The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-08

BRooKLYN CHAsTENED BUT NOT CLEANsED-
BgRsTING OF GREAT MANA NIGHT OF
ALARM AND DRLUGE-ExTENsIvE DEsTRUc-
TON OF PRoPERTY. sf-t 81 rfn- /
The New York Herald of the Sd instant
has the following: That portion of Brook
lyn lying in the vicinity of the intersection
of De Kslb and Marcy avenues was greatly
excited early yesterday morning by the oc-
cufrence of an accident which caused an ex-
tensiye destruction of property, and, for a
time, threatened the lives of large
number of persons. The cstss-
trophe was the bursting of an i'm
mense water main on DeKalb ave-
nue., between Nostrand and Marcy avenue.
The first intimation the residents of the
neighborhood had of their peril was the
alarming sound created by the rushing of a
mighty torrent. When the noise came to
their ears the people living on DeKslb ave-
nue. sprsng from their beds and ran to the
doprs and windows of their houses to ascer-
tain the cause OF the sffrightening noise
which had disturbed their slumbers. In the
street startling sight met their view. From
the center of the thoroughfsre a great body
OF water was boiling up like some mann.
moth fountain and then
-r RUSHING MADLY AWAY
with great velocity, spreading, flooding
stores and private houses, inundating the
cellars and finding its way into not few
parlors. The height to which the water
spouted wss at times nearly twelve feet,
and It came up with Kissing noise, scat
tering dirt and stones in all directions. At
this spectacle the afrighted people fed from
their houses. When they realized that the
buildings would not be swept away in the
flood they cautiously returned, and endeav-
ored to save such OF their ID house
hall do xfnk H.
gained in volume so rapidly that they were
soon obliged to construct RATS to navigate
the street and reach their own doors. The
news OF the disaster spread very quickly,
andin a short time hundreds of people
came hooking to the scene. Tradesmen
deserted their stores and swelled the throng
of spectators that watched the flow of the
wsters until daylight, shivering in the
piercing cold wind, and qusking with fear
that their property was In imminent dan
| ger of being swept away. They gazed
anxiously and YEARLY at the spot where
THE WATER GUsHED UP
| from the old 36-inch main, which had burst
with such violence as to tear up the pave
ment for a space of about 80 feet. The food
continued at its height for about two hours.
The fact OF the bursting of the main was
autographed to the police central office, and
as thence forwarded to the East New York
station house. From there mounted mes.
senger was despatched to the stoppage
reservoir at Hampstead. As soon he ar
rived the water-gates were closed. The
effect Of the shutting OF the gates upon
| the great torrent which was foaming through
the Brooklyn streets and threatening to
engulf the city was very soon apparent.
| In lees than fifteen minutes the flow began
! to subside; In half an hour the water had
sunk to the level of the curbsloues, and was
falling steadily into the swollen sewers
1 through the four cuiverts at the corner OF
Nostrsnd and DeKslb avenues. The water
continued flowing until noon, but at day.
| light it had subsidized sufficiently to enable
| the citizens TO ascertain the nature OF the ae-
cid5nt. Over the spot where
THE GREAT PIPE BURST THE EARTH
had sunk about four feet. The excavation
was filled with dirty water, giving it the ap.
pearance Of frog pond. Travel on the
DeKalb avenue line of cars was impeded
up to noon and one of the cars, in attempting
Ito pass over the hollow. fell in
and was raised with great diff
Guilty. The damage wrought by th,
catastrophe will reach in amount about
$50, 900. AS far as could be ascertained the
heavy losses were comprised between 61s
and 633 DeKslb avenue. The loss to tn,
city is about 5000, which is included in tn.
total given above. As soon as the flood haC
in measure subsidized fire engine was So
l 70 pump the water out of the excavation
4 a work which will not be completed before
Tonight. Some of those who have suffered
losses by the overflow talk Of bringing
actions against the city. =