New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-11
A FLOOD IN MADISON-AVE.
BURSTING OF A BIG WATER MAIN AT
FORTY-EIGHTH- ST. SPREADS HAVOC.
DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT OF THOUSANDS DONE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD-REsIDE ROUTED
OUT ~ THE DEAD OF NIGHT-ALL THE
MACHINERY OF THE KNrCKEREocKER
A. c. HOUSE SUBMERGED

MACHINERY OF THE KNICKEREOCKER
A. c. HOUSE SUBMERGED.
A mammoth water main burst In the early
hours Of yesterday morning In the very heart OF
fashionable district, and ,he flood wrought
such havoc with property that not even partial
calculation can be made II the damage at the
present time For blocks around scarcely
dwelling or public building could be found
which did not suffer in greater or less degree
by reason Of the volumes Of water which poured
into the streets and into the cellars and base
ments OF buildings. The loss nust reacn far
into the tn ousands The scene Of the beginning
Of the destruction was at Madison-ave and
Fcrty-eighth-st. Reports from various parts or
the city show that the results Of the great rush
Of water will be felt far west as Sixth-ave,
and far east as First ave. from the choking
Of the sewers. which were incapable Of carrying
of all Of the burden Of water they were sud
denly called upon TO bear.
In addition to the work OF constructing the
underground trolley railroad in Madson-ave.
the contractors under the direction Of the De-
partment OF Public Works. have been laying a
small sewer The work OF sever construction
had advanced 10 n point between FOrty-scventh
and Forty-eighth SITS. Saturday afternoon
The contract. it il said Is in the hands of the
Crmmns brothers.
Some time after the inspector in charge Of the
interests OF the Public Works Department had
gone away on Saturday afternoon workmen set
of blast 10 break the stratum OF rock which
underlies the surface at that place for the pur-
pose of making a way for the sewer. large
number Of pipes Of different kinds intersect
there. Amo lg these gasripes. small water
mains md a large water main. forty eight inches
In diameter. which runs from the reservoir in
Central Park and supplies water to part Of
tho city below Twenty-thIrd-s' This main Is
one Of the largest In use by the Department Of
Public Works II was laid in 1874 It has a
capa cIty Of two million gallons an hour with
normal pressure of twenty-seyen pounds to the
square inch.
BURST BY THE BLAST
Tho main is placed about Ave feet below the
surface 81 tho roadway at the point where II
burst yesterday morning and was near the
sccne ~ the blasting on Saturday evening.
when the blast was fred. according to the opin-
ion n. Chief Engineer Brdsa of the Depart
ment Of Public Works. which he expressed yes
,erday. the conclusion was so powerful that II
cracked the four-foot main. or at least weak
ened Il to such an extent that II could not with
stand the strain which came upon T. after fac
tories dwellings and other buildings had shut
IN the water from their places about midnight.
No one thought OF danger when the people IN
the neighborhood retired on Saturday night.
About 2:l5 o'clock yesterday morning. however.
residents In the immediate vicinity were awak-
ened by peculiar rumbiing noise. Which, IN
som. instances seemed - SHAKE their Houses tn
their foundations. Those who were awakened
bv the shock raised their windows and looked
out Those whose windows were 50 situated
that thoy commanded a view of the avenue be-
tween Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth SITS. saw
n great geyser In the middle or the avenue
shooting n vas, volume OF water into the air
column 90 high tina; n reached almost 10 the top
u the clcctric-iight pole at the corner. and So
large in circumference that IL flooded the neigh
horhood I'm n twinkl!ng Those who had no
view OF the spo, heard a mighty rush of water.
For FIVE hours this column ~ water shot into
the air before II was shut Of AT its source. and
in that time ten million gallons Of water rolled
down the avenue into the side streets on either
hand and into the sewers. which II choked 10
the brn until they empticd themselves into the
nearby dwelling houses. cluhhouses and hotels'
No sewer or systcU. ~ sewers was capable ot
carving OF the food as fast as II accumulated
and n canvass Of the houses on the avenu" and
sid. streets showed that hardly one building
ESCAPED between Forty-n!nth-st. and Forty
fourih-st.
oVERCftAHGING or SEWERS.
In the majority of Instances the destruction
which followed the outbreak was due 10 the
overcharg,ng ~ the sewers but the harm done
bv the flow OF water directly was felt along the
avenue ard by houses nearest to the place
where the break happened All the streets on
the cas-, OF Madlson-avc. slope gradually. and
down these streets the water surged In torrents.
making deep lakes IN jiffy and flooding d.
rectly the cellars and Easements. This was
notably the case in Forty eghth-st.. east of the
avenue into which great river made lis way
There are three houses in that block-No. -,
occupied by Mrs. Colvile. an aged woman and