Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-08-05
THE TRENTON RESERVOIR ACCIDENT.

The people of Trenton have reason to con-
graduate themselves that the recent bursting
of u reservoir in that city was not attended by
| more serious results. No lives were lost, and
but little damage was done to property, and
the worst consequences of what might have
| been II disastrous accident are some yards of
| roadway torn up, and temporary scarcity OF
water. The Trenton American gives the fol-
! lowing account of the accidents
| The break was in the reservoir last construc-
| ted nearest Pennington avenue, and i'll the
the end facing. the city. 1t appears that leak
was discovered there yesterday morning, and
men were engaged ut the time of the disaster
trying to repair it. In this they We're not sue
ccssful; the leak increased in size. finally
polling them TO desst from work for their own
safety, which they had scarcely done when the
bank. eaten away by the water beneath. caved
in and the torrent gushcd forth.
The water released from its bounds. and
pouring through Il twenty foot chasm, flowed
down 10 Reservoir street,ard there divided in
to two streams. one flowing eastward and the
other down Reservoir street and Pennington
avenue. In an eastward direction the water
reached rs far ora little beyondBarbara street
finding an outlet in the old spring which con-
meets with Petty Run. the water drained off
In that direction, not, however until many eel
lars had been filled and many yards overhowed.
The main stream poured down Reservoir street
and Pennington avenue, which We're, for some
time, converted into rivers The food took a
turn below Willow street, and sweeping by
new brick house in course OF erection, which
served as sort of break-water, emptied itself
into Petty's Run. The Run however was too
small to carry ii off, and oYeriowed its banks
flooding gardens and cellars on Willow street,
between Pennington avenue and the feeder.
The break occurred about three o'clock, and
the water continued to rum gradually dimin-
ishing in quantity, for over two hours. The
result was the emptying, so far as practical
purposes are concerned, of the two main reser-
voirs. These. commencing on each side of the
old basin, extend beyond it and are divided
nearly all the way by a middle embankment
This embankment not running the whole
length of the basins the waters of both unite
at the upper end, and the consequence was
that rs one was emptied the other was also
drained. Naturally, the capacity for supply
will be lessened for the present, but measures
were being taken yesterday afternoon to keep
the old reservoir full until the damage is re- |
paired.
The accident created the greatest conster-
nation and excitement in the vicini ard |
the effects were visible The first |
intmation the people in Pennington avenue
was from man who rode quickly by on
horseback, crying out to them TO take care of
the chilcran. He was quickly followed by the
flood itself. Fortunately the accident was
not attended by any less Of life or injury to
any person. One little child it is said had
a narrow escape 1t was on the sidewalk and
was taken short distance by The flood. but
was fortunately stopped by some obstacle and
rescued