| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| North
Central States |
Ohio | Piqua |
Piqua was incorporated as a city in 1850.
The Piqua Hydraulic Company was incorporated on December 12, 1865 to build a hydraulic canal and water works for the city. The city sold $50,000 in bonds to support the project and work began in 1868, but the company was unable to meet its financial commitments and was sold to the city in 1872. The city installed the distribution piping and purchased two Flanders pumps from the Vergennes Machine Company of Burlington, Vermont that were driven by water from the hydraulic canal. The system was completed and a celebration held on June 16, 1876. One of the Flanders pumps was replaced in 1887.
Water is supplied by the city of Piqua.
References
1872 An act to authorize the city of Piqua to
purchase the canal of the Piqua Hydraulic Company, and the appurtenances
belonging to the same, and to complete the same for Water Works for the
use of said city and its inhabitants. March 29, 1872.
1876 Northern
Ohio Journal, June 17, 1876, Page 1.
The Piqua water works have been completed, at a cost of $300,000.
1882 Piqua, from Engineering News 9:229 (July 8, 1882)
1888 "Piqua,"
from Manual of American Water Works,
Volume 1.
1890 "Piqua," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Water Supply," The Piqua Daily Call, August 29, 1891, Page 13 | Part 2 |
1891 "Piqua," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1897 "Piqua," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1909 Centennial
history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio, edited and
compiled by Thomas Chalmers Harbaugh
Page 140: The need of hydraulic power by Piqua inaugurated a move in
that direction as early as 1856 when the Legislature passed a bill looking
to the enlargement of the Lewistown Reservoir for hydraulic purposes. The
"Miami Hydraulic and Manufacturing Company" which was organized at this
time, failed to successfully interest the citizens of Piqua and was
abandoned. In 1865 the "Piqua Hydraulic Company" was incorporated and Dr.
Dorsey became its first president, serving till 1868. After a vast amount
of work and the expenditure of large sums of money, after numerous
drawbacks which would have discouraged less energetic people than its
projectors, the hydraulic canal was completed and in June 1876, it was
opened for test and display.
"Probably no event connected with the city since its foundation," says a
writer, was of so much importance to its people and should conduce more to
its ultimate growth and development, than the completion of the hydraulic
canal, producing fine water power and thus creating the life artery of the
city. A cheap and neverfailing power, it thus provided for running a great
number of establishments requiring power. In addition to this use and
operated by the hydraulic canal, there has been completed a system of
waterworks, containing over seven miles of pipe and the necessary number
of hydrants, furnishing an inexhaustible supply of water for domestic
purposes, and, in connection with a well appointed fire department, giving
a better protection against loss by fire than is usually found in cities
of its class."
1916 The
First Century of Piqua, Ohio
Pages 146-151: Piqua Hydraulic and City Water Works
1919 Memoirs
of the Miami Valley, Volume 1
Pages 564-565: Piqua Water Supply.
© 2019 Morris A. Pierce