Aquaducts in Springfield, Massachusetts.

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

               Robin
               Though a thousand pages would not exhaust [1] 
               the subject of the Pynchon family in America, it 
               would take far less than 1000 pages to provide 
               convincing cross-reference to the Author's output....

                Dave Monroe,
                Indeed.  E.g., the recurring theme of disinheritance ...

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0108&msg=59035

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0311&msg=87452

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0202&msg=65233

I went to the Gravity's Rainbow Companion by Steven C. Weisenburger,
looked up 'William Pynchon' and was directed to pages 27-30. In essence, 
it's a lightly fictionalized re-telling of the Pynchon Family history, short 
form. And, yes, it has everything to do with the next 700 pages or so.

If anyone is interested, the following testimony by Charles Stearns 
concerns Aquaducts in Springfield Massachusetts. 
This is a short excerpt from:

          STATEMENT OF FACTS 
          IN CONNECTION WITH THE PETITION OF 
          THE SPRINGFIELD AQUEDUCT CO 
          ADDITION TO THEIR ACT OP INCORPORATION. 
          HON. W. G. BATES' ARGUMENT 
          BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE. 
          ON THE SUBJECT, 
          SPRINGFIELD: G. W. 
          WILSON, PRINTER, MAIN STREET, 
          Over Merriam, Chapin, & Go's Bookstore. 
          1849.

http://tinyurl.com/39alo2

          At this stage of the matter, Doct.Pynchon, of Springfield, 
          arose, and from the fact that it was the first time he had 
          attempted to address the House, there was an extensive 
          inquiry who he was. Doct. P. commenced by making a 
          most abusive, violent and disingenuous attack upon the 
          Aqueduct Company, and Mr. Stearns, whose name he 
          called out most improperly during his speech from 10 to 
          20 times, attempting to give the impression that Mr. 
          Stearns was the Aqueduct Company, and that what was 
          asked was all for hia benefit, and that it was a " monopoly" 
          that did not deserve encouragement. Doct. P. said in so 
          many words, that Mr. Stearns was " the body and soul, 
          the beginning- and the end, the Alpha and the Omega of 
          the concern." That he was supplying Railroads and Steam 
          Engines and other big concerns which he had no right to 
          do. If he would cut them off, there would be water enough 
          for the people. He said he was a water taker from the 
          Aqueduct at several places, and he could not well do 
          without it, indeed he considered it one of the greatest 
          boons he enjoyed in life ! He denied that there was any 
          evidence that a majority of .the people of Springfield was 
          in favor of the petition. In short he disputed every material 
          position taken by the members of the Committee who 
          made the counter report, and the statements to the House 
          of Mr Hull, one of the Committee, which report and 
          statement were founded on the testimony given to the 
          Committee in their long investigation, and thorough 
          examination of the case,—indeed he went so far as to say 
          that nothing could be said that would induce him to favor 
          the passage of the bill. 
          Doct. P. made one statement in his speech that I consider 
          a slander on myself personally, which was, that " to Mr. 
          Stearns more than to any other person, he owed his seat 
          on that floor." I have elsewhere, and I wish here to deny in 
          the most positive manner, the charge, and to say, that in 
          common with the mass of the Whigs of Springfield, I was 
          utterly astonished at his nomination and wholly 
          disapproved of it, well knowing that Doct. P. had never been 
          known as a reliable Whig, nor had he ever exhibited any 
          evidence that he possessed other suitable qualifications for 
          the responsible station of member of the Legislature. I did 
          indeed vote for Doct. Pynchon as he was one of the nominees 
          of the Whig meeting, and that is all the agency I had in placing 
          him in that position. 
          Doct. P. made one allusion in his speech, which I think furnishes 
          a clue to the motives which actuated him in taking the course he 
          did, He remarked that " he had been on bad terms with Mr. 
          Stearns for a number of years." Now in the sincerity of my heart 
          I will say that I was ignorant of the fact, and was surprised to hear 
          such an avowal. It is true that some business matters between the 
          Father of Doct. P. and myself, more than ten years ago, caused a 
          difference of opinion between us, and perhaps an alienation of 
          feeling—and very probably Doct. P. sympathized with his father, 
          as it is natural he should do, yet I was not aware that he 
          harbored any malice against me on that account, more 
          especially as he did in the time of the transaction declare that 
          he considered that I had made (in writing) propositions for an 
          adjustment, that were perfectly fair, and that his father ought 
          to accede to them. Doct. Pynchon's father has been dead 
          near two years, and all business matters between us have 
          been satisfactorily adjusted long since. Yet it would seem 
          that Doct. P. has been treasuring up his malignity, and he 
          has taken this occasion to vent it. 

There's many interesting things in this excerpt. First off, I get the sense 
that the Charles Stearns that is giving this testimony is most likely the 
'Stearns' in Pynchon v. Stearns. 

http://tinyurl.com/2snjdg

http://tinyurl.com/3xuxaq

          . . . .Prior to 1843, the principal reliance for water for 
          domestic purposes was on wells and springs; 
          and for fire purposes the Town brook and the 
          river were relied upon with the addition of 
          storage cisterns. In the summer of 1843, Charles 
          Stearns, an energetic and public-spirited man, 
          suggested the propriety of establishing a system 
          of waterworks; but failing to induce others to take 
          hold of the enterprise with him, he decided to 
          enter single-handedly upon the undertaking of 
          constructing a general water system for the 
          business section of the town. In August, 1843, 
          he began the work of laying wooden main pipes 
          from Van Horn reservoir to the Western railroad 
          depot and down Main street to Bliss street, 
          supplying dwellings, hotels and other buildings. 
          This system remained in successful operation 
          until 1848, when the Springfield aqueduct company 
          was incorporated; Charles Stearns, Festus Stebbins, 
          George Hastings and their associates and successors 
          being named as the incorporators "for the purpose 
          of supplying the village of Springfield with pure 
          water." This company maintained a water system 
          until about 1860, when the question of the water 
          supply began to be agitated anew, which resulted 
          in the city taking upon itself the burden of water 
          supply for the public. At first a system of wells was 
          started on the hill, but was soon abandoned. In 
          1872, action was taken which resulted in the building 
          of the Ludlow reservoir. This afforded an abundant 
          supply; but the quality has not proved satisfactory. . . .

http://tinyurl.com/2d65s3

The 'Doct.Pynchon, of Springfield' mentioned must be the son of 
the original John & Susan Pynchon who are the suit's namesakes. 
Charles Stearns may be an ancestor of Thomas Stearns Elliot, 
and Pynchon's absorption with "The Wasteland" might be in part 
amplified by family history. Again, read that short excerpt from 
Gravity's Rainbow, note just how closely the Slothrop Family Legacy
echos the Pynchon Family History and just how much 'waste' and sloth
work their way into the family legacy.

1. Corrected the typo---my bad.