Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-09
AGIGANTIC JOB.
EnOrmity of Trying to Pro.
vide for Butchers Run.
AN OPEN WATERWAY CITED
As the Most Fea sible Scheme Yet, at
Cost of 100000.
A C0UNCILMANIC SURVEY is MADE,
And the Most Marvellous Municipal Water
shed Discussed.
4 COUNCILMANIC SURVEY is MADE,
SEWERS MAY CAVE, CAUSING FLOODS

Yesterday afternoon an important inspec-
tion of the Spring Garden district was made
by the Allegheny Councilmanic Committee
on Streets and Sewers. The memory of the
awful food several years ago in that region
makes any movement for improvement there
of interest to everyone. The expedition yes
terday was for the purpose of deciding on q
proper method of carrying away tse large
volumes of water which inundate that dis
trict SO frequently. Councilmen J. P. Ober,
Charles W. Neebe, Charles II. Hartman,
Robert McAfee, J. H. Smith, Charles A.
Muehbronner, Anton Roehlhlein, Henry
Stockman, j. r. Wolfe and City Engineer
Ehlers left City Hall at 2:3O P. M. on the
mission.
Concord, Madison, Chestnut, O'Hara,
Center and Vinal streets and also Spring
Garden avenue and Church alley were Wis
ited. These streets are all very peculiar,
geographically. forming really a half circle;
that is by being high at both ends and having a
fan of several feet in the center, thus giving
the water no chance whatever to run Of Tho
corner of Center and Vinal streets and Spring
Garden avenue is the worst part of the dis
trict 1t is there that the water accumulates
in its greatest volume, causing it to be known
as the basin"
DANGEROUS HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS.
To give an IDEA of the formation of the terri
tory for the streets of that section as to their
elevation and grade. it might be mentioned
that Basin street stands 81 feet above "city
DATUM" and Hill street is only so feet, or IL
feet lower. In the case of Spring Garden ave-
nue. to Center street there is fall of "A feet.
a
been placed on the wall about II feet above the
street, stating that that mark was the depth
the water attained on July 26, 1874, when nearly
200 lives were lost
Several plans were talked over by the COM
mittee. One that for time seemed to meet
the favor of all was to raise Church alley,
Spring Garden avenue, Williams, Ohio, Con-
cord, Madison, Chestnut and OHara streets
several feet, but as this would cause property
to be damaged to the extent of from 500, 900 to
$500 600. it was decided to remedy the evil in
some other way. After much discussion it was
decided to recommend to the Street Commis-
sion the need of
AN OPEN WATER WAY
or street. In this case it would only be used to
carry of the surplus water which could not be
carried of through the old sewer. 1t was also
decided that the new water way would not be
erected according to the old plan, but would
follow the old water course of Spring Garden
run. By doing so it would go under the follow
ing named streets: Perry, Ohio and Main
streets and River avenue, and pass by the cor
ner of William street. 1t will also 20 under the
West Penn Railroad and the Pittsburg and
Western Railroad 1t will in this way follow
Church alley considerable distance. 1t was
also suggested to widen the same alley to make
the water way more complete, bnt this did not
meet with the approval of all the committee.
Il the above plan is followed out the two water
ways, one coming from the East street-car sta
bles and the other from the Spring Garden
avenue car stables, will meet at the corner of
Center street and Spring Garden avenue.
Should the improvement be made it will
give the Allegheny public much satisfaction,
as safety has been wanted by Allegheny people
ever since the Butchers run flood in 1874
BIG SEWERS CAvING IN.
OF the two sewers that are now used one was
completed in 1873, just before the flood. The
other was not completed until one year after
These sewers are feet in diameter at their be-
ginning and S15 feet at the mouth. They were
not big enough to carry of all the water and,
as a natural consequence the sewers could not
carry off all the water that collected around
them. As they are all located in the hollow or
fall in the street, the water had no chance to
run of in the cutters.
City Engineer Ehiers stated TO the commit
teemen that 1t was his opinion that the old
sewers would cave in some day. as they are now
positively fiat on the top. In fact, he expected
to hear of it after every heavy rain.
Should the waterway be made il will also be
necessary to fill in several streets. 1t will be
about IL feet in diameter and Will probably cost
about 500 600.
The Street Committee also viewed the hill
side on Spring Garden road, which is cracked
and threatens 10 fall or slide at any moment.
something Will be done concerning II.