Documentary History of American Water-works

Pillow

Pillow, Pennsylvania

Pillow in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, was settled in 1818 and incorporated as a borough in 1864. It was originally known as Uniontown.

The Uniontown Water Company was incorporated in 1851 by Jacon Wiest Sr., John Shott, Peter Bowman, Abraham Bohner, Isaac Mathias, Abraham Harmern, Jacob Hoffman, Daniel Brua, Jonathan Swabe, John R. Riggle and Elijah Byerly "to proceed to bring and convey into the town of Uniontown by means of pipes, trunks, aqueduct, forcing pumps, or other machinery, some spring or stream of water from the neighborhood of said town." This company built a gravity system that was still serving 275 persons in 1918.

The Pillow Borough Water Authority was formed in 1986 and bought the water system for $40,000.

Water service is provided by the Pillow Borough Water Authority.

References
1851 An act to authorize the Governor to incorporate the Uniontown Water Company, in Dauphin county. April 15, 1851.

1918 "Uniontown Water Company of Dauphin Co.," Water Resources Inventory Report, Pennsylvania Water Supply Commission
Next to Harrisburg, the oldest water supply system in the county; also smallest, and smallest town to receive public supply.
About 275 persons supplied; 71 taps.

1937 "Uniontown Water Co. Elects," Harrisburg Evening News, January 25, 1937, Page 16.

1944 "Real Estate Transfers," Harrisburg Evening News, January 25, 1944, Page 2.
Claude N. Deibler to the Uniontown Water Company, five acres in Mifflin Township.

2002 The History of Pillow, PA and the Surrounding Community, Pillow Historical Society.
Page 24-25: On June 5, 1851, the Pillow Water Company was formed, 100 shares, worth $10 each, were floated to raise $1000 in capital to start the company. Some of the early pipes were clay, but over the years many different types of materials were used. Initially, a spring on the north side of the Mahantango Mountain supplied the water through a gravity system. Later, water was piped from the south side of the mountain from a system of springs and later, wells. The first water meters to measure water usage were installed in 1968. Before then, residential rates had been based on the number and type of water outlets: $14 for the first tap; $4 for the first bathtub/shower; $4 for the first commode; $4 for an automatic washing machine; $3 for a dishwasher; $4 for livestock, and so on. Commercial rates varied by business type: for example, it cost $40 for a restaurant; $20 for a beauty shop; $78 for a public garage; $30 for a vault company; $16 for a meat market; and $30 for a photo shop. On July 1, 1986, the Borough bought the Water Company for $40,000. $50,000 was borrowed from the Lykens Miners Bank at 6% interest for 20 years to finance the purchase and the startup of operations. The Pillow Borough Authority was formed to run the water department. The first board was composed of Charles Phillips, Chairman, Tim Shiffer, Vice Chairman, Keith Harner, Treasurer, Bill Judy, Secretary, and Daniel Scheib. Eventually, Mary Schreffler acted as Secretary, although she wasn't a board member.