Documentary History of American Water-works

Gloucester City

Gloucester City, New Jersey

Gloucester City was incorporated in 1868 from the former Union Township.

The Newton and Union Gas and Water Company was incorporated in 1860 by John K. Roberts, Richard Snowden, Samuel C. Smith, Samuel E. Shivers, William M. Collister, John M. Paschall, and Eli Tompkins "to supply the inhabitants of the townships of Newton and Union, in the county of Camden, with water and with gas." No evidence has been found that this company built anything.

The Gloucester Water Works Company was incorporated by David S. Brown, Chase T. Stinson, James P. Michel Ion, William Sexton, and Edward Hoffman.

Gloucester City built a water works system that began service in late 1883, pumping water from springs and Newton Creek into a reservoir and standpipe.

Water is provided by Gloucester City.

References
1860 An act to incorporate the Newton and Union Gas and Water Company. March 22, 1860.

1872 An act to incorporate the Gloucester Water Works Company. March 26, 1872.

1875 A supplement to an act entitled "An Act to incorporate the 'Gloucester Water Works Company,'" approved March twenty-sixth, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two. March 31, 1875.

1882 "Contracts for the Gloucester Water Works," The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1882, Page 1.

1883 Trenton Times, December 13, 1883, Page 9.
The reservoir of the new Gloucester Water Works was successfully filled last night.

1884 The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), March 24, 1884, Page 3.
The Gloucester Water Works will to-day finally test their new water-pipe system.

1888 "Gloucester City," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1890 "Gloucester City," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

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

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

1976 First Settlement on the Delaware River: A history of Gloucester City, New Jersey, by Louisa W. Llewellyn
Page 170-171: People cannot stay well and fire departments cannot operate efficiently without a safe, adequate water supply. Gloucester had the underground streams to supply the water, but wells were not sufficient to handle a growing city. In 1881 a referendum passed to build the waterworks. Some people opposed the spending of so much money and went to court to set aside the decision. Benjamin Braker, editor of the Gloucester City Reporter, pushed for another referendum and in 1883 it passed again. Bonds were issued to raise the $20,000 required to begin and John Yocum, a civil engineer, was hired to plan the system. The final cost was $85,000 for the waterworks which continues to function today. The system has been improved and additions made as the city expanded and needs grew.

2011 Gloucester City, by Gabriel Parent and Adrianne Parent
Page 8: In 1883, it was determined that a waterworks would be constructed to provide residents with water. At the time of its construction, the water plant was the third municipally operated waterworks in the country. The original building still sits on the grounds of the water department. This building is the only city-owned structure in town that is in the National Register of Historic Places.
Page 74: Pictures of 1922 water plant.