Water Works

[Rick Rowlands]

Union Iron and Steel became the Lower Union Works of Carnegie Steel.  United Foundry on Crescent was the Upper Union Works.  When the McDonald Works was built the Union Works were abandoned and their production moved to McDonald.

The bridge in the photos is the West Avenue bridge and was a public street since its construction.

There are still several triple expansion water pumping engines in existence, although the last Tod pumping engine was scrapped about 10 years ago in Kent, OH. From the bottom of the pumps to the top of the cylinders is about 60 to 70 feet.  The main floor level would have been at about crankshaft height, meaning as much extended below the floor as above the floor.

Here I am in Buffalo, NY last year looking at the five pumping engines at the Colonel Ward Pumping Station. (I'm on the left)

[Towntalk]

I just downloaded a Sanborn Fire Insurance map showing the iron bridge that you referenced.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ladynews500

The bridge is at the bottom of the map.

[Towntalk]

In looking over some Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, there was a Carnegie steel mill in that area that still showed up in the 1928, and that could explain that bridge. The map also shows some city buildings close to the river. How wide is the bridge? From your photos it doesn't look wide enough for two way traffic. The various Mills had foot traffic bridges and possably this was one of them.

The Sanborn map for 1889 does show a bridge across West Avenue, and at that time the Mill came all the way up to West Avenue as did the Water Works which was on the other side of the street.

If your bridge is the same one that is shown on the maps, and is the original bridge that may explain why it isn't as wide as modern bridges.

[Elmo-Ytown]

Here's a couple of pictures of the bridge I was talking about.

[Towntalk]

Great illistration of the pump.

I understand that in the upper level of the building that wasn't part of the remodeling, the overhead track over where the pump was located is still in place.

The pump itself must have been huge. Any idea of its demensions?

I have some older photos of the facility but none of the inside with the pump still in place.

[Rick Rowlands]

The water works building was built to house a William Tod Co. triple expansion water pumping engine.  The engine pumped water from the Mahoning at this location to the city.  Here is a picture of one such engine:

[Towntalk]

Photos of the Water Works are now up on my webshots site

http://community.webshots.com/user/ladynews500

[Towntalk]

In answer to your question the Water Department is indeed on West Avenue. The old pump house was remodeled and now houses the offices for the water department. As to the bridge you reference, it was abandoned long ago and sits a few feet away from the Water Department, and the road under it has been blocked off. I'll put up some photos of these buildings on my webshots site as soon as I can locate them in my collection. I know that the city did a beautiful job remodeling the old pump house

[jay]

West Avenue used to connect to Rayen Avenue near the former Sherman Scrap Yard.  Before the creation of 680, West Avenue extended south into the hillside near the Oak Hill Cemetery.

[Elmo-Ytown]

Is the Water Dept. on West Avenue? If so, or if not, the bridge is at the end of the street that the Water Dept. is on, right next to the entrance to their parking lot, it's kind of hidden, and blocked off with guardrails.

[jay]

Are you talking about the West Avenue Bridge?

That bridge was one of the few short cuts from the north side to the lower west side.

[Elmo-Ytown]

Does anyone have any old pictures of the abandoned bridge next to the water works? Stumbled across it the other day, I had never noticed it before. (I don't recommend going on it unless you enjoy swimming in the Mahoning)