For more than one hundred years after the charter by the House of Burgesses the town was without water works of any description. About the year 1832 a private company constructed the Poplar Springs Water Works, which distributed through the principal streets of the town the elegant water from Poplar springs, located on the Plank road, half a mile west of the city. About ten years afterwards the Smith spring was added, which increased the supply. But notwithstanding the addition of the Smith spring the supply was very inadequate; yet for more than half a century these springs, together with street pumps, furnished the only supply the town had. The works were constructed by a Northern contractor, whose name is not remembered, and are yet operated. Since the Civil war these works were under the superintendency of Captain Joseph W. Sener, until his death, in 1889, since which time Mr. Robert Lee Stoffregen has been superintendent. The inadequacy of the water supply for domestic and manufacturing purposes, and the great necessity for fire protection, were subjects for the consideration of the Common Council for many years, without definite action. On several occasions committees were instructed to have surveys and estimates made for a system of water works, which were done and recommendations had been made by some of the committees that works should be constructed, but the Council in each case had failed to act upon them. As a case of small pox contributed to the erection of a long-needed almshouse, so a fire, that threatened the town with destruction, showing the authorities how helpless they were when confronted by flames, contributed to the construction of water works. The fire occurred in rear of George E. Chancellor's store in 1883, at the corner of Charles and Commerce streets, now conducted by M. S. Chancellor, and while it was confined to the premises and did but little damage, it threatened to be a serious conflagration. There was no fire department in town and no water to supply an engine, if one was sent from Richmond. This aroused the authorities and the people generally, whose property was constantly threatened with destruction, and at the next meeting of the Council a plan was adopted for "an abundant supply of water for all purposes, including fire protection," which was submitted to a vote of the citizens for their approval or disapproval.