Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 12.

[p. 36] was somewhat unwieldy to work, taxed the muscle of the urchins, and it took two small boys to get one good drink. This double pump was incased in wood 34 inches by 16, the back and front having the greater width, and this tower-like structure was about 9 feet high. It is not known when a pump of this description was first put in, but perhaps the following order may shed some light on the subject:—

‘7 Sept. 1812 Voted To put another pump in the well in the square and repair the old one and set posts and a rail about the well &c.’

The Salem pump said ‘I am at the head of the fire department,’ so it was fitting for Medford to put her pumps and reservoirs under the charge of the fire department, and the history of them is best told as we quote quite fully from the reports of the chief engineers.

Under the expense of the fire department of 1844 is an item of $25 for damage done to Rebecca Cutter's well at a fire in October, 1843.

In 1845 for the first time reports by the various departments of town government were included in the yearly published pamphlets of expenditures and receipts. That year it was recommended that a ‘Reservoir be made in Washington street, so called, between the dwelling house of Joseph W. Mitchell and Rev. H. Ballou, 2d.’ Pyam Cushing was then chief engineer. We see from this that the town was growing and her increasing needs were being made manifest.

From the report of 1846: ‘Your Board of Engineers have examined the Town Pumps and find them in a very decayed state, and would recommend not to have any more expense laid out on them, but when they cease to give us a supply of water, to take them out and put in their place one good pump with a side handle, and have a scuttle in the platform, for the purpose of putting a Suction into the well, that water may be had easily in case of fire.’ In the school expenses of this year is an item of $2.85 for cleaning well at New School House.