Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-02-22
"Reminiscences of LexingtOn's
Early Water SunuIY

Early water supply
EDITOR GAzETTE-A native citizel
, of Lexington, in compliance witt
your request, gives the following in
formation about the early history O
: the water supply OF Lexington. Hi
observations extend over a period 0
three-quarters Of a century, nigh
} here state that l am perhaps the onl.
living person who is familiar with TIL
history Of the water works OF Lexing
ton from inception.
In the decade between 1S8J-1s40
Lexington was supplied with water
from four springs within the town
Huffman's spring at Lindsay's corner
Corner Washington and Jeffels IL
streets where a lanyard was located
which was operated by Joseph Huff
many; the well-known Back spring
on Randolph street, which was recent
ly condemned by the Lexington BoarC
Of HEALTH the Letcher spring In tht
lower part of town situated opposite
the Letcher house OH Main street, anC
the Spout spring In the lower end o.
town at the river.
! The citizens In the upper part Of
town all kept water carts with barrels,
and hauled water from Huffman
spring, from which it was pumped. A,
barrel, OF water was considered enough
Tor family for one days use. Mod
ern cold and hot water baths were not
in use In that day. and the additions
Of the male citizens were performed
at Woods creek and at the river. J
The upper end OF the town at that
time ended at John Hendron's house,
opposite the cemetery. From there
TO Woods creek was Taylor's grove
which has long since been. removed
and the land where the grove stood
is now occupied by perhaps so houses,
Under these circumstances the
water question was serious one, even
at that day. The town authorities
had various schemes under considera
lion. The Brushy Hill spring seemed
| to be the most available. The matter
OF piping the water from that spring to
town was considered In all of its
aspects. Iron pipes were unknown in
this remote section at that period, aad
the question of bringing the water to
town In wooden pipes was seriously
discussed After much dellberation
and correspondence, 1t was finally
determined to use 4-inch iron pipes,
and contract for their supply was
made with man by the name Avery
of some Northern State, who after
wards became the proprietor OF the
great Avery Plow Works OF Louis
Vile, KY. Mr.. Avery brought with
him t. Rock bridge as his foundrynan,
Schuyler Bradley, who afterwards be-
came proprietor OF the foundry, and
who lived and died In Rockbridge.
leaving highly respected family.
This foundry was located at Vesuvius
furnace, near the line OF Rockbridge
and augusta counties. The furnace
was then owned by the organs.
The pipes we're cast horizontally.
the art of casting them vertically no
then having been discovered AS a
consequence, the pipes were thinner
on one side than on the other. Mr..
Avery did not seem to have any
method OF testing the pipes at the |
foundry. but hauled them by wagon |
to Lexington, a distance oil l6 miles. |
After few of them had been laid, |
they proved to be so imperfect that
they we're subjected to the severe
test OF being tapped all over with a
hand hammer by the engineer. In
OF which, many OF them
20 the value Of hunurods OF dollars,
we're broken and hauled back to the
'oundry, which entailed O heavy loss
IN Mr.. Avery, an which he bvre like
ZERO. James lockwood, who was a
,abinet maker by trade, was employed |
~ the town at good salary to exc.
ute the work. The ditch for the lay
ng OF the pipe was feet wide and 3
eet deep. and the price paid for ditch
ng was 1871 cents running yard
After o time the work was com
,leted end the water was brought to
own down Mcdowell street A large
rowd gathered In front Of the old
Washington tavern On Main street, )
ept by Robert Mcdowell, (the house
low occupied by Mr.. G. A. Lacy, to [
witness the water as it spouted from
be pipes for the first time. The
ritter was one OF the number present. J
The old reservoir was estimated to
old 60, 900 gallons, which was consider
an ample supply for all purposes. g
may here say that the town derived a
good deal OF the money for defray- 4
* the expenses Of the water works =
ON lottery conducted under the /,
recton OF Fisher and Jordan. The n
ritter was present at the drawings v
4 more than one OCCASION. owe are
0! surprised that the first effost met q
it'll such difficulty In carrying out tIe :
;heme.) How much IN oney was de |
we'd from that source, AN not abs to !,
y. ),
The father CT the writer was the y
'sirman of the water omnittso, un ~
II whose direction the work was :"
ecuted, is the reason why he. is so r.
miliar with all the dstails. of-1the D.
rly history OF the water works OF Dt