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| South
Atlantic States |
West Virginia | Charles Town |
Charles Town was chartered in 1787. Also spelled Charlestown.
Residents of Charles Town petitioned the legislature in 1804 for an act to authorize a lottery for the purpose of bringing water into the town.
The Charlestown Water and
Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1889 by B. C. Washington, W. F.
Lippitt, R. P. Chew, F. W. Brown and T. P. Lippitt."for the purpose
of supplying the town of Charlestown with water, and doing a general
manufacturing and milling business." This company built a system using
water power pumping into a standpipe.
The water company went into receiver and was purchased by the The People's Water Service Company of West Virginia around 1940.
The city bought the water system in 1961 for about $300,000.
The Charles Town Utility Board was created in 1998 by the City of Charles Town City Council upon the issuance of Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds under Article 147 of the Codified Ordinances of the City.
The waterworks are currently owned by the Charles Town Utility Board.
References
1804 Petition of the inhabitants of Charles
Town asking for an act authorizing a lottery to raise a sum of money to
be applied to the purposes of bringing water
into the town by means of canals & pipes, to purchase a fire engine,
and to appoint trustees for the town. December 7, 1804.
From Library
of Virginia.
1805 An
act concerning Charlestown in the county of Jefferson. January
5, 1805.
2. And be it further enacted, That Matthew Frame, George North, Ferdinando
Fairfax, Alexander Saunderson, Thomas Flagg, Willoughby W. Lane, Joseph W.
Davis, Thomas Griggs, junior and George Tate, gentlemen, of the county of
Jefferson, or a majority of them, be, and they are hereby authorized to
raise by lottery or lotteries, the sum of eight thousand dollars, for the
purpose of conveying water by pipes or otherwise, into Charlestown
aforesaid, and for purchasing a fire engine for the use of the said town.
1826 Petition of the inhabitants of Charles Town asking for the appointment of additional commissioners to carry into effect an act authorizing a sum of money to be raised by lottery for raising water into the town. December 6, 1826. From Library of Virginia.
1827 An act concerning Charlestown in the county of Jefferson. February 17, 1827.
1845 "The Water Project," Spirit of Jefferson (Charles Town, West Virginia), September 5, 1845, Page 2. Mr. Erdman from Philadelphia examines potential water source.
1846 Petition of the Mayor and Trustees of Charles Town : Petition asking for an act to authorize them to borrow money for the purpose of introducing water into the town. February 10, 1846. From Library of Virginia.
1846 An act to enlarge the powers of the trustees of the town of Charlestown in the county of Jefferson, for the purpose of supplying said town with water. March 5, 1846.
1889 The Charlestown Water and Manufacturing Company. April 11, 1889
1897 "Charles Town," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1961 "Water Works Purchase Ordinance," Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate, March 9, 1961, Page 14.
© 2016 Morris A. Pierce