Documentary History of American Water-works

Tyrone

Tyrone, Pennsylvania

Tyrone was settled in 1851 and incorporated as a borough in 1857.

The Tyrone City Water Company was incorporated in 1858 by Jacob Burley, Caleb Guyer, William Stoke, Jacob W. Jones, John D. Stewart, Jonathan H. Burley, John Jones, John W. Furry, and Jacob Stephens "for the purpose of introducing from the Sinking run, or some other convenient source, into the said town of Tyrone City, a sufficient supply of pure and wholesome water."

The Tyrone Gas and Water Company was incorporated in 1865 by Jacob Burley, Pius Sneeringer, Caleb Guyer, Israel Miller, E. L. Study, J. H. Burley, James S. Plumer, John A. Heller, James M’Coy, John D. Stewart, and J. L. Holmes with "the exclusive right to provide, erect and maintain all works and machinery necessary, or proper, for making and introducing, into the borough of Tyrone, a sufficient supply of gas, and raising and introducing a sufficient supply of good and wholesome water, from the Sinking run, or some other convenient source." The company was not fully organized until June, 1869, when they contracted with Woodward & Co. of Williamsport to install wooden water pipes to distribute water from Sinking run. These were apparently delivering water sometime in 1870, but starting in 1879 were replaced with cast-iron pipes. The wooden pipes may have been made by Wyckoff Brothers in Elmira, New York, but this has not been confirmed. No information has been found about Woodward & Co.

The Borough of Tyrone bought the works works from the company on February 4, 1932 for $400,000.

The Tyrone Borough Authority was formed in 1999 to assume operation of the water system, with ownership retained by the Borough of Tyrone.

Water service is provided by the Borough of Tyrone.

References
1858 An act to incorporate the Tyrone City Water Company. March 25, 1858.

1865 An act to incorporate the Tyrone Gas and Water-Works Company. March 10, 1865.

1870 An act to empower the Tyrone Gas and Water Company to borrow money and issue bonds, and convert the same into preferred stock of said company. March 14, 1870.

1879 The Altoona Tribune, November 27, 1879, Page 3.
The Tyrone Gas and Water Company are replacing their old wooden water pipes with iron ones, which temporarily cuts off the usual supply of water to consumers. But the present inconvenience will be their ultimate gain.

1883 Tyrone, from Engineering News, 10:247 (May 26, 1883)

1883 History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania, by J. Simpson Africa
Page 207: The Tyrone Gas and Water Company.-This company was organized under a special act of the General Assembly approved March 10, 1865, which authorized Jacob Burley, Pius Sneeringer, Caleb Guyer, Israel Miller, E. L. Stude, J. H. Burley, James S. Plummer, John A. Hiller, James McCoy, John D. Stewart, and J. L. Holmes to become a body corporate, having exclusive right to introduce water and gas into the borough of Tyrone. The capital stock was fixed at twenty thousand dollars, or four thousand shares of five dollars each. The company was empowered to establish rates and regulations -for the use of water and gas, and the stockholders became individually liable for all debts contracted. Soon after the passage of the act the capital stock was secured by subscriptions, solicited by J. L. Holmes, but no action leading to a complete organization was taken for some years to come. Not until June, 1869, were the provisions of the act made effective. At that time the company entered into a contract with Woodward & Co., of Williamsport, to lay wooden mains to convey the waters of Sinking Run, at a point one mile northwest from the business part of the borough, and one hundred and twenty-five feet above the level of the river, to various parts of the village. Since the beginning about four miles of mains and pipes have been laid, the wooden mains being displaced by iron ones as fast as necessity requires them to be taken up. The water supply is comparatively unlimited, eight times the quantity now used being easily available, while the quality is not easily excelled. The water is furnished to citizens at from five to ten dollars per year.
Nothing towards the introduction of gas was done until 1873, when the gas-works were erected and one and a half miles of mains laid by Connoty, Nailor & Co., of Pittsburgh, at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars. The gas manufactured at the works was first used for illuminating the public streets in October, 1874, twenty-four lamps having been provided for different points of the borough. The original cost of gas at Tyrone was three dollars and a half per thousand feet. In 1881 it was furnished at two dollars and seventy-five cents. At this time the oflicers of the company were Caleb Guyer, president; P. Sneeringer, treasurer; A. A. Stevens, secretary; and A. B. Hoover, G. W. Burkett, Jacob Burley, A. G. Morris, C. Guyer, and A. A. Stevens, directors.

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

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

1896 A history of Blair county, Pennsylvania. From its earliest settlement, and more particularly from its organization, in 1846 to June 1896, by Charles B. Clark
Page 108: The Tyrone Gas and Water Co. was authorized by Act of Assembly March lo, 1865, but no organization was completed until 1869, at which time a company was formed with a capital of $20,000, and water works immediately constructed and pipes laid in the principal streets. The Gas Works however, were not built until 1873. Gas was expensive in those days, the rate to consumers being $3.50 per thousand cubic feet.

1897 "The Water Question," The Tyrone Daily Herald, June 26, 1897, Page 1.

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

1901 Tyrone Gas & Water Co. v. Tyrone Borough et al, 195 Pa. 566, 1901, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

1911 Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Jesse C. Sell
Pages 439-440: On the 3d of October, 1876, the citizens of the borough voted on the gas and water question, when 194 voted in favor of a tax to supply the same and fifty-four voted against it.
A special act of assembly authorizing a stock company to be formed with a capital stock of $20,000 to introduce water and gas into the borough. However, no action was taken, leading to a complete organization till June, 1869. A contract was then entered into and about four miles of mains and pipes were laid. Since that time the town has an abundant supply of pure mountain water. Gas was not introduced until 1873. Gas works were then erected, and one and a half miles of mains were laid. Twenty-four lamps were used for lighting the streets in 1874. The original cost of gas was $3.50 per thousand. In 1881 it was reduced to $2.75.

1930 Tyrone Gas & Water Co. v. Tyrone, 299 Pa. 533, March 17, 1930, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

1932 "Tyrone Borough Becomes Owner of Water Works," Tyrone Daily Herald, February 5, 1932, Page 1. | Part 2, Page 8 |

2012 "Tyrone Borough Water System," The Keystone Tap, Pennsylvania Rural Water Association, Pages 30-31 (Spring 2012)