 In a short time the agitation for an improved water supply for St. Louis, Missouri took form in a State law authorizing the appointment of a Board of Water Commissioners, charged with the duty of making surveys and plans and constructing a new system of waterworks for the city.Soon after the organization of the new board, in the spring of 1865, Mr. James P. Kirkwood, who had formerly been chief engineer of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and had just completed the building of new waterworks for Brooklyn, New York, was appointed chief engineer, and Henry Flad chief assistant engineer.Surveys and investigations were at once begun, and by the end of the year, a plan was presented for new works with intake, settling basins and filter beds at the Chain of Rocks, and a distributing reservoir on what was then known as Rinkels Hill, on Easton Avenue near the present city limits.