Agreements to Take Water Service — Wedowee's First Water Customers

Synopsis

The town's original sign-up register for its new water system: 99 printed "Agreement to Take Water Service" forms, numbered 1 through 108, signed by residents, businesses, churches, schools and the county in February 1935, before the waterworks was built. On each form the signer, as head of a family, property owner, or occupant, promises to connect at a given lot and street once the system the Town of Wedowee planned to build was finished, and to pay a minimum monthly charge of $2.00. Nearly every form was witnessed by W. L. Traylor, apparently in a door-to-door drive between February 16 and 28, 1935. Signers include the Bank of Wedowee, the County High School, Wedowee Grammar School, the M. E. Church South parsonage, the Randolph Press, and Randolph County itself, which took ten taps (Nos. 26–35) for the courthouse block on East Broad. The town needed agreements like these to show federal Public Works Administration officials that the waterworks loan could be repaid. A March 1935 PWA letter in this archive acknowledges receiving them. The addresses, given by lot number and street, also make the register an early census of the town's households and businesses.

Key facts

• 99 signed forms, numbered 1–108 (one form covers Nos. 26–35)
• Signed February 16–28, 1935, before construction began
• Minimum monthly charge: $2.00 on every form
• Witness on about 90 forms: W. L. Traylor
• Randolph County took 10 taps at $2.00 each for the courthouse block
• The full list of signers is in the searchable register below

AGREEMENT TO TAKE WATER SERVICE
No. ____   Date ____
In consideration of like agreements by other residents of Wedowee, Alabama,
I, ________ *head of a family residing at / being owner of property located at / occupant of premises at
** ________ hereby agree to take water service at the above address from the water system to be constructed by Wedowee, Alabama upon its completion, and to pay a minimum monthly charge of $ ____ for which sum the City of Wedowee agrees to furnish up to ________.
________ Signed
________ Witness
* Cross out the words which do not apply.
** Give Street and Lot Number.

Physical description

Two-hole punched forms; signatures in ink and pencil. The reverse of every form is blank and has been left out here. One form (No. 12) was scanned sideways and has been rotated.

Reading notes

Some handwritten names are hard to read. Uncertain readings are marked [?] in the register. A few dates could be read as 2/20 or 2/28.