Further antedating of hydrant (1801)

[George Thompson]

Philly had a water-supply piped in from a reservoir years before any other US city, so the first "Hydrant" would be from a Philly source.

This is a nice story, and, if anyone cares, is likely to give the first "hydrant" used as an adjective.

        [a woman who visited NYC from Philadelphia brought her own butter and "a few bottles of Hydrant Water" with her and was glad she did; N-YNA: our butter isn't as good as what you get in Philadelphia, but we're working on it; and in 18 months NYC will have an adequate supply of pure rock water"; meanwhile, ladies from Philly who don't like NYC drinking water should try putting a little gin in it]
        New-York National Advocate, January 11, 1825, p. 2, col. 3, quoting a Philly paper.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
Date: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:08 pm
Subject: Re: Further antedating of hydrant (1801)
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU


> Poulson's American Daily Advertiser [Philadelphia], January 28, 1801,
> page 3:
>
> "When the water first issued from the Hydrants [in small caps;
> calling attention to a rare word?] which are placed in various parts
> of the streets, it was considerably turbid, owing to the filth which
> had collected in the pipes when they were laid down,  and which had
> never before been discharged---but it very soon assumed a limpid
> appearance; and there can be no doubt but that for drinking and
> culinary purposes it will be found infinitely preferable to the water
> of our pumps."
>
> [Not much has changed in 106 years!]
>
> This article begins "Yesterday the Centre Square Engine was put in
> motion, and the waters of the Schuylkill were distributed along the
> pipes of conduit through the streets of Philadelphia."
>
> Joel
>
> At 8/30/2007 11:51 AM, Stephen Goranson wrote:
> >OED cites 1828 in Webster
> >
> >(Gale 19th century US newspapers)
> >The Scioto Gazette, (Chillicothe, OH) Saturday, September 10, 1803
> >[date not on
> >the page, but the news looks plausible for then]; Issue 172; col D
> >     Philadelphia, August 26 Melancholly
> >"Yesterday morning the city was alarmed by...fire....Notwithstanding
> the
> >difficulty of access by any number of engines, the hydrant and hose
> were made
> >subservient to the most effectual purposes. The flames were completely
> >overpowered by five o'clock...."
> >
> >Stephen
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
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