The San Francisco call., 1896-07-23
Ponderous Arch of Brick and
Masonry Shattered in
Short Order.
TAXPAYERS ARE EXCITED.
Many Officials Concur Concerning tn,
Danger TO the City's Largest
Drain.

The exclusive information published
yesterday morning in THE CALL concern
ing the damaged condition of the big
ChanneI-street sewer caused a wide sensa-
ton. The danger that passenger train
might fall through the roof of the sewer,
while novel, is real. Not less than 100000
residents of San Francisco are concerned
IN having the sewer remain intact, and
that estimate is much under the real num-
Der in interest.
Investigation has brought to light facts
not hitherto made public. A letter is on
file in the Office of the Superintendent of
Streets, dated July IA. IN which the South
ern Pacific Company and Mr.. Culverwell,
engineer of the big corporation, were noti-
fed that it was unsafe to run trains longer
above the sewer.
The danger was recognized to be real by
County Surveyor Tilton, who went into
the sewer and made personal inspection.
a report has been filed with Superin.en-
dent Ashworth concerning the actual con-
dition of the sewer. This would make
very interesting reading to the taxpayers
and citizens generally. A request was
made yesterday afternoon by representa-
tive of The CALL that this report might be
furnished for publication. Mr.. Donovan,
the Deputy Superintendent, regretted that
the report was not accessible. He said
that it was locked up in Mr.. Ashworth's s
desk and the Superintendent is away on a
vacation.
The general and striking facts are
known. The arch of the sewer is cracked
and broken, and the structure may col
lapse when the winter storms come. No
one attributes the damage to any other
cause than the hammering upon the
sewer of trains passing over it during the
past two months.
The sewer was an expensive structure
The cost of reproducing 1t could hardly be
less than the cost of original construction,
which was $151.677 %. The investment to
the City represents a considerably larger
sum than this, for the amount of $66, ,3l5 81
was paid for the filling-in of Mission Creek
and channel, this being the foundation of
the sewer. Piles were driven to the depth
of sixty feet and even more at some places
to give the structure stable footing. The
assessments against the City amounted to
$29,365. Adding all these sums together
makes it appear that the sewer stands the
community in the handsome sum total
of $247, ,357 50-very close to quarter of a
million dollars.
OF course only the original cost OF con-
struction can be considered in estimating
the probable cost of reproduction, but the
cost to which the City was put to provide
the great outlet drain nevertheless makes
interesting reading at this time. The
structure was completed in 1877.
No explanation has been offered to ac-
count for the secrecy which has obtained
at the new City Hall since the Street De-
partment found the damage so serious
that it became necessary to notify the
Southern Pacific Company of the danger
to which its trains are subject while the
company's main track is permitted TO re-
main in its present location. The con-
nection between the cracked sewer and
the passing trains being known the liza
bility of the Southern Pacific Company
for the damage might appear.
George W. Elder, who first informed the
public of the facts, thinks that secrecy
would help the corporation to avoid any
recognition of liability on this account,
and he does not hesitate to say so. While
the Street Department evidently knew
about tho damage eight days ago, Mr..
AnCW dOOQt IL y IOrbnlglL
since, he says. Mr.. Elder also told. the
railroad people when they were laying
their rails above the sewer, about two
months ago, that they would damage the
sewer
Ithas been estimated by Mr.. Humphreys
of the City and County Surveyors Depart
ment that, before the track was placed
above the sewer, the combined hammering
OF trains against it amounted to 5000 tons
per diem. With the trains passing directly
above the shock has amounted to much
more The track has been in place only
about two months, and that short period
has been sufficient to fracture the struc-
ture which had endured twenty years.
The testimony of observers concurs that
it is not uncommon during storm to see
the manholes pouring out great volumes
of water, clearly manifesting that the
sewer is full. Considering that the struc-
ture is at the mouth 11xS feet in di-
mensions, in round numbers, the force
and trying effect OF food speeding along