Documentary History of American Water-works

Texas

Dallas

Dallas, Texas

Dallas was incorporated as a city in 1856.

The Dallas Water Works Company was incorporated on August 25, 1873 by John Lockwood and others. It was granted a franchise by the city in late August or early September. The company petitioned the city to issue $50,000 in bonds to buy stock in the stock, which required an election. The question passed on October 6th, but was declared void due to registration irregularities that would have made the bonds unmarketable.

The Water Supply Company of Dallas was incorporated December 22, 1875 by Winship C. Connor and others. The city only offered a one-year contract and the company began service in March, 1877. Connor was later elected mayor of Dallas four times and also involved in building water works in East Dallas, Galveston, Sherman and Brenham, Texas.

After years of debate, the city bought by the city on January 1, 1882 for $65,000.

Water is provided by the city of Dallas.

References
1872 "Water-Works for Dallas," The Dallas Daily Herald, November 9, 1872, Page 2.
During the last week, Mr. W. C. Sickles, agent of the Holly Water works, has been in our city, and has favored us with a prospectus of this Company, chartered by the State of Louisiana and located at Carrolton.

1873 Dallas Water Works incorporated, August 25, 1873, capital stock $100,000

1873 "Dallas Waterworks," The Dallas Daily Herald, September 6, 1873, Page 1. | Part 2 |
The ordinance passed by the City Council relative to the Waterworks seems to have attracted but little attention. John Lockwood and his associates, whoever they may be.

1873 "Proclamation of Election," The Dallas Daily Herald, September 13, 1873, Page 1.
On the petition of E. W. Baylor and others to issue fifty thousand dollars in bonds to aid in the construction, erection and establishment of the "Dallas Water Works Company."

1873 "Proceedings of the City Council," The Dallas Daily Herald, October 11, 1873, Page 4.
Dallas Waterworks Company requests that the recent election results be nullified due to irregularities that would make the bonds worthless.

1875 Water Supply Company of Dallas incorporated, December 22, 1875, capital stock $25,000

1876 The Dallas Daily Herald, January 12, 1876, Page 4.
The "Water Supply Company" of Dallas held a meeting yesterday, and elected the following officers and directors- W. C. Connor, President; J. J. Goode, Vice President; John Kerr, Treasurer; T. P. Barry, Secretary; and M. Ullmann, E. Lehman, A. Sanger, C. M. Wheat and D. Goslin, Directors.

1876 "Water for the Million," The Dallas Daily Herald, July 25, 1876, Page 4.
Dallas to Have Her Water Works Right Away.

1876 "Petition of the Dallas Water Supply Company," The Dallas Daily Herald, August 2, 1876, Page 1.

1876 "Water-Works," The Dallas Daily Herald, August 2, 1876, Page 4.
The contract made by the company with Mr. Travers Daniels.

1876 "Water Works," The Dallas Daily Herald, August 3, 1876, Page 4.

1876 "The City Council," The Dallas Daily Herald, August 10, 1876, Page 4.
Defeat of the Water Works Proposition. City offered a one-year contract.

1876 "The Water Works," The Dallas Daily Herald, October 6, 1876, Page 4.

1876 "Water Works," The Dallas Daily Herald, October 13, 1876, Page 4.
The work will begin on Monday.

1877 "Completed," The Dallas Daily Herald, March 10, 1877, Page 3. | Part 2 |
Day before yesterday, the last water pipe was laid, and yesterday, Mr. Travers Daniels, the builder, turned the works over to the company.

1877 "Signing the Contract," The Dallas Daily Herald, March 11, 1877, Page 1.
Forty hydrants, at the rate of $100 per hydrant per year.

1878 "Cut Off," The Dallas Daily Herald, May 12, 1878, Page 4. | Part 2. |
This is what was done to the Water in the Fire Plugs Yesterday - The City Without a Drop and in Much Danger.

1878 "Water or No Water," The Dallas Daily Herald, May 25, 1878, Page 4.

1881 Revised Code of ordinances of the city of Dallas.

1882 The Dallas Daily Herald, January 1, 1882, Page 5.
The water-works were formally turned over by the Water Supply Company to the city through the Board of Aldermen at the stipulated sum of $65,000.

1882 Dallas, Engineering News, 9:368-369 (August 21, 1882)

1882 Ordinances, rules and regulations governing the introduction, supply and consumption of water, from Dallas City Water Works : water rates and rules for consumers and plumbers.

1882 Dallas from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.

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

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

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

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

1962 "Dallas," 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

1978 “Development of Water Utilities in Dallas,” by E. H. Bolding, Southwest & Texas Water Works Journal 60(4):4-7 (July 1978)

2010 "Browder's Springs," by Michael V. Hazel, Handbook of Texas Online

2018 Browder Springs, served seventy years

Records of the Dallas Water Utilities, 1890-1993 are held by the Dallas Municipal Archives.