Documentary History of American Water-works

List of Steam Engines

List of Steam Engines Used in American Waterworks

MGD = Million gallons per day

Year	Engine #	City #	City	State	HP	MGD	Steam Pressure (PSIG)	Manufacturer	Remarks
1753			North Arlington	NJ		0.7	Low	Newcomen style engine built by Joseph Hornblower and erected by his son Josiah, who remained in America.	Pumped water at Schuyler copper mine
1773			Philadelphia	PA			Low	Newcomen-style engine by Christopher Colles	Small steam engine to raise water for a Philadelphia distillery, demonstrated but apparently never completed.
1774	1	1	New York City	NY		0.3	Low	Newcomen-style engine by Christopher Colles	Destroyed during British occupation in 1776
1801	2	2	Philadelphia	PA		1.8	Low	Nicholas J. Roosevelt	Schuylkill Engine House, excess power leased to Roosevelt to run a rolling and slitting mill. Replaced 1815 by Fairmount Works. On April 4, 1801, two workmen suffocated while working inside the boiler, and it had to be torn apart to retrieve their bodies.
1801	3		Philadelphia	PA		1.0	Low	Nicholas J. Roosevelt	Centre Square, replaced 1815 by Fairmount Works.
1802	4		New York City	NY	18	1.0	Low	Boulton & Watt, erected by Robert McQueen	Replaced horse mill
1803	5		New York City	NY	18	1.0	Low	Robert McQueen	Replaced horse mill
1815	6		Philadelphia	PA		2.1	2.5 - 4	Samuel Richards, proprietor of the Eagle Works	Fairmount, replaced 1822 by water wheels.
1816	7		Philadelphia	PA	100	3.7	194-220	Oliver Evans	Fairmount, replaced 1822 by water wheels. A high pressure boiler explosion on June 20, 1818 killed three workmen. A second explosion on October 12, 1821 did not cause any injuries.
1816	8		New Orleans	LA			Low		Never used, became derelict due to long construction period.
1819	9	3	Natchez	MS
1821	10	4	Columbia	SC	12		Low	James Bowman and William Galloway of Manchester, England	Bolton & Watt design
1823	11	5	New Orleans	LA	100		Low
1824	12	6	Cincinnati	OH	40	1.2			Replaced horse mill, engine from steamboat Vestas, operated until 1844
1825	13		New York City	NY	6	0.2	High		Installed by Manhattan Company at Bleecker street and Broadway to pump water from an Artesian well drilled by Levi Distrow.
1828	14		Cincinnati	OH	24		High	Harkness & Co.
1828	15	7	Pittsburgh	PA	80	0.1	High	Arthurs, Warden & Benny	Sold in 1845
1830	16	8	Detroit	MI	10			"Constructed in Buffalo."	Power shared with Detroit Iron Company.
1831	17		Detroit	MI	20			Detroit Iron Company	Replaced 1830 engine, which was needed by Iron Company.
1831	18		New York City	NY	12			West Point Founders Association,	Installed by City of New York for fire protection, replaced horse pump, sold in 1844.
1832	19	9	St. Louis	MO				Francis Pratt of Pittsburgh
1832	20			NY	6	0.1
1832	21		Cincinnati	OH	100	3.0	High	Anthony Harkness & Co.
1833	22		Pittsburgh	PA	120		High	Stackhouse, Tumbleson, & Co.	Sold in 1845
1834	23	10	Wheeling	WV	60	1	High	Smith & Wallace	Other sources say 120 HP
1835	24		New Orleans	LA	65		Low	West Point
1837	25	11	Steubenville	OH	40
1839	26		St. Louis	MO				Gatty & Coonce
1840	27		Wheeling	WV		1.5		Helm & Richardson
1841	28	12	Harrisburg	PA	40	0.4	50 psig		Initial steam pressure to produce 304 gpm
1841	29	13	West Chester	PA					Replaced by Worthington engine in 1881.
1842	30	14	Chicago	IL	24	1.0			James Long contracted with the Chicago Hydraulic Company to pump their water for free in return for using spare power from the engine to run his grist-mill. The engine could pump 25 barrels of water per minute.
1843	31	15	Burlington	NJ					Pumped water from Delaware River, plant burned in 1844 and was rebuilt.
1844	32		Pittsburgh	PA		4.5			Named Samson
1844	33		Pittsburgh	PA		4.5			Names Hercules
1844	34	16	Spring Garden	PA		1.25	Low	Merrick & Towne	Schuylkill (Spring Garden and Northern Liberties)
1844	35		Spring Garden	PA		1.25	Low	Merrick & Towne	Schuylkill (Spring Garden and Northern Liberties)
1846	36		Cincinnati	OH		3.6		Messrs. Yeatman & Shield
1846	37		St. Louis	MO				Messrs. Kingsland & Lightner, St. Louis.
1846	38	17	Camden	NJ	10
1847	39		New Orleans	LA		6		Allaire Works, New York	Beam condensing engine
1847	40		Cincinnati	OH				Messrs. Yeatman & Shield
1848	41	18	Norristown	PA				Eagle Works, Norristown (?)
1849	42	19	Allegheny	PA		1.5		Designed by Robert Moore, Allegheny	Two lever engines coupled together
1849	43	20	Columbia	PA
1849	44		Spring Garden	PA		4		Sutton	Schuylkill (Spring Garden and Northern Liberties)
1850	45		Detroit	MI	150			Degraff & Kendrick, Detroit
1850	46		Pittsburgh	PA					Pumping station at lower basin
1850	47	21	York	PA				Birkinbine
1851	48	22	Mount Holly	NJ					Company sold excess power (about 20 horse) to run a saw and placing mill, but it was not profitable.
1851	49		Cincinnati	OH		3.5		Anthony Harkness & Co.
1851	50	23	Germantown	PA			High		Taken out of service in 1872
1851	51		Germantown	PA			High		Taken out of service in 1872
1851	52	24	Kensington	PA		3	High	Brock & Andrew Horizontal High Pressure	Delaware and Kensington
1851	53		Kensington	PA		3.5	Low	Reaney & Neafie Vertical Low Pressure	Delaware and Kensington
1852	54	25	Sacramento	CA	5				Pumped water into an elevated reservoir for distribution by carts.
1852	55	26	Buffalo	NY	80	1.5		I. P. Morris & Co., Philadelphia	Cornish Bull engine
1852	56		Buffalo	NY	80	1.5		I. P. Morris & Co., Philadelphia	Cornish Bull engine
1852	57		Cincinnati	OH		3.5		Anthony Harkness & Co.	Duplicate of 1851 engine, replace 1832 engine
1853	58		Chicago	IL	175	7.5	30 psig	Quintard, Merritt & Co.	Condensing
1853	59		Chicago	IL		7.5		H. Moses, Chicago	Non-condensing, only used when condensing engine was out of service. This engine was taken out of service in 1856.
1854	60	27	Sonora	CA					Pumped water to the top of Gold Mount.
1854	61		Sacramento	CA	20	1		John Berdan
1854	62	28	Savannah	GA		1		Worthington	Direct-acting, condensing pumping engines
1854	63		Savannah	GA		1		Worthington
1854	64		Savannah	GA		1		Worthington
1854	65	29	Jersey City	NJ	500	4		Robert B. Parrott, West Point Foundry
1854	66		Allegheny	PA		1.5			Duplicate of 1849 Engine
1855	67	30	Hartford	CT				Woodruff and Beach Iron Works in Hartford	Purchased in lieu of cancelled Cornish engine.
1855	68	31	Wilmington	DE				Betts, Pusey & Co.	Cornish pump to supplement water power
1855	69		Philadelphia	PA		5		I. P. Morris & Co., Philadelphia	Schuylkill (Spring Garden and Northern Liberties)
1855	70		Philadelphia	PA		1.3	High	Bull Cornish Engine	Twenty-Fourth Ward Plant
1855	71		Philadelphia	PA		1.3	High	Bull Cornish Engine	Twenty-Fourth Ward Plant
1855	72	32	Alexandria	VA	20			Thomas S. Jemieson, Alexandria	Primarily to backup existing water-driven pump
1855	73		Wheeling	WV		3		J. Moore & Company
1856	74	33	Cambridge	MA		0.3		Worthington
1856	75		Cambridge	MA		0.3		Worthington
1856	76	34	Bordentown	NJ		0.5		Worthington
1856	77		Camden	NJ				I. P. Morris & Co., Philadelphia
1856	78	35	Elizabeth	NJ		2		Messrs. Hewes and Phillips, Newark
1856	79		Elizabeth	NJ		2		Messrs. Hewes and Phillips, Newark
1856	80	36	Cleveland	OH	200	4.5	20 psig	Allaire Works, New York
1856	81		Cleveland	OH	200	4.5	20 psig	Allaire Works, New York
1856	82	37	Lancaster	PA
1856	83	38	Pittston	PA					Rotary pump?
1856?	84		Columbia	SC					Replaced 1821 engine; no information found.
1857	85		Chicago	IL		13		Morgan Iron Works, New York
1857	86	39	Petersburg	VA
1858	87	40	San Francisco	CA					Located at North Point by San Francisco City Water Works
1858	88	41	Brooklyn	NY		15	18 psig	Messrs. Woodruff & Beach, Hartford	Ridgewood
1858	89	42	Scranton	PA
1859	90	43	Marysville	CA	20			Foundries in Marysville	Low pressure condensing engine
1859	91		Sacramento	CA	20	1		Worthington	"as was constructed for the city of Savannah."
1859	92	44	New Brunswick	NJ
1859?	93	45	Portland	OR					Mentioned in a 1952 history, no other information found.
1859	94	46	Chestnut Hill	PA					Horizontal high pressure engine, Bought by Philadelphia in 1873
1859	95		Chestnut Hill	PA					Horizontal high pressure engine
1860	96		New Orleans	LA		12		Novelty Iron Works, New York	Beam condensing engine
1860	97		Harrisburg	PA		2		Worthington
1861	98	47	Red Bluff	CA
1861	99		Brooklyn	NY		15	18 psig	Messrs. Woodruff & Beach, Hartford	Ridgewood
1862	100		Brooklyn	NY		2.5			Prospect Hill
1864	101		Wilmington	DE		0.4		Worthington
1864	102	48	Charlestown	MA		5	45 psig	Worthington	Duplex pumping engine
1865	103	49	Fort Leavenworth	KS					Pumped water from the Missouri River into a 21,000 gallon tank.
1865	104		Charlestown	MA		5	45 psig	Worthington
1865	105		Pittston	PA				Thomas Thatcher, Danville, Pa.	250 GPM Thatcher Double Acting Steam Pumps
1865	106	50	Chattanooga	TN	20				Force pump taken from nearby flouring mill.
1865	107		Chattanooga	TN					Suction pump taken from nearby blast furnace.