| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| Middle Atlantic States | New York | Ossining |
Ossining was settled in 1685 and chartered as the village of Sing Sing in 1813. The name was changed to Ossining in 1901.
The Sing Sing State Prison (formerly known as the Mount Pleasant State Prison) was authorized to contract for a supply of water from the new Croton Aqueduct in 1845. The aqueduct passed through the state prison farm and ran down Spring street in Ossining for several blocks.
A group of "public spirited individuals" built an aqueduct in 1851 to deliver water from underground springs to the Lower Dock. The group sought incorporation in 1853.
The Sing Sing Water Works Company was incorporated in 1853 by Reuben Quinby, William O. Mills and Samuel C. Nicholls "for the purpose of supplying the said village of Sing Sing and its vicinity with pure and wholesome water." It is not known how long this system supplied water to the village.
The Village of Ossining was authorized to construct water works in 1887 and to take water from the proposed Quaker Bridge dam on the Croton river. The works were operating by 1889. A connection to New York City's Croton Aqueduct was made at some point. The Old Croton Aqueduct was taken out of service starting in 1955, but a 3-mile section was returned to service in 1987 to deliver water to Ossining.
Water is currently provided by the Village of Ossining.
References
and Timeline
1836 An act to permit the water commissioners
of the city of New-York, to construct their aqueduct through the state
prison farm at Mount-Pleasant. May 11, 1836.
1844 "Communication from the Croton Aqueduct Committee to the Board of Inspectors of the Mount-Pleasant State Prison," June 29, 1844. Documents of the Senate of the State of New York.
1845 An act relative to the State Prison at Mount Pleasant. May 14, 1845. Authorized to contract for a supply of Croton Water.
1853 Westchester
Herald (Ossining, New York), June 7, 1853, Page 2.
Sing-Sing Water Works Company.- We learn from the Albany papers of
Friday last, that Senator Conger has given notice of a Bill to incorporate
the Sing-Sing Water Works Company. Now if any person has ever heard
of the above project here, at home, it must have been admitted to a peep
behind the scenes. Will Mr. Conger give his constituents at
Sing-Sing some light on the subject of this "Water Works Company?"
Let us know what the mighty project is that needs the protective care of
the legislature.-Huds. Riv. Chron.
Supposing that Senator Conger's time to be so much occupied as to cause
him to neglect the querulous little editor's interrogatory, we venture to
suggest for this benefit that the probability is, that the Bill is
introduced and designed to protect the public spirited individuals of this
village who nearly two years ago constructed at their own expense an
aqueduct from the underground springs in Spring-street to the Lower Dock,
thus producing one of the greatest benefits ever conferred upon that part
of the village,-and which we believe the public have been using during the
time without remuneration to these gentlemen for their outlay.
Would the gentleman prefer any other title to the Bill? Would the "Glyndon
Hydraulic Power Company" please him better?
1853 An act to incorporate the Sing Sing Water Works Company. July 18, 1853.
1853 Westchester
Herald (Ossining, New York), August 2, 1853, Page 2.
Keep Cool.- With the weather about 100 Fahrenheit "in these diggings," it
is highly refreshing to see the fountains playing, and little boys with
hose sprinkling the streets from the reservoirs of the Sing-Sing Water
Company, at the Lower Dock, in this village; and a drink from Mr. Quinby's
hydrant, for public use, is invigorating indeed. We regard this as a
general benefaction; and we congratulate our fellow citizens there with
the possession of a supply of pure and wholesome water, we would
advise house-owners to lose no time in introducing this healthful
element, now flowing at their doors, by pipes into their premises; for
houses having these comforts, will rent much readier than those without
them.
1857 An act to provide for the payment of the water furnished to the State Prison at Sing Sing, by the corporation of the city of New-York. April 15, 1857. Payment for water used from May 1, 1851.
1860 "Sing Sing Prison and the Croton Water," The New York Times, March 29, 1860.
1861 The
American Gas-Light Journal 2:203 (January 1, 1861)
78. Sing Sing, N. Y., Built 1851, Cost $4,000, Reservoir capacity
1,500,000 gallons.
1861 An act to supply Sing Sing prison with Croton water, and for the sale of certain lands of the State. April 17, 1861.
1885 "Water Works for Sing Sing," The New York Times, November 21, 1885, Page 3.
1887 An act to provide for supplying the village of Sing Sing, with water, and authorizing the issue of bonds therefor and to create a board of water commissioners, for said village. April 18, 1887.
1887 An
act to amend chapter four hundred and ninety of the laws of eighteen
hundred and eighty-three, entitled "An act to provide new reservoirs,
dams and a new aqueduct, with the appurtenances thereto, for the purpose
of supplying the city of New York, with an increased supply of pure and
wholesome water." April 23, 1887.
§38. The commissioner of the department of public works of the city of New
York is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into a contract or
contracts at any time after this act takes effect, with the board of water
commissioners of the village of Sing Sing, for supplying said village with
water from the proposed Quaker Bridge dam on the Croton river, after the
said proposed new dam shall be constructed, on such terms, as may be
agreed upon by and between the said commissioner of public works and the
said board of water commissioners of said village of Sing Sing.
1888 "Sing Sing's New Water Works," The New York Times, July 20, 1888, Page 8.
1888 "Sing Sing," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1889 Poughkeepsie
Semi-Weekly Eagle, July 27, 1889, Page 8.
The Sing Sing water works is now supplying private citizens and business
houses with water.
1890 "Sing Sing," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Sing Sing," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1892 "Sing
Sing Prison - Water Service," January 26, 1892, Report of the
Attorney General
Pages 71-72: The city of New York is not authorized to charge an
arbitrary rate for water supplied to Sing Sing prison. Such water,
so supplied, should be at a contract rate of $1,800 per annum for 150,000
gallons per day.
1897 "Sing Sing," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
2016 Village of Ossining Water Demand Management Plan, May 2016.
Maps
of Ossining from David Rumsey
© 2016 Morris A. Pierce
