The San Francisco call., 1896-07-22

from the main track. This has been OBJ
served to sway back and forth when trains
ran at the old rate of speed, and was. in
fact, one of the first manifestations con-
cerning the shaking up which the railroad
was giving the sewer. While the repre-
sentative of THE CALL looked on the
whistle of a locomotive was heard in the
distance. A few seconds later passenger
train from San Jose appeared.
The sewer has its proper outlet at Ninth
street and its beginning at Sixteenth
street. Between these two points there is
distance of over 1000 feet, or, roughly
estimated, about three fourths of a mile
The train crossed Sixteenth street hardly
moving, having steadily slackened It's
speed for some distance before the cross
ing was reached. The engineer and fire.
men were hanging out of opposite sides of
the locomotive cab. The occupants of the
baggage-car were in the door openings of
that vehicle. They occupied these posi-
tions all the time the wheels were drag
ging slowly along to Ninth street. The
passengers seemed unconscious that there
was any particular reason for this sudden
and long spell of slow riding, but looked
about curiously nevertheless.
The section or track hands of the
Southern Pacific Company who were in
evidence watched the track and train
alike keenly, suspending their work tenn
porarily.
One of the track-workers, a man evil
dently acquainted with the facts, ex-
planned quite fully what was going on.
The old paintshop is being torn down, he
uofd TO ,al>a To- Il l..
of the present embankment, upon which
at this point, there are two tracks and
switches.
What is the need OF this2" was asked.
1.-The sewer is cracked"
"What are the men going to do2"
'They are going to put down new
track 10 equalize the pressure upon the
sewer and to take off the direct pressure. {"
The foundation of the old paintshop is
at least ten feet below the level of the top
OF the present railroad embankment Con.
sequently at least that height of earth
must be made there and the new bank will
have to be extended from 1000 to 5000 feet
at least. This work will be quite expen-
sive. The fact was noted as significant of
the dangers existing.
What do you know about this matter?p
was asked of Mr.. Elder.
"Well, know that the sewer is cracked
because / sent man in there to make an
inspection. The Street Department did
not give me the infornation, but l found
out that there was trouble. The man who
went into the sewer for me is one whom 1
can fully trust to report the facts fairly.
and he is fully competent to judge of the
facts, being a skilled mechanic. I have
personally looked through the. sewer and
have satisfied myself by my own observa-
ton that the sewer has been badly dam
aged. There are several cracks One of
them is very long. Others are shorter.
Some pieces of brick have fallen or been
shaken from the arch. The condition of
the mortar shows that it fell lately, and
there is no doubt that the cracks which I
saw are fresh
i consider this serious matter. The
Southern Pacific Company seems to be
getting ready TO move its tracks before the
winter season, when the rains are sure to
test the strength of the sewer, | have
been studying and watching down here
for several days, but did not know posi-
lively until to-day ali the facts of which I
am now possessed did not want to saw
anything until was sure.
The main track of the railroad. which
is above the sewer, has been in Its present
position only about two months. II was