Huge Cistern, Relic of 1859 Will not Have to be Disturbed
With Jack Morrow, foreman for the Kuehn, Jordan Co. of South Bend, on the job, work on the new Fitzpatrick-McElroy theater is progressing satisfactorily, according to J. C. Brompton, architect.
The force of workmen is being concentrated on getting in the footings for the walls of the new building. Six foot excavations are being made for the steel reinforced walls, which will support the auditorium of the theater. Yesterday one of the trucks hauling gravel for the job backed into one of the trenches and considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the car out.
High poles will have to be installed to carry electric and telephone lines over the rear of the building as the present lines are so low as to interfere with work. Poles and guy wires that set on the land which will be enclosed by the building will have to be removed.
A huge open cistern full of water, which served as a drain for the nearby stores, is located just at the edge of the south wall, but will not have to be disturbed in putting up the new building.
Is Relic of 1859
This huge brick walled cistern, one of four which in 1859 comprised part of the fire protection of the village of Three Rivers, holds approximately 3,000 gallons of water which could be forced out by a hand pump for protection in case of fire.
At that early date the fire company of the village was composed of 50 men, the station being the cooper shop of John Young, which was located in the alley between the Baptist and Methodist churches. The company was organized in 1859 and continued until 1890 when the water works plant was built on North Street. John Foster was a member of the company known as the St Joseph Fire Co. No. 1 in 1869 and is the only known member of that company still living in the city.
The pump which was used for taking the water out of the huge cisterns in case of fire weighed 3,500 pounds, and sixty men were supposed to furnish the power, although a smaller number could operate it. The pumps were sold on the merits of throwing water and the local team once won a prize in a contest with their engine at South Bend when a stream of water was thrown for a distance of 227 feet.
Town pumps were located in the street where the First State Bank now stands and in front of the store, which is now the Castner meat market. The large cisterns were out in the street, covered over, and after a fire when they had been pumped dry by the fire pump, they had to be re-filled from the town pump. Another of the cisterns is located back of the Balch furniture store.
(Three Rivers Commercial News)
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