Evening journal., 1897-10-11
A NEW YORK CEYSER
Big Water Pipe Bursts In the
Heart Of the City.
STREETS AND CELLARS ARE FLOODED
rhe Loss VIII without Doubt Total Far
Up In the Thousands, as Every
Bunding In Many Blocks
Suffered Extensively.

NEW YORK, oct. ia mammoth
Croton Waterman burst yesterday at
the corner Of Madison avenue and For
ty-eighth street, this city the heart Of
the fashionable district, and wrought
such havoc with property, both near
and remote. that not even a partial call
eulation can be made Of the financial
damage at present. Tor blocks around
scarcely a dwelling or public building
could be found which did not suffer in
greater or less degree by reason of the
volumes Of water that poured into the
streets. cellars and Easements. The loss
Will reach far into the thousands.
The damage by the water extends as
far west as Sixth avenue and as ear
east as First avenue.
The sewers were cholxed by the great
rush of water. and then the flood rose
in the streets.
The big Waterman was probably
cracked by a blast which was fired in
a sewer excavation late Saturday after
noon. Then in the night time, when the
strain on the pipe was greatest, it gave
way and the flood followed. The break
ing Of the four foot water pipe was an
nounced by a rumbling noise which
awakened the people in the immediate
vicinity. Looking out of their windows,
they saw a great geyser in the middle
of the avenue shooting q vast volume of
| water eight feet into the air. a column
so high that It almost reached to the
! top of the electric light pole on the
/ corner. Those who had no view of the
/ fountain heard a mighty rush of wa
| ters
For five hours this column of water
] cl1f 4
! or at its source and In that time TO-
GOO, 900 gallons Of water had run down
the avenue and side streets on either
hand.
No sewer or system Of sewers was
capable Of carrying Off the flood as fast
as it accumulated. and a canvass Of the
houses on the avenue and streets show
cd that hardly a building escaped be-
tween Forty-ninth and Forty-fourtf
streets.
In the majority Of instances the de-
structlon which followed the outbreal
was due to the overcharging of th'
sewers. All the streets east of Madison
avenue slope gradually. and down then
the water surged in torrent, making
deep lakes in a iiffy and flooding direct
ly the cellars and Easements.
The most serious damage was done e
the railroad branch Of the Y NJ. c. A
building. corner of Forty-ffth street
and to the Knickerbocker Athletic club
house, corner Of Forty-fourth street. Il
the basement of the latter place wer
located the dynomos, machinery, bowl
ing alleys, bathrooms and big swim
ming tank.
These have probably been ruined b.
the food The club officials place tn
loss at $4,000 The clubhouse viii b
closed until the damage has been re
: paired.
: II was impossible to locate exactl
the main which had broken until ther
was a shutdown at the Central par
reservoir In this way much time wa
lost, while the deluge continued.
Almost without exception the house
in the vicinity Of the break were S
flooded that they have been damage
from $500 to $1,000. The residences Of
Hooker Hamersley. William EustaC
and j. Talbot and the clubhouse Of tf
Delta Phi fraternity were among tho'
most damaged.
The tracks in the main yard at II
Grand Central depot were submerge
u but not seriously damaged.
u The main which broke was laid
1874. 1t has a capacity Of 100000 ga
Ions an hour, with a pressure Of
pounds to the square inch