Inauguration of the waters of La Chaux-de-Fonds

Reverse

Inscription in eleven lines.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
ENTREPRISE CONÇUE PAR
GUILLAUME RITTER INGÉNIEUR
VOTÉE PAR LE CONSEIL GÉNÉRAL DE LA
MUNICIPALITÉ LE 16 JUILLET 1885 ET
PAR LE PEUPLE LES 15 ET 16 AOÛT 1885
EXÉCUTÉE PAR LES INGÉNIEUR HANS MATHYS
OTTO OSSENT ET LOUIS PETITMERMET
PRISE D'EAU à 628 MÈTRES
POINT CULMINANT 1116 MÈTRES
PRESSION ÉLÉVATOIRE 50 ATMOSPHÈRES
PARCOURS 18389 M

Translation: Project designed by Guillaume Ritter engineer, voted by the general council of the municipality on 16 July 1885 and by the people on 15 and 16 August 1885, executed by the engineers Hans Mathys, Otto Ossent and Louis Petitmermet, water intake at 628 metres, highest point 1116 metres, elevating pressure 50 atmospheres, course 18389 m

Engraver: Edouard Durussel

Edge

Plain

Comment

The Great Fontaine, the first decorative monument in La Chaux-de-Fonds, was erected in 1887 to commemorate the arrival of water a year earlier from the springs of the Areuse in the Val-de-Travers, 20 km further away and 500 m lower than the town. In addition to celebrating this technical feat, the monument also expressed the Parisianism of the people of Chaux-de-Fonds at the end of the 19th century.