CHAPTER XXXI
 

^HE first great improvement to make Ha¬
gerstown a modern town and to promote
the comfort of living as well as the pub¬
lic health, was the provision for a supply
of pure water from the breast of the mountain.
Up to the completion of the Water Works the
supply for domestic purposes was drawn from
springs, wells and cisterns. The conformation of
all limestone countries is such that the land is fill¬
ed with passages through which water from the
surface reaches the underground streams. As
impurities accumulated in Hagerstown with the
growth of the town the yvells became contaminated
and the waters dangerous to drink.

The streets were macadamized with soft lime¬
stone and the surface became pulverized by traf¬
fic into exceedingly fine dust which filled "the air
when the wind blew. The supply of water for fire
protection was also insufficient. All these condi¬
tions made water works imperative and in 1880
a company was chartered under the name of the
Washington County Water Company. The incor¬
porators were AVilliam T. Hamilton, William Up¬
degraff, Alexander Armstrong, Edward Stake,
Henry H. Keedy, George R. Bo"wman, Jacob Roess¬
ner, David C. Aughinbaugh, George W. Sniith,
John B.- Thirston, P. A. Brugh and Joseph Kaus¬
ler. The directors for the first year were William
T. Hamilton, William Updegraff, Charles W.
Hmnriehouse, George R. Bowman, Edward AV.
Mealey, Edward Stake, Henry H. Keedy, David
S. Boyer; Wm. Gassman, George W. Harris and
George W. Grove. The contract with Hagerstown
provided for the appointment of two directors by
the Mayor and the submission of the rates of
 

water rentals to the Mayor and Council for ap¬
proval.

The capital stock was fixed at $80,000 and
later on more money was provided by the creation
of a bonded debt. The company purchased from
AA'illiam AVeagley a tract of 14 acres, at the base
of South Alountain near Cavetown, about 8 miles
from Hagerstown upon whicli to construct the res¬
ervoir. By the construction of a dam on this
property a large volume of water was impounded
which is conducted to Hagerstown by a ten-inch
iron pipe, sufficient to transmit 1,134,000 gallons
of water daily. The dam is 200 feet above the
highest part of the town and this elevation gave
such a pressure that water can be thrown from
fire hose over the loftiest building yvithout the use
of fire engines. Fire plugs are well distributed so
as to be within reach of every block. The water
supply, fiowing from the mountain streams is of
remarkable purity, and free from minerals. In a
short time it was found that the supply from the
springs which fiowed into the reservoir was not
sufficient and then an artesian well was sunk and
in the dry season the supply was supplemented
by pumping with a steam pump of large capacity.
As the town increased in size a dam was built
across Raven Rock Run near Edgemont and the
supply from there piped into the Cavetown reser¬
voir. By this means the present splendid water
supply was provided. The work of constructing
the water works was done under the direction of
George W. Harris, superintendent of the Company.
The trenches through the streets in whicli the
pipes were laid for a large part had to be Idasted
out of the solid rock.