and had taken possession thereof.
1909 "Michigan
Pipe Company Advertisement," Engineering Review 19(4):17
(April, 1909)
Letter describing continued installation of wood pipe by city.
1910 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Alpena, Alpena County, Michigan September, 1910
1914 Alpena,
Dates of Early Events, by John C. Viall.
Page 17: 1877. Aug. 27.-The common council entered into a contract
with W. P. Hanchett, for the construction of water works, the water
to be conveyed to the city by a large pipe, from the South Branch.
Page 18: 1878. Oct. 14. - Contract signed by city officials and
Alpena City Water Co. for constructing water works in Alpena
Page 19: 1879. May 12.-Work commenced on the construction of
the water works.
Page 22: 1880. Nov. 10.-Water works in the city entirely completed.
Water supply from the bay.
© 2019 Morris A. Pierce