Documentary History of American Water-works

Newport

Newport, New Hampshire

Newport was incorporated in 1761.

The first aqueduct in Newport was built in 1856 by attorney Samuel H. Edes. The original wood pipes were replaced with cement-lined wrought-iron pipes in 1862 This system was serving about 20 families in 1891.

Milton S. Jackson built an aqueduct in 1884 that was supplying about 14 families in 1891.

The Newport Water-Works Company was incorporated in 1887 by F. W. Lewis, D. M. Currier, D. J. Mooney, S. M. Richards, E. C. Converse, Samuel Prescott, F. P. Rowell, George H. Dana, A. S. Wait, S. L. Bowers, R. M. Rowe, and Dexter Richards "for the purpose of bringing water into the village in Newport in said state by subterranean pipes." This company did not build anything.

The town of Newport built a gravity water works in 1894, taking water from Unity Pond.

Water is provided by the Town of Newport.

References
1879 The History of Newport, New Hampshire: From 1766 to 1878, by Edmund Wheeler
Pages 190-191: Samuel H. Edes, son of Amasa Edes, Esq., was born in Newport, March 31, 1S25. After a preparatory course at Kimball Union Academy, he entered Dartmouth college, graduating in 1844, the youngest member of his class ; studied the profession of law in his father's office, and was admitted to Sullivan county bar in 1851. He has twice held the office of county solicitor, having been appointed in the years 1854 and 1874; and was chosen to represent the town in the legislature in 1860. He was an untiring and zealous workman in the cause of the common-schools of the town, and did much towards promoting the Union district scheme of the village schools, and is now an officer of its board of education. He was also actively engaged in the organization of the fire department of Newport on its present efficient basis. In addition to the business of his profession, he has been quite largely engaged in farming, and since 1865 as a manufacturer of flannels at the Eagle Flannel Mills in Newport; also in the dry goods and millinery trade, in connection with his son, George C. Edes.
The aqueduct supplying pure water to the village from Cold spring, about one mile in length, was constructed by him in 1856, and relaid with New Jersey patent iron and cement pipes in 1862, — the first laid in the state,
Page 233: In November, 1863, while engaged in digging a ditch for an aqueduct across the land of Nathan Mudget, for the purpose of supplying the F. W. Lewis house with water, Daniel Muzzy and Benjamin Dunham were buried alive by the caving of the quicksand of the high bank through which they were shovelling. One was covered to a depth of six feet, and the other still deeper. It was half an hour before the one was dug out, and the other was under ground for nearly an hour. They were both taken out alive, neither of them receiving any permanent injury. Three days after, "Billy" Hoben, an Irishman, after boasting somewhat roundly of his courage and ability to finish the job, was caught in the same trap, and buried still deeper. When his body was so far released as to admit of respiration before the sand was out of his eyes, he sent up a fearful yell for "Whis-key — whis-key !" It was brought him; and between two neighbors he soon marched off in triumph.
Page 269: Aqueducts. The water from Cold Spring Grove was first introduced into the village by Samuel H. Edes, in 1856. The wood aqueduct first employed was replaced by one of iron and cement in 1862.

1887 An act to incorporate thew Newport Water-Works Company. August 4, 1887.

1891 "Newport," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1895 An act to establish water-works in the town of Newport. February 13, 1895.

1897 "Newport," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1907 "Newport", from Nineteenth Report of the State Board of Health of the State of New Hampshire for the two years ending November 1, 1906.