Documentary History of American Water-works

Connellsville, Pennsylvania

Connellsville was incorporated as a borough in 1806 and as a city in 1911.

William S. Kuhn obtained a 25 year franchise from the village of Connellsville on March 29, 1883.  The Connellsville Water Company was incorporated on March 21, 1883 and built works that were completed in September, 1883.  In 1886 Kuhn and others formed the American Water Works and Guarantee Company, Limited, which owned the stock in the water company.

Water is provided by Pennsylvania American Water

References
1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), January 12, 1883, Page 1.
Uniontown. A Pittsburg engineer named Warlow wants to build water works for this place at his own cost, only asking the authorities for two thousand two hundred dollars a year rendered for fifty fire plugs.  The borough fathers don't like the proposition.  The rental asked is not much short of the interest on fifty thousand dollars which would construct the works.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), January 19, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown. The town council has appointed Dr. Fuller a committee to learn at what price Civil Engineer Harlow, or Pittsburg, would construct the water works for the borough.  Mr. Messmore was instructed to obtain the same information from Bliss and Marshall, and Mr. McCormick to consult still another party who once figured upon the work.

1883 "Shall We Have Water?" The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 9, 1883, Page 1.

1883 "Notice," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 9, 1883, Page 2. | also here |
Notices of intent to incorporate the Connellsville Water Company and Uniontown Water Company. By J. A. Emery, solicitor for applicants.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 9, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown - W.S. Kuhn of Pittsburg, member of the lately formed Uniontown Water Company, is in town this week arranging the final details of the contract with the town council.  The construction of the works will proceed at once, the question of how much the rate will be raised in case of the erection of such public works as would require an unusual increase in the water supply, is yet to be fixed by the council and the company.

1883 "Water Works," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 16, 1883, Page 1.
Two Companies in the Field.  J.T. Harlow and W.S. Kuhns.  Kuhns was accompanied by his engineer, Adam Miller of New York, who built the works in McKeesport.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 26, 1883, Page 1.
Uniontown. On Friday night the borough council and W.S. Kuhn signed the agreement for new water works.  The agreement gives Mr. Kuhn's company the exclusive franchise for a water works in Uniontown for thirty eyars, and imposes upon the company certain restrictions, the most important of which relates to charges for private customers.

1883 "Aqueous Arguments," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 23, 1883, Page 1.
Water Works Election Ordered.  The People to Vote on the Question - The Advantages of Water Works - Views of a Correspondent and a Newspaper.  Special Election to be held March 5th.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), February 23, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown. W.S. Kuhn, of Pittsburg, and Adam Miller, of New York, who are to superintend the construction of the water works, have pronounced the three mountain springs amply sufficient to furnish all the water needed.  Neither the above company nor the town council knew anything about the aplication for a charter for the water works corporation in Uninotown that was printed in one of the papers last week.

1883 "Disease and Death," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 2, 1883, Page 1.
A Word with Connellsville Voters - the Cost of Water Works and their Broad Advantages to the Borough.

1883 "Notice," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 2, 1883, Page 2.
Notices of intent to incorporate the Connellsville Water Company and New Haven Water Company. By P. S. Newmyer, solicitor for applicants.

1883 "We Will Have Water Works," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 9, 1883, Page 1.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 9, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown.  The fight for a charter for a Uniontown water company has not been settled yet. W.S. Kuhn of Pittsburg, superintendent of the company in which many citizens are interested and to which Council has granted the franchise, is in Harrisburg.  He expects to return with the charter.  His company have already surveyed the site for the reservoir and will begin work about the middle of this months on the new works.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 16, 1883, Page 4.
The borough council at the special meeting Saturday evening gave the contract for building the water works to W.S. Kuhn, of Pittsburg, at the rate of $32.50 per plug for fifty water plugs and ten dollars less for each additional one.  The action of the council has created considerable dissatisfaction.

1883 Connellsville Water Company incorporated March 21, 1883.

1883 "The Water Works Embroglio," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 23, 1883, Page 1.
The water works question has been to a certain extend settled by the granting of a charter to W S Kuhn, the Pittsburgh contractor.

1883 Connellsville water works franchise to W.S. Kuhn, March 29, 1883.

1883 "Wrangling Over Water Works," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 31, 1883, Page 1.
An unsuccessful council meeting made a successful indignation meeting.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), March 31, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown.  The water works contractors will begin operation in a few days.  A large force will be engaged until the contract is completed.

1883 "Troublous Times," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), April 6, 1883, Page 1.
Over the water works question.  A contract signed.

1883 "The Water Works Question Settled," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), May 4, 1883, Page 1.

1883 "The Water Works," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), May 25, 1883, Page 1.

1883 "Water Works," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), July 6, 1883, Page 1.
Rapidly nearing completion.  The entire work, as well as the construction of the Uniontown works is in charge of Engineer Adam Miller, of New York, who has many years experience in this line in various parts of the country.  He erected the McKeesport works and has been engineer or superintendent of a dozen other large works.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), July 13, 1883, Page 1.
If you want to get the water works contractors mad, just ask them what they think of the Italian's capacity as a laborer.  Fifty swarthy sons of Italy were brought here to work on the pipe line, but were found to be utterly worthless, and therefore sent back whence they came.  Work has been begun on the water mains in some parts of town by local contractors.

1883 "Stockholders Meeting of the Connellsville Water Co.," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), August 3, 1883, Page 2.
Thursday, September 28th. Considering a resolution to increase the capital stock to $70,000.

1883 "Water This Week," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), August 24, 1883, Page 1.
The works almost completed.

1883 "Water Works Tested," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), September 7, 1883, Page 1.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), September 28, 1883, Page 1.
The stockholders of the Connellsville Water Company met yesterday and decided to increase the capital stock of the company of $70,000.

1883 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), October 10, 1883, Page 4.
Uniontown.  The water was turned on the new water works on Tuesday.  Everything worked admirably.

1883 "Plumbing," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), October 26, 1883, Page 2.
The Connellsville Water Co. have now opened their own plumbing shop.

1883 "A Good Investment," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), November 9, 1883, Page 2.
20-year six per cent first mortgage bonds of the Connellsville Water Co.

1883 "The First Two Fires," The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), December 14, 1883, Page 1.
Since building the water works.

1883 Connellsville, from Engineering News, 10:605 (December 15, 1883)

1884 The Weekly Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania), January 18, 1884, Page 4.
Uniontown. The new board of directors of the Uniontown Water Company, elected last week, are C.S. Seaton, Dr. Smith Fuller, N. Ewing, M.H.Bowman, and A.P. Bowie.

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

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

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

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

1899 "The Connellsville Water Difficulty," Fire and Water Engineering 26(10):291 (September 2, 1899)

1906 Centennial history of the borough of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, 1806-1906, by John Carter McClenathan
Pages 112-113:  WATER WORKS. For a number of years, the water question had been an important subject to all the residents of the Borough. Up to this time the citizens had obtained their supply of water from springs and wells, but as the number of inhabitants increased the danger of contamination of this kind of water supply increased in like proportion. What to do and how to do it, had been an open question when W. S. Kuhn made a proposition to supply the town with pure mountain water from mountain springs. This proposition was finally reduced to a contract which, on March 29, 1883, was duly signed by the Borough Council of the first part and W. S. Kuhn and his associates of the second part. This contract gave the Water Company the privilege of laying water pipes beneath the surface of the highways of the Borough, with all necessary facilities and privileges for laying and repairing said water pipes. For this privilege W. S. Kuhn and his associates “agree and bind themselves and their successors under the penalty of forfeiting all their rights under this agreement,”
First — To repair all damage occurring to the surface of said highways in the exercise of said privilege of laying the water pipes.
Second — To furnish to every citizen requiring it, within the limits of their occupancy of said highways, a constant and sufficient supply of pure water for ordinary house use, upon condition of such citizens paying to them quarterly, in advance of the yearly charge for water privileges, to the said parties of the second part, as shown in the following schedule of yearly prices : Dwelling house for one family, for the first faucet $5.40 and for each additional faucet $2.25 ; for the first bath tub $3.60 ; for the first set for water closet $3.60, each additional $2.25.
The maximum charge for a single family, including stable for four horses and use of hose, shall be $22.50. When a meter is used the charge is 27 cents for one thousand gallons. This contract calls for the erection of 50 fire hydrants for the yearly sum of $16.25 each, the second 50 to cost $25.00 each, and all over 100 hydrants $22.50 each. The water line to be extended to any part of the Borough where the annual receipts will amount to 10 per cent of the cost of the line.
Article 9th is of special importance since it is so frequently referred to and discussed by our citizens.
Article 9th. — It is further understood and agreed by the parties of this contract that the same shall continue in full force and effect for and during the period of twenty-five (25) years from March 29, 1883, with privilege for party of the first part to purchase these water works on or after fifteen (15) years at a fair appraisement, made by three disinterested parties, one selected by the party of the first part, one person by party of the second part, these two to select the third.
This contract is signed by I. W. Rutter, President. P. J. Harrigan, W. H. Hugus and J. H. Purdy for the Council, and W. S. Kuhn for the Water Company.
Page 408:  The Connellsville Water Company was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania in 1883.  The charer was secured and works were erected by W.S. Kuhn and associates of Pittsburgh.  Later the charter and franchises were turned over to the American Water Works and Guarantee Company of Pittsburgh, of which Mr. Kuhn is vice president and treasurer.
Page 413:  The Connellsville and New Haven Gas and Water Company was incorporated March 7, 1871.  
One of the objects in view in the formation of the company was to supply the borough with water, which is authorized in the charter; this privilege was bartered to the promoters of the Connellsville Water Company for a few thousand feet of new gas mains and a cash consideration entirely inadequate to the benefits conferred.

1909 Report of the Water Supply Commission of Pennsylvania
Page 95:  New Haven Water Company, incorporated July 22, 1884.
Page 77:  The Connellsville Water Company, incorporated March 21, 1883.
Page 109:  The Uniontown WAter Company, incorporated March 21, 1883.
Page 119:  New Haven Water Co. bought by Connellsville Water Co., August 8, 1892.

1912 Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County Pennsylvania, Volume 1, edited by John Woolf Jordan, James Hadden
Page 118:  Charles S. Seaton.  In 1883 he organized the Uniontown Water Company, of which he was president.  This company built the present system and gave Uniontown its first public supply.

1913 A History of Uniontown: The County Seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, by James Hadden
Page 124:  Peter Knap was a brewer by occupation and ran a brewery in the old log building subsequently known as the Greenland property. He secured a license to keep a tavern at March term, 1795, and in connection with his brewery, did business on this lot. Water from the Beeson mill race was conducted to this property through wooden pipes made of logs.
Page 575:  In 1883 the Uniontown Water Company piped the town and placed forty fire plugs at convenient places in the town, since which time others have been added as the demands required, with a guaranteed pressure of 150 pounds per square inch.
Page 704:  The Uniontown Water Company was incorporated in 1883, with a capital of $300,000. The first reservoir was built on Shute's run in Cool Spring hollow and had a capacity of 3,000,000 gallons, and the water was piped to the town. Since which time several and much larger reservoirs have been constructed to meet the rapidly increasing demands for water. No town can boast of a purer supply of water than that furnished the inhabitants of Uniontown, as it is furnished direct from the laboratory of nature.

1926 "Jesse H. Purdy Died February 16, 1926," by H. Hobart Porter, George W. Biggs, Jr. and George W. Fuller, Journal of the American Water Works Association 15(3):298-299 (March, 1926)
Mr. Purdy's connection with the water works business began in 1884, when he was a councilman in the City of Connellsville Pa. At this time a group of business men headed by Mr. W. S. Kuhn, approached the City Council for permission to build a water works plant in that city. Mr. Kuhn was so impressed with Mr. Purdy's abilities that he persuaded him to resign from his position on the Council and take over the active construction of the new water company

© 2019 Morris A. Pierce