The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-04-02
THE RECENT ACCIDENT TO THE BOSTON VA
TER WORKS.

The Boston Herald OF the 30th ult gives the following
graphic description of the recent accident to the Cocl
tuate water works of Boston
On arriving at the spot singular presented it,
self AT the point where the aqueduct crosses the banks
OF the river rise either sde into hills 100 feet
above the surface of the water Instead of high bridge
to convey the water across upon level in the brick
conduit (which is oval shaped six feet four inches high
and five feet wde it is conducted through iron pipes
which descend to the river BRIDGE and rise upon
the opposite side where another section of the brick
duit carries the vital fluid to Brookliae reservoir The
iron pipes which in this way form inverted syphon
are three ia numbertwo of thirty inches bore and
of thrtysx inches Their perpendicular depression is
seVenyye feet and the distance across from section
TO the other of the brick conduit is nine hundred and six
ty-fve feet. Upon the summit of either bank of the
river constructed stone gate house. to regulate the
flow and pressure of the water upon the syphon-
Oh the bank of the river the Ncedkam side, yester
day morning, at early hour from some unexplained
cause probably trng leak the gravel caved in under
the pipes the bridge, section of pipes fell down
and the waters rushed out with irresistible force The
brow of the gravel hill cut in twain As the food
sot out of the conduit it carried everything eforc it,
the pipes dropped into the chasm and swept down
into the river and in this way the torrent gnawed its way
backward until the gate house, built of solid masonry
was undermined and every vesge of II was swept with
the chaotic OF rocks eath and trees into the river
below. Between seven and eight thousand cubic yards
OF earth carried away, and SO Sudden the pre-
nptaon OF the avalanche into the bed Of Charles river
that although it landed or waaeredi below the bridge,
the deposit filed Of the three arches OF the bridge,
and was projected through it, forming small gravel
beach upon It's upper side When discovered about
clock IN the morning. tremendous volume of water
was bechng from the conduit in the direction of the
current of the aqueduct, while the retrogressve food
from the other section spouting backwards through
the pipes that broken of and pointed upwards
NJ an angle of about fory-ive degrees Both of these
hydraulic forces each moment deepening the rayinc
which had been TINS violently formed sweeping torrents
gravel and stones into the already chokodup channel
Of the river
messenger despatched to close the gates at the
LAKE, and the water shut of the other side of the
IYc but it ten o'clock before the conduit had
nasted itself and ceased to flow. In the time the
deposit made in the river had damned IL TO that extent
the water set backward to the falls about two miles dis
tSnt flooding farms. stopping mills, and doing other
Uamage All the manufacturing in that vicinity is
pended temporarily account Of Chs overflow, and the
king.
The damages are being repaired With energy prompt
ness and despatch No blame is attached 20 any Of the
officers OF employees of the works