Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-24
THE BROKEN WATER HAM.

ThE 8ROkEN WATER HAHN.
Preparing % Patch Up the Hsle-Per.
manent Repairs - be Made This AFTER.
nOon-How Thfngs Look ss the scene
Of the Break.
The skilled plumbers and other workmen of
the District water department were sent up this
morning by Superintendent Mnlican TO where
the break In the main occurred yesterday and
will be kept busy until the completion OF the
repairs. A force was ut work all last night get
ting ready for the material sent for yesterday
to New York, and not . moments time win be
lost when 1t arrives In splicing the detective
pipe. The piece OF pipe which was blown out
has not yet been found. It has probably washed
down into some gully caused by the flood and
been covered up with dirt It is OF no particu-
lar Importance, except TO examine for detective
places, such as graduates from rust, which
of hs o.
70 dispose OF the supply Of water, so much OF IL
as there is, In the most iudicious manner posi-
has ADJUSTED the gates Of the pipes 90 as 10 Sc
city.
AT THE scENK OF THE "BRKAK"
at noon to-day number Of workingmen with
picks and shovels were lying around waiting
for orders APPLE OF heavy lumber lay also
near at hand. The two large mains were ex-
posed, and out OF the big hole In the side Of the
S6jnch main the water eddied and swtrled ont,
anu cnen hurried on In q small rfvulet down
the hill. The water was so low in the main
that II inst ran over the lower edge Of the aper-
tbs n,pe he 1 mater asd little more than half s
NH Illustrated in q miniature way how noun
tain torrents came out OF their beds. The stream
some places, down to the rock. II pursued a
tortuous way down to the canal road, ard
tnere. making q sudden bend, tumbles down
the rocks beside the road Into the creek, max.
ing
PRETTY CASCADE,
which, for the present, adds to the attractions
OF the beer garden located there Many persons
visited the scene Of the break to-day, much TO
Inc pront OF the proprietor Of the beer garden.
REPAIRS TO BE COMPLETED BKFoRE DARK.
Captain Symons had completed all his
arrangements this afternoon to repair the
broken main, and said to q STAR reporter that
the repairs would be completed by dark 10.
night Blacksmiths were at work all night in
be used in the work. As there was no
roller heavy enough in any of the private
establishment In the city TO make the plate re-
the navy yard and spent part of to-day super
intending the manufacture Of the plate. II
was completed about noon and Immediately
sent TO the spot where the break occurred.
This plate measures four feet each way,
and is of halt inch boiler iron.
n SO as 70 nj psey the
over the edges of the aperture by a foot or more.
This will have on the inner side lining of lead
secured by four huge wrought iron bands, each
three inches wide and an inch thick which
Will be welded around the pipe. The patch viii
then be nrmly calked around with lead.
WHAT CAPT. sYMoNs SAYS.
Capt. Symons said to a STAR reporter this
afternoon that two hours time would be all
that would be required to complete the work
The city would have Its usual full water supply
pr0babiy tonight, and at any rate by morning.
tain: Is not Temporary patch said the cap
that place viii be stronger than ever Il.
Instead of an inch of cast iron, there
Will be half an inch OF boiler iron, held by
wrought iron bands an inch thick. III il had
been possible TO have secured without delay the
sleeve from New York, which was wanted.
sleeve, but the work to be done this afternoon
will make the main perfectly secure"
Men were engaged at the reservoir to-day en-
deavoring to force home the valve which was
broken yesterday and which has caused consid-
cradle trouble. If they succeed i'm time 1t will
water while the repairs are being made. Other
wise the supply will be diminished consider
ably during that time. None Of the water in the
broken main reaches the city. 1t runs of into
The piece of iron broken from the main Capt.
S $ thinks may have tilted back
the mains The accident, he said, occur
ring in main which had been Land thirteen
thought it possible that the main had BEEN
cracked by a falling stone when it was laid
The pressure OF the water had gradu-
ally, from year to year, enlarged
this crack until 1t caused the accident
"If the accident had occurred one hundred
yards further east" said the captain, "the re-
suits would have been much more serious
There the course OF the escaping water
would have been In the same direction as the
mains: 1t would probably have torn the earth
away from the mains for a long distance, and
all Of the mains would have been broken. Then
the city's water supply would have been
cut OF completely for several days. II the
break had occurred at midnight, or had not
been discovered as quickly as it was, the results
would have been more serious"