The first springhouse was built in 1807
presumably to replace the "Stone Quarry" to which reference
is made. From 1807 the growth of the town proceeded at a steady
pace. More people came, no longer as individuals, as before, but
as families. More homes were built. The signing of the Fort McIntosh
Treaty 1785 created a more secure climate and safety. Skirmishes
and open war fare continued between the settlers and the Indians,
which latter the English kept prodding on from their Canadian
bases and particularly Detroit. However, the conflict was removed
further down the Ohio River to the territory of the falls (what
are now the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky) and
away from the area of the forks of the Ohio at Pittsburgh to which
this area belonged.
As the population increased, so the water
consumption increased and by 1812 the Council of the Borough of
Beaver replaced the spring house built in 1807 with a larger structure
I V x 13' and 7' in depth-a small reservoir. But the end was not
yet in sight. This fast-growing community-now the seat of Beaver
Countykept expanding at an accelerated rate and the Council for
the third time voted to build a much larger reservoir. It was
built in 1845 and is still standing in the center of the "lot."
Three years later a "reservoir"
or springhouse was also constructed on the other "Water Lot"
located at the northwest end of the town, now Dutch Ridge Road
and Galey Blvd. The Borough fathers developed a comprehensive
system of channeling the many springs into these reservoirs. From
there, through pipes hollowed out of logs, the water was distributed
to convenient locations downhill into wells from which people
received their supply. Parts of those wooden pipes have been preserved
to the present time. Some were two halves put together and held
with metal braces or bands. Others were made by boring twoinch
holes in logs from end to end, a tedious and difficult job considering
that there were no power tools at that time. Whenever expedience
demanded an open trough was used.
F. Cuming, a traveler-writer reporting on
his visit to Beaver in 1810, among other observations notes that
"a small market-house has since been built and after many
trials a well has been sunk from which the inhabitants are supplied
with water."
Wells were difficult to sink because of the sandy soil of this plateau and it must have taken many trials and much effort before a method of stabilizing the wells was found. Perhaps Mr. Cuming saw one of those latter wells. This is how Dr. Bausman describes this very same municipally-owned water works and the problem of supply in his "History of Beaver County."