The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-03


dent occurred in North Wheeling that
leaves the city without a water sup
ply until probably late hour this
morning. From an unknown cause the
big thIrty-lnch main that conducts the
water from the new pumping station
north OF the city, to the basin on Wheel
ing hill. burst in two places. the worst
break being at the corner OF Seventh
and Market and another on the steep
hillside. east OF Seventh. The result was
that the water was shut of from con-
suuiers all over the city last night. The
city electric light plant ard several
private lighting plants, and other es-
tablIshments had TO shut down on ac-
count of the failure of the city water
supply
As soon as possible the water works
people had force OF men at work re-
pairing the two breaks. The break at
the corner OF Market and Seventh
streets win not be repaired before 9
O'Clock this morning. The break on the
hillside is not 80 bad and Will be fixed
early this morning. A force OF eight
men were at work on the BAD preak
throughout the night.
II was lust 5:45 O'Clock last evening
when people in the neighborhocd OF
Seventh and Market streets were start
led by seeing the brick pavement at
the corner heave up. Bricks and pieces
OF iron pipe were sent up in the air Il
distance Of at least twenty feet, follow
ed by a column OF water still higher.
The water in almost an instant. had
covered Seventh street and was run
ming In a torrent down the steep declH;-
ity TO Main street, where much OF
turned down the alley TO the river
front, However, enough was turned
down Main street, covering that thor
ouRhfare from house to house and en-
ferinE many Easements where consider
able damage was done. On Seventh
street, too, several houses were enter
ed and damage done.
Mr.. ", f. Williams. the druggist,
whose place OF business is at the cor
ner of Seventh and Main streets. was
standing in front OF his place when the
break occurred. He gives graphic
description OF the thrilling scene. As he
puts Il: II thought the reservoir was
gIVlngway." He started up street and
was followed by many residents OF
OF their homes. reading the papers. II
was soon seen that the accident was not
so bad as they at first supposed ana
they returned 10 their homes.
For several minutes, before the water
was turned Of by the water works peo-
ple. the water continued 20 come down
the hill at terrific rate. Bricks and de-
brfs were forced down in large quantit-
les and piled up on Main street, where
traffic on the street railway was soon
blockaded. A big section OF the broken
tfiirty-Inch main at Seventh and Mar
ket streets was thrown high in the air.
Though It weighed probably two or
tfree tons. the force Of the water was 50
great that II was forced distance OF
over seventy feet down Seventh from
the scene Of the break.
At first It was not known that another
break had occurred at the same time.
The thirty-lnch main that supplies the
new reservoir with water runs up the
hillside east OF Seventh street About
100 feet east OF the end OF the street
q section Of the pipe was split almost
from end TO end. The earth was
thrown aside in an instant and the
water poured In 4 great volume from
the break Just west OF the break, on
city ground, at the end Of Seventh
street, stands the one-story frame house
occupied By Mrs Hastings. She was the
only person In the house at the time OF
fhe break. She says the house tremblcd
on its foundations as though there had
been quaking Of the earth. Thorough
~ frightened she ran from the place
The water did not enter the house but
ran like mountain torrent under
and on down Seventh past the other
break ut the corner Of Market
Tyha6 tba "a occurred there wore
two teams on Seventh street above
Main. One was q heavy wagon TO which
two horses were hitched. 1t was caught
by the torrent Of water and sent pell-
nell down TO Main street, happily with
out Injury TO either the beasts or driver.
whose name could not be learned. The
other was the delivery wagon OF Andy
Korn. the North Wheeling grocer II
was standing not far from Main street.
and was driven out Of the way Of the
mass OF brick and other debris that
came down Seventh.
As stnted. the accident left the city
without water last night, II seems the
marks at the basin registered but
scanty stage before the accident. go
that the supply was soon exhausted.
Lighting plants and other establish
ments all over the city were shut down
during the night on account Of the want
of wafer fo7 boilers. At the lEtelllSen-
Ger plant water wa hauled from the
river for use In the boilers But FOR this
Il would have heca Impossible % issue
this mornings paper.
The city electric lighting plant was
among the first establishments 10 shut
down by reason Of the lack OF water. In
consequence the city was In darkncgE
throughout the night not an arc light
being lighted, There Is quantity OF
water In the old reservoir on Wheeling
hill. but It Is being held IN reserve for
use by the fire depa. tment should
FIRE occur before the break at Seventh
street Is repaired.
Chief Bennett Issued m order to the
police officers last night. ordering all
the day officers to remain on duty
throughout tho night Even with this
additional protection II !g a hard matter
10 patrol the darkcncd streets ne well as
is necessary Up % 2 late hour, how
ever, no vI5latIGna of law had been re-
ported at police headquarters.
The Crescent mill Of the whitaker
iron Company. In Fast Wheeling had
to shut down last night on account OF
the failure o. the wntcr supply The city
gas plant Ind a little water up to 10
o'clock. but this failed soon and the
plant was shut down, This. however
does not infect the supply Of gas as
there are two tanks nearly iillcd,
Among other plants that shut down
was tho Wheeling Bakery. on tho South
side. whore the engine stopped at j.
o'clock At several establishments
that run during the night, thcr" was no
Inconvenience on account Of the failure
Of the water supply, FOR the reason that
they are supplied by wells on the pro-
misses. Among thcGc were the wv"
brcwcriea, which ran nE usual.