The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia

by S. J. Quinn

The fire occurred in rear of George E. Chancellor’s store in 1883, at the corner of Charles and Commerce streets, now conducted by M. S. Chancellor, and while it was confined to the premises and did but little damage, it threatened to be a serious conflagration. There was no fire department in town and no water to supply an engine, if one was sent from Richmond. This aroused the authorities and the people generally, whose property was constantly threatened with destruction, and at the next meeting of the Council a plan was adopted for “an abundant supply of water for all purposes, including fire protection,” which was submitted to a vote of the citizens for their approval or disapproval.

The plan submitted was adopted at the ballot-box by a large majority, and a special committee of the Council was appointed to carry out the will of the people, thus expressed, and construct the works, consisting of Messrs. S. J. Quinn, James S. Knox, Charles E. Hunter, Terence McCracken and Wm. E. Bradley. After arranging the necessary preliminaries the committee contracted with Colonel Wm. W. Taylor, of Philadelphia, who constructed the works and turned them over to the committee in the latter part of February, 1885, at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, Mr. Benjamin Bowering having been appointed by the committee to superintend the laying of pipe, setting of the pump, etc.

The introduction of water into the buildings, the extension of water mains, the changing of the old for newly-patented fire hydrants, and the erection of additional fire hydrants since the works have been in possession of the town, together with additional pumps and steam engine and boiler, have increased the cost of the works to about fifty thousand dollars. At present there are about eighteen miles of pipe, ranging in size from eight inches to one inch, and seventy-two fire hydrants. These hydrants are so located that they protect from fire all the property of the town.

The reservoir pressure is from fifty to fifty-six pounds to the square inch, according to draught, which is sufficient to throw streams of water over any of our ordinary buildings. The pressure, by the use of the pump, can be raised to one hundred pounds to the square inch.

The water is taken from the Rappahannock river, which is known to furnish the softest and purest of water, the analysis showing that it is free from any foreign substance, and the reservoirs are so well arranged that the citizens are seldom served with water that is the least discolored. The works are under the control of a committee of the Common Council and a superintendent. Since their construction they have been under the superintendency of Captain S. J. Quinn, and they are in good condition and a paying investment to the city, at a comparative small cost to the consumers. The present water committee consists of Josiah P. Rowe, H. B. Lane and A. M. Garner.

THE OLD GAS WORKS.

The old gas works of the town were constructed by a private company in 1843-44, at a cost, it is said, of about forty thousand dollars. The works have changed hands several times since their completion, it being a private company, and most of the stock holders residents of Philadelphia. In consequence of the wear and tear of the works, and the erection of an electric plant in town some twelve years ago, which secured the contract for lighting the streets, the stock of the gas company depreciated very much in value, and an effort was made on the part of the town to purchase the works.

For this purpose a special committee was appointed by the Common Council, consisting of Messrs. Wm. I. King, M. G. Willis, James S. Knox, Wm. E. Bradley and John T. Knight. They entered into negotiations with the officers of the company and finally purchased the works at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. Since their purchase the works have been placed in good repair and the mains have been extended in many parts of the town where they did not before run. There were about nine miles of pipe, but it was claimed by many who had examined the works that the plant was too small to supply the town, and there was much complaint of “no gas” on the part of the consumers, but it was then fashionable to complain against the city even if you were getting what you wanted, and so the matter went on until the “spirit of improvement” struck the town and estimates for a new gas plant were ordered, and before many months passed it was decided that the old works must be abandoned and a new plant constructed on a new site. And so the work of construction commenced and went forward with great rapidity. After the new plant was completed, and had been in running order for some time, the superintendent was asked for an article on the works for this volume, and he remarked that during the latter part of the year 1904 it became obvious that the old gas plant, which had been supplying the city with gas for fifty years, had gone beyond repair, and that for the sake of economy it would be necessary to erect a new plant. With this end in view a plot of ground was selected near the railroad depot and alongside the right-of-way of the railroad, and here the new works were built. Mr. Frederic Egner, an eminent gas engineer, was selected to draw the plans and engineer the construction.

Early in May, 1905, ground was broken and work progressed rapidly, and on the 25th of November the first gas was made in the new plant, and by the 28th everything was working smoothly and the old plant was abandoned. The plant is what is known as a coal gas works, using soft coal for manufacturing the gas. The manufacturing end of the plant consists of two benches of inclined retorts, four to the bench, with half depths regenerative furnaces, and has a manufacturing capacity of 100,000 cubic feet of gas each day of twenty-four hours.

Our plant is one of the most modern in the country, and no small plant now built surpasses it. Mr. Wm. Fitzpatrick, who had faithfully served the city as superintendent of the old plant for many years, retired upon the completion of the new plant and Mr. B. F. Bullock was made superintendent. Gas is $1.00 per thousand, and Mr. John C. Melville is chairman of the committee.