The evening world., 1890-06-20
VOLCANO AGAIN.
Bottom Blown Out Of Broadway
al the Corner Of Pine Street.
Fourth Explosion in a Week Of the
Steam COmpaDy'S Pipes.
Statutory Grounds for Rating the
Company u Nuisance.

There 10 an immense h ole, 10 feet long by
| 10 feet wide. In the centre OF broadway,
| Just opposite the Schtrnerhorn building, at
the corner OF Pine street. Clouds OF dense
white steam are issuing from the excaNa-
| tion, and pedestrians on other side OF
Broadway who are compelled to pass this
| steaming pit turn their heads away to avoid
the horrible stencil that arises from the
vnporous cavity.
| Tho placo il the scene OF the latest blow
up OF tho steam company's mains. They
| happen regularly every other day now. and
the voung man who intends taking his best
girl out Sunday would better give Broad
way, from Chambers to Whitehall streets. o
berth.
! I nights geyser spoutGd about
| o'cr. A Kissing column OF steam sud
denly shot up In tho air with roar. aud
fine particles of sand and mud were literally
deposited In tho eyes and ears and upon the
garments of those who happened to be near.
| The paving stones were lcosencd for dis
tance Of three or fonr feet around the spout
| ing column. and the steam was so dense
that II WAS impossible to see across the
| street.
| Pedestrians first swore and then fed IN all
directions, fearfully expecting that shower
| of paving stones and manhole covers would
follow them.
Railroad traffic was stopped. Itwa l.
possible to drive even the oldest way .es
of the Broadway line through thu hot.
scalding vapor, and passep gers who were In
q hurry to get homo heaped ell sorts OF
maledictions on the New York Steam Com
pany. The cars had tn be pushed over the
scene Of the expulsion. and the steam filled
their interiors. aaturAting the clothing OF
the passengers with the disgusting gases
that were forced from the earth by the
steam.
A policeman sent word to the steam COM
pany's office. And gang OF men were sent
to tho spot. They ripped up the paving
and went to work with pick and shovel. lt
was after midnight when they reached the
big pipe, and after tinkering il awhile they
concluded that the public could stand q
little steam for another twenty-four hours.
and went home.
This morning it was nearly as bad a. when
the explosion took place. Big clouds Of
steam were rolling from the exca~- N and
filing the air with horrible .,neA.
In all the business houses IN the vicinity
windows and doors have to be kept closed
to-day in order that the occupants shall not
be compelled TO breathe the poisonous
gases.
While an EVENING WORLD reporter was
surveying the scene this forenoon promi-
nent business man tapped him on the
shoulder and Rskedi
"Is il true that President Wilson. OF the
Health Board. says he is ignorant Of this
nuisance"
''Yos. I believe 10 is SO. answered the
reporter.
The citizen said . bad word. Then he
added. - wish he would come down and
inhals some of these gases. l think he'd
soon make up his mind"
The reporter agreed, but President Wilson
is waiting for some citizen to call on him
and make formal complaint II . health
officer should canvass broadway from Cham
bers street to the Battery he'd find informal
but Goroibls complaints enough to fill sew
eral carts.
There are seventy individual complaints
right in the building Of Knox the halter.
His employees have served notice on him
that they will not remain In his employ
while the steam company has Its pipes on
broadway.
Many OF them are at home. Ill from the
shock they received ths other day when the
explosion took place Gt lol Fulton street,
and many have distinct hAlSriAl symptoms,
which they attribute to tho gases which have
arisen from the excavations in DrOEdwAy
and Fulton street
General Manager PTsntiss. when asked
\ what the Steam Company intended TO do to
remedy these evils, merely shrugs his
| shoulders and smiles while lie says:
| 1--WE are perfectly willing aud ready 20
| conform 20 the recommendations Of Com
missioner Gilroy as to the removal Of our
old pipes and the replacing OF them with
new onsS. We are Arranging TO perfect the
system.
This means that the PEOPLE in downtown
districts will have TO submit TO the same
nuisaness OF duR-up aud blOekGdOd streets
that WAS common when the plant was put IN
the ground.
IL seems likely, however. that . way has
been found to bring the steam company TO
justice.
The Penal Codes definition Of . "public
nuisance is an act or omission that - au-
nOys. InjuIes or sndAngeTs the comfort, re-
pose. health OF safety Of any consdera BILE
number Of persons; unlaSIully interferes
with. obstTuets or tends 70 obstTueI. or rem
deTs dangerous for passage : - street or
highway OF I'm any way renders 4 cOnsid-
erGb.s number OF persons insecure IN life or
the use Of property
Lawyers say thAt there is no doubt that
the AetS Of the New York steAm-HeAting
Company fall within the SeODs OF this penal
provision, and thAt shsn the facts are laid
before ths Grand Jury Indictment ana con
VietiOn OF the CompAny'S ofneiAls viii follow.
Mayor Grant y e0nSidsTiBE NhAt action