The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-16
BREikING A MI TER MIN.



by Bartholomew Noonnn Of 17G East Eighty
eighth street. set to work in Third avenue, Just
above Fity-sixih street. TO mako sewer from
house at $40. across the street, to tho main sewer
running down Third avenue. Tho place was
near the bottom OF the elevation, from Fifty
sixth to Sixty fifth street. and Is bed Of solid
rock. Two lengths Of carthcn pipe. forming
the sewer. have been laid under the street rail
road. and yesterday morning tho laborcrs
drilled tho rock near the curbstone in front OF
the house whence tho sewer Is to Issue. Tho
drill was within two feet Of tho Croton water
main pipe twelve inches in diameter. AT ~
A. NJ. tho blast was exploded. and Jagged hole,
foot long. was broken out of the Croton pipe.
The hole ran lcngthwisc OF the water main, and
was on the under side. OfIlcer Abram Phillips
said that he heard the report OF the blast block
distant. and on being told that the pipe had
been broken he fastened 10 tho excavation that
was being filed rapidly with water. Tho cavity
was six feet in depth and ten feet In length by
six in width. Tho sidewalk tagging between
the hole and the house had been taken up, and
the earth had been removed. Thus ditch had
boon formed leading to $40. and the water. hav-
ing filled the excavation in about minute. ran
through this ditch into the cellar The coal
slide helped to serve as a conduit. and the cellar
was filed with water. six feet deep, in less than
fifteen minutes. Tho building is occupied by
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extra stock was stored in new trunks in the cell
lar. and they noated Mr.. Watheimers busi-
ness neighbors nocked in to help him. aud,
while saving the trunks and contents. they tried
to burst through the sewer next door and let
of tho water. There is only one sewer for the
two houses. II was supposed that II would be
enough but MS tho upper stories wore let In
apartments. one sewer was found 10 DO insun-
When MIR. walthelmcr's cellar was full OF
water. he sadly needed the sewer that was
building The water penetrated into the next
Rsalln irI hos nF.lt In.
1t was full nearly 70 the sidewalk. II was stored
win with holiday goods packed away for the sea, sea,
hats belonging TO Monhcimer brothers. who
occupied tho first story as dry goods store.
Their cases weighed 100 pounds. and they were
floating when the cellar was opened. In the
mean while, tho water had penetrated south
ward through the walls. made Of lath and
plaeter, into the basement of DiXon's ice cream
store. There was little OF value in this base
ment. but tho water. continuing down HILL en-
tered Thomas J. H2iers paint store; at 1886
some unslacked limo. The lime was hoistcd
ont qucklyi The water was two feet in
to let the water on. c. G. Eliis's
b9kcry next door south Is on the corner
ol tity-iixth street. The collar held two feet Of
The overflow from the excavation could not
run fast enough into the cellmrs. and torrent
ran down tho street and into Fifty-siXth street
running west. For an hour the Croion main
laborcrs seemed dazed and at nrst did moi know
what To do. The tradesmen We're mp to their
armpits trying To- break into their house sewers
and ma kc an outlet for the water that was ruin
and werc In the way of those who tried Ia stop
the flow into the cellars: Mr. J. II. Monheimer
got an awning and tried to check tho current
across the sidewalk with 1t by plugging up the
entrance with itand settling it with large stones
but in, vain Contractor N9onan arrived, and
then Henry McGuf1ln. plumber. Of 1904 Third
avenue. who had obtained perm -siOn from the
Croton department. to construct the sewer. and
under whom Noonan held the suh-contract
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