| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| Southwestern
States |
Texas | Austin |
Austin was incorporated as a city in 1839.
The first water works was developed by S. S. Brown, who leased the former Glassock and Millican mill and refurbished it into a "cotton factory, flour mill and pumping station for supplying the city of Austin with water." S. S. Brown was probably Seba S. Brown of Minneapolis, whose S. S. Brown & Co. owned the Dakota Flouring Mill in that city He developed flouring mills in at least three Texas cities in the 1870s. Brown engaged San Antonio engineer William R. Freeman to design the system in Austin, and the two of them received a contract from the city on April 1, 1875 to supply water for fire protection and sprinkling. Freeman also designed water works in San Antonio in 1877, and Brown and Freeman built water works in Waco in 1878.
The City Water Company was incorporated on May 20, 1875 and Brown assigned the contract to the new company, whose officers were D. V. Whiting, President; C. W. White, Secretary and M. D. Mather, Treasurer. The company began serving customers in February, 1876.
The company and city agreed on a new, thirty-year franchise on April 18, 1877 that required the company to build a new reservoir, and on April 13, 1882 the company and city agreed to replace that with a new twenty-five year agreement in return for rebuilding the system as a Holly water works.
The Austin Water, Light and Power Company was incorporated on June 22, 1887 with a capital stock of $750,000 by J.S. Drake of Chicago; C. G. Hildreth, of New York; E. D. L. Wickes, of Bexar county; Victor Mather, De Lacy, B. Wickes, and M. D. Mather, of Travis county. The company bought the existing water and electric light systems in Austin.
On July 23, 1890 a city ordinance was passed allowing bonds to be issued for new water and electric works. The city then built a new system that began service in 1895, despite the heated objections of the existing company. The city ended the litigation by buying the company in 1902 for $175,000 plus about $90,000 in judgments and other claims.
Water is provided by the city of Austin.
References
1850 United States Census, Baldwin, Cumberland, Maine
Henry F. Brown, Age 12
Seba, Age 8
1871 Texas:
Her Early History, Climate, Soil, and Material Resources; Or, The
Immigrants' Hand-book of Texas, by
George H. Sweet
Pages 49-50: Description of Castroville, Texas.
The place has two flour mills, one saw mill, and a cotton gin-one steam
mill is managed by an able and industrious engineer, Mr. Brauer—the other
moved by water power, the property of S. S. Brown, an industrious
gentleman who is now actively engaged in erecting the necessary buildings
for a wool factory, the machinery for the same being partly on the ground.
1872 "Proceedings of the
City Council," San Antonio Express, January 19, 1872, Page 3.
San Antonio, July 16, 1872. Communication from S. S. Brown
requesting the City to sell him a water lot opposite Lewis' mill, was
read, and laid over.
1875 Austin
Daily Statesman, February 12, 1875, Page 3.
A contract, entered into by the Mayor for the renting of the old Glassock
and Millican mill to S. S. Brown, was referred to the Ordinance Committee,
which instructions to report at the next meeting.
1875 Austin
Daily Statesman, February 23, 1875, Page 3.
A proposition was presented to the Council by Mr. Brown, lessee of the
Glasscock & Millican Mill, for supplying the city with water.
Mr. Brown proposes to build a reservoir near the market and keep the same
filled with water by the engine used in the mill.
1875 "City
Council," Austin Daily Statesman, April 3, 1875, Page 3.
On Thursday evening, the city closed a contract with Messrs. Brown,
Freeman and others for the furnishing of the city with water for fire and
sprinkling purposes.
1875 "Our Water Works," Austin Daily Statesman, May 9, 1875, Page 3.
1875 City Water Company incorporated May 20, 1875, capital stock $125,000
1875 Austin
Daily Statesman, June 6, 1875, Page 3.
We are reliably informed that the plans have been made and bids have been
coming in for some time, for the construction of water works, and that
during the coming week the contracts for a part or all of the work will be
let to reliable parties for an early completion of the same. Sooner than
we have imagined we are to be watered from a never failing source of
supply, and by powerful machinery, that will not only supply our domestic
wants in that direction, but will also prevent the creation of dust in our
streets and extinguish fires. All this is being done by the City Water
Company, assignees of Brown and Freeman, who were, some time ago, granted
the privilege by the City Council to construct water works. The officers
of this company are, D. V. Whiting, President; C. W. White, Secretary; M.
D. Mather, Treasurer. Several of our citizens arc among the parties
interested in this enterprise, and they have our hearty good will for
their early and complete success in this great public good.
1875 Austin
Daily Statesman, June 13, 1875, Page 3.
Alterations and additions to city mill for cotton factory, flour mill and
pumping station for supplying the city of Austin with water, cost about
$10,000 Sherwin, architect.
1875 Austin
Daily Statesman, July 23, 1875, Page 3.
The old Glasscock and Millican mill, on the mill bank, is now being
repaired, but whether it is to be a mill, a water-work establishment, or
both, or something else, we are not prepared to say.
1875 Austin Daily Statesman, September 18, 1875, Page 3.
1875 "The Austin Water Works," Austin Daily Statesman, October 10, 1875, Page 3.
1876 Minneapolis
City Directory for 1876
Page 71: Brown, Henry F. (S. S. Brown & Co)
Brown, Sela S. (S. S. Brown & Co.)
Page 72: Brown S. S. & Co. (S.S. & H.F. Brown, W. F. Cahill
and F.L. Greenleaf,) proprs. Dakota Flour Mills
1877 Austin
Daily Statesman, April 19, 1877, Page 4.
There was a meeting of the city council yesterday afternoon and a new
contract was entered into between the city and the water company, said
contract to last thirty years and requiring the company to build a large
reservoir by January next. The aldermen say that the contract is a better
one for the city than the old one.
1877 "Austin City Water Works," Austin Daily Statesman, May 17, 1877, Page 4.
1877 Austin
Daily Statesman, May 31, 1877, Page 4.
When Capt. Mather discovered that he could establish a system of water
works for Austin on certain conditions, he made application to our leading
capitalist to assist him toward this end. Failing for a long time to
enlist tbe required help, F. W. Chandler came to his aid and gave his
personal endorsement for all the money that was needed. Upon this Mather
succeeded, and Austin, through the public spirit of one of it oldest and
most respected citizens, has established an enterprise that ha already
saved tbe city many thousands of dollars on insurance rates, and which has
added vastly to it reputation and attractiveness. The man who condemns
Judge Chandler in his candidacy for the mayoralty because of his
connection with the water works should feel ashamed, and never breathe
such an objection again.
1877 "Questions Answered," Austin Daily Statesman, June 1, 1877, Page 2.
1877 The
Galveston Daily News, June 2, 1877, Page 1.
Wortham. Mr. S. S. Brown is just completing a first-class steam
flouring mill of eight sets of rocks, designed to manufacture flower
expressly for the Brazilian trade.
1877 San
Marcos Free Press (San Marcos, Texas), November 10, 1877, Page
4.
The city council of Waco have accepted a proposition of S. S. Brown to
build a system of water works and to have it completed by the first of
next May. Tho contractor binds himself to erect the necessary machinery on
the Brazos, to build a reservoir which will hold one million gallons, and
to furnish a supply sufficient for a population of fifty thousand. The
city takes thirty-five hydrants at $80 per year each.
1881 Austin City
Directory
Page 41: Austin City Water Company, incorporated 1875. Capital
stock $125,000
Officers: M. D. Mather, president; F. W. Chandler, secretary and
treasurer; M. D. Mather, D. L. Wickes, board of directors
1882 Austin
Weekly Statesman, March 30, 1882, Page 2. | Part
2 |
Proposed contract with Holly company to build new works.
1882 An ordinance contract between the City Water Company and the City of Austin, April 13, 1882.
1882 "Laredo
Waterworks," The San Antonio Light, November 18, 1882, Page
2.
Through the efforts of Mr. W. R. Freeman the Laredo waterworks have become
a settled fact.
1882 Austin from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1884 Austin, Engineering News, 11:191 (April 19, 1884)
1887 Austin
Daily Statesman, June 23, 1887, Page 4.
Chartered yesterday: The Austin Water, Light and Power Company;
capital $750,000. Incorporators: J.S. Drake of Chicago; C. G.
Hildreth, of New York; E. D. L. Wickes, of Bexar county; Victor Mather, De
Lacy, B. Wickes, and M. D. Mather, of Travis county.
1888 "Austin," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Austin," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Austin," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1892 "The Austin, Texas, Dam," Scientific American 67(13):197 (September 24, 1892) | Illustration on cover |
1892 "What
Does it Mean?," Austin Daily Statesman, October 10, 1892,
Page 3.
The Water and Light Company changes Hands. Mr. Joseph Nalle, the
President of the New Company, will Personally Supervise the Improvement of
the Property and Betterment of Service.
1892 Report on the public water supply and electric lighting of the city of Austin, by John Thomas Fanning
1893 "Bonds
of Austin, Texas," United States Investor and Promoter
3(12):2 (March 25, 1893)
Legal Status of the Fight Against Them - Work on the Great Dam.
1893 City of Austin v. Nalle, 85 Tex. 520, May 25, 1893, Supreme Court of Texas
1896 "The Austin Dam," by H. H. Childers, Scientific American 75(6):133 (August 8, 1896). 14,637 Horsepower electric generation.
1897 "Austin," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1898 Penn Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Austin, 168 U.S. 685, January 8, 1898, United States Supreme Court
1898 Bartholomew v. City of Austin, 85 Fed 359, February 1, 1898, Circuit Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
1898 Statement
of facts, Austin Water, Light, and Power Commission.
Refutation of the charges made against the Commission by one of its
members (George A. Brush).
D.W. Doom, George Fiegel, Commissioners. John D. McCall, Ex-Officio
Commissioner.
1901 City of Austin v. Bartholomew et al., Nalle v. City of Austin, 107 Fed 349, March 26, 1901, Circuit Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
1902 City of Austin, Plaintiff in Error, v. E. C. Bartholomew et al., Receivers, 187 U.S. 650, October 14, 1902, United States Supreme Court
1902 The
Western Spirit (Paola, Kansas), October 17, 1902, Page 1.
Mrs. W. R. Freeman, of San Antonio, Texas, visited relatives and old
acquaintances in Paola last week and from here went to Rantoul to visit
her sister, Mrs. Sparks. Also she spent several days in Kansas City
with her sister, Mrs. G. A. Colton. Mrs. Freeman is better remembered here
by old timers as Miss Chattie Beeson, who in 1872 became the wife of W. R.
Freeman, the civil engineer, then in charge of the M., K. & T. R. R.
surveys at this point. Mr. Freeman died some ten years ago in Texas where
he was in charge of many municipal enterprises of improvement. Freeman,
Mo., a few miles east of this city was named after Mr. Freeman.
1911 Joseph Nalle (1842-1911) grave | biography of Joseph Nalle |
1913 A
Social Survey of Austin, by William B. Hamilton | also here
|
Part I: Water Supply
1917 Capt Seba Smith Brown (1841-1917) grave, developed first water system in Austin
1962 "Austin," from Public Water Supplies of the 100 Largest Cities in the United States, 1962, US Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 1812, by Charles Norman Durfor and Edith Becker
1966 Significant Questions Relating to the History of Austin, Texas, to 1900, Doctoral Thesis, UT-Austin, August 1966, by Steven Joseph Kraus
1973 Water, Sewers, and Streets: The Acquisition of Public Utilities in Austin, Texas, 1875-1930, by Steven Joseph Kraus, MA Thesis, University of Texas at Austin
2013 The Early History of Austin’s Water and Electric Utilities | pdf |
© 2020 Morris A. Pierce