Jllustrated in the History of Albany. 



89 



ply of water for 'the iuhabitants was chiefly derived from wells ; and 

 we have the occasional references of ill-natured travelers to the bad- 

 ness of the well water, complaining of its containing all sorts of ani- 

 malculae and bad tastes and smells. But we hear no complaints from 

 the natives themselves, either because they had become used to these 

 impurities or because they rarely used it for drinking. They had no 

 patience with these prying, fault-finding, water-drinking travelers, 

 who came with their pocket magnifiers to discover animalculae, and 

 did not know what water in the economy of Providence was meant for. 



The water company purchased from the Patroon the right to take 

 Avater from Maestland kill, and erected a dam and laid a line of pump 

 logs down Broadway and up Columbia street to a reservoir which has 

 been only recently removed. The main line consisted originally of 

 two lines of four-inch pipes, bored from logs. But subsequently, 

 about 1815, iron pipes were substituted in the main line, and it is 

 mentioned incidentally that the company got the privilege from the 

 Patroon of substituting one eight-inch iron pipe for the two four-inch 

 wooden jiipes, a very clever little operation by which they more than 

 doubled their supply of water at the expense of the good old Patroon. 

 The reservoir being on Eagle street, the supply could only reach the 

 streets east of this line. I have copied from the old book of minutes 

 of this company, kindly lent to me by Mr. Meads, who was the last 

 secretary of the company, the schedule of annual charges in 1815 : 



1st class dwelling, 3-story double house $16 



2nd do 3-story, 3 windows in front 14 



3rd do 3-story single, or 2-story double 12 



4th do 2-story, 2 front windows and an L 10 



oth do 2-story single, 2 rooms on first floor 8 



6th. Every other, 6 



Every additional family in a house 3 



Distillery 100 



Tannery TO 



Brewery GO 



Morocco factory , 50 



In 1832 additional iron pipes were laid, and in 1845 the company 

 purchased the right of taking water from Patroon's creek. But the 

 growth of the city, especially westward, made necessary the increase of 

 the supply of water and the construction of new reservoirs. Hence 

 movements were set on foot to establish a city commission to take in 

 12 



