Documentary History of American Water-works

Franklin

Franklin, New Hampshire

Franklin was settled in 1764.

The Franklin Aqueduct Company was incorporated in 1836 by "Caleb Merrill, John Rowell, Dudley Ladd, Belcher D. Carr and Masa H. Morey "for laying down, and keeping in repair an Aqueduct any where in Franklin centre village, so called, in Franklin."

A second Franklin Aqueduct Company was incorporated in 1875 by Warren F. Daniell, Asa B. Closson, William F. Thompson, Alvah W. Sulloway, David Gilchrist, Edward B. S. Sanborn, Frank H. Daniell, and Alexis Proctor "for the purpose of bringing fresh water into the villages of Franklin in this state, in subterraneous pipes."

No evidence has been found that either of the above companies built anything.

The Franklin Water Company was incorporated in 1887 by Warren F. Daniell, Frank L. Morrison, Walter Cowman Aiken, Alvah W. Sulloway, Frank N. Parsons, Edward G. Leach, Edward H. Sturtevant, Daniel Barnard, John H. Rowell, George R. Stone, Frank Chapman and Gordon Burleih "to construct, manage, maintain, and own water-works for the purpose of introducing an adequate supply of water in Franklin and Franklin Falls villages, so called, in the town of Franklin." This company built a system.

The town built its own water system in 1891 and also bought the Franklin Water Company system for $25,000, taking possession on July 1, 1891.

Water is provided by the City of Franklin

References
1836 An act to incorporate the Franklin Aqueduct Company. June 14, 1836.

1875 An act to incorporate the Franklin Aqueduct Company. July 3, 1875.

1888 New Hampshire Patriot and State Gazette, July 19, 1888, Page 5.
At a special town meeting held in Franklin, Saturday afternoon, the town instructed the committee on water works to close a contract with the Franklin Water Company for 50 hydrants at an annual rental of $1,500. Th action will receive a water supply to the town of Franklin it has long stood in need of. The work of laying the pipe will be immediately commenced.

1891 "Description of the Covered Reservoir at Franklin, N. H.," by F. L. Fuller, C. E., Journal of the New England Water Works Association, 5(4):160-162 (June, 1891)

1891 "Franklin and Franklin Falls," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3. This says the water company was the Cold Brook Spring Co., which is likely incorrect. The Franklin Water Company did supply water from Cold Brook Spring.

1892 "The Covered Water-Works Reservoir at Franklin, N. H.," Engineering News 27:486-488 (May 12, 1892)

1897 "Franklin and Franklin Falls," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.