| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| Middle Atlantic States | Pennsylvania | Mauch Chunk |
Jim Thorpe was founded in 1818 as Mauch Chunk, and in 1954 merged with the neighboring borough of East Mauch Chunk and changed their name to Jim Thorpe.
The Mauch Chunk Water Company was incorporated in 1849 to "introduce and convey water into the village of Mauch Chunk." Asa Packer, E. A. Douglas, John Lentz, Jacob H. Salkeld, Cornelius Conner, Conrad Miller, L. D. Knowles, Edward Lippincot, John Mears and George Weiss were appointed as commissioners to form the company, which built a gravity system that began service that same year.
The East Mauch Chunk Water Company was incorporated in 1860 "for the purpose of introducing, from the most convenient sources, into the said borough of East Mauch Chunk." A. W. Leisenring, W. B. Mack, John Rudale, Thomas Siegfreid, Solomon Dreisbach and George Ruddle were appointed commissioners to form the company.
The Maunch Chunk Water Company charter was amended in 1861 to allow them to serve East Mauch Chunk.
The Upper Mauch Chunk Water Company was incorporated on October 26, 1872 and built a system serving that portion of the community.
The National Water Works Corporation bought the Mauch Chunk Water Company in 1928.
In 1962, the Jim Thorpe Borough Council agreed to purchase the Mauch Chunk Water Company for $350,000 and the Upper Mauch Chunk Water Company for $90,000.
Water service is provided
by the Borough of Jim Thorpe.
References
1849 An act authorizing the governor to
incorporate the Mauch Chunk water company. March 6, 1849.
1849 Trenton State
Gazette, December 5, 1849, Page 4.
The Maunch Chunk Water Works have been finished. The force of the
water is sufficient to extinguish a fire without the aid of fire engines.
1860 An act to incorporate the East Mauch Chunk Water Company. February 16, 1860.
1881 Mauch Chunk, from Engineering News, 8:520 (December 24, 1881)
1884 History
of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, by Alfred Mathews and Austin N. Hungerford
Pages 680-681: Water Works. Asa Packer secured the charter for the
Mauch Chunk Water Company in 1849,- the exact date of its issue being
March 6th,— and solicited the subscriptions of stock. The incorporators
were, beside Mr. Packer, E. A. Douglass, John Lentz, Jacob H. Salkeld,
Cornelius Connor, Conrad Miller, L. D. Knowles, Edward Lippincott, John
Mears, and George Weiss. The first president of the company was E. A.
Douglass. A good water—supply was found in the springs in the valley of
Mauch Chunk Creek, and operations were immediately begun looking towards
its introduction to the town. Pipes were laid, and the other necessary
work carried on with such expedition that the water was let on from the
reservoir in December. The cost of the works was about nine thousand
dollars. Pipes wére laid to East Mauch Chunk in 1858—59, and the company
also sought and secured an additional supply near the head-waters of
Ruddle’s Creek, about a mile and a half from the town. The pipes crossing
the river were torn away by the flood of 1862. and from that time on the
water systems of the two boroughs have been entirely separate and
distinct, though controlled by the same company. The quality of the water,
secured in both instances from 3 the mountain springs, is excellent, and
the high elevation of the reservoir gives a force which, in cases of fire,
insures the throwing of water upon the highest business block in the town.
The present officers of the company are: President, Robert Klotz;
Secretary, S. S. Smith ; Treasurer, Charles 0. Skeer; Directors, James I.
Blakslee, William B. Mack, Charles O. Skeer, and S. S. Smith.
1888 "Mauch Chunk," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Mauch Chunk," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Mauch Chunk," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1897 "Mauch Chunk," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1920 Water
Resources Inventory Report, Part VI, Water Supply
Page 135: Mauch Chunk Borough, Carbon County. Mauch Chunk
Water Co., incorporated 1849
1928 "Water Company Sold," Harrisburgh Telegraph, November 15, 1928, Page 3.
1954 "Mauch Chunk to Form Water Authority," Hazleton Plain Speaker, March 2, 1954, Page 32.
1957 "Favor Purchase of Town Water Companies," Hazleton Plain Speaker, May 22, 1957, Page 24.
1962 "Jim Thorpe Council To Buy Water Company," Hazleton Standard-Speaker, May 23, 1962, Page 22.
© 2016 Morris A. Pierce