New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
WHEN GAS MAINS BREAK
THE GAS PATROL" AND ITS MoblLlHA-
TON AT THE REPAIR STATION.

TON AT THE REPAIR STATION.
II is only once in two or three years that the
Gas companies have SO bad state OF anairs on
their hands as they had a few days ago III 'ne
tenement house block in one OF the streets III '"e
Seventies ncar Second-ave Cast-iron ripe sunk
In the ground-and cast-iron Is the 'nNaii"'
material Of gaspipe-will last indehnneS' eN-
merits saw 100 to $50 years at least. None OF 'l'e
rasn,nes IN New-York are nearly as old as this
the very oldest not having more imam S'N''
wears to its credit Cannon balls and bar sho's
=, cos, ,ron dug up in the vicinity OF Fort
Washington. in the ground for over hun"'eu
wears are seen TO be as good as new
Rut when a break occurs the gas cannot 'e
,.oded off Earth IS not the slightest obstacle
70 IT, even a cemented wall except "
cemented quite perfectly. interposes htte oo
s,ruction The only thing the companies can
do is 10 get their men out on the run ana iepa"
the break The other night one hour ai'e' ''e
report Of a breakage was turned IN tne o'oN'"
nine was repaired. Yet so much gas hau VS.
caped In that hour or two-for IT took some III
tie time for the people in the block 20 oecoine
aroused and send word-that It was nearly
twenty-four hours before the air In the oui'd'hss
was in anything like its normal cono'tion'
This was one Of the most unfortunate gas
nine breaks the New-York companies have had
the spread Of the gas The greatest danger 10
Jasmine anywhere Is the sinking Of the ground
eround u The most important duty OF the gas
natrolnen-for this city is patroned as care
fully by gas employees II Is by POLICIES 10
toon close watch over his district report any
sinking Of the ground and have a gang OF men
~ the spot at once to take precautions IL IS
IN the parts Of the city where the LAND is maze
that this danger is to be feared. The tenement
house block mentioned stood on MADE lana SOME
nineteen or twenty feet in depth
The way the repair gangs work Is interesting
Zach gang attached 10 a repair station Is mo-
blzed somewhat the principle OF 'he Ma
,ional Guard II is subject TO hasty Calls oiie
man STAYS In the repair station all night. IL
call comes in he starts out at once. on me run
he rouses A. b and c. and H. jumping '''o
their clothes. get out d and f. But a few mo-
,nents later has + hurrying toward the meet
,nr place. In the mean time the station man
has routed out G.
II is imperative that all the members OF
gang should live within short distance OF
tho renair station. and within twenty minutes
after the call comes in that they should assemble
and be started on their way TO the scene OF the
disaster
Breaks are repaired in interesting way
or course Il is simply taking out one injured
length OF cast-iron pipe and putting IN good
one II is essential that the gas should con-
tinue 10 flow. and not be cut off anywhere
This can be managed 10 nicely. II may not
be generally known that the system or gaspipes
underground allows for complete circulation
The piping may be lkened to tree Win many
hrancbes and twirs. the trunk being the main
that comes direct from the tank where the gas
IS stored There is only this difference-and
M he n
ciple Of gas pping-that each OF these
smaller branches or twigs connects with some
other twig II a pipe. large or small Is stopped
nm tightly at any particular point the gas Will
mt stand still here. hut will turn in It's flow
and find some other outlet. the nearest connec-
Ton where the current is unimpeded In other
words through its interacing network OF
branches and cross branches. tapped mere ana
there by the service pipes that lead directly INTO
the buildings the gas can always ma way 10
turn and move.
Taking out a length Of pipe. therefore Is a
siroc,e operation The flow of gas must be
stopped on each side. II, as frequently nap
mems the break is between two houses the ser
vice Of gas will not stop for any one. At most
for a single bit Of repairing it will be stopped
for only one building Holes are drilled in the
mines adjoining the broken one and an empty
rubber bag stuffed into each These are In a
couple Of moments, blown up with the mouth
and form tight obstacles against the passage of
gas either way. This being done. the repairs
are easily made.
The gaspipes in NewYork vary from thirty
six inches to three inches in diameter. The lat
Ter are relics Of the days when New-York was a
much smaller city. None Of that size are put
down now. The service pipes are from one
and half 10 four inches in diameter. There
are some twenty gas holders in the city,
holder" being that circular tank where the
gas once made Is stored. and from which It is
sent out directly to the consumer. Here the
pressure is regulated. according to the time Of
day or night. some gas being used In New
York at all hours. The grea test quantity al
this time Of year is between $50 and $50
O'Clock: the smallest at about 10 o'clock in the
morning. a few years ago the hour of the
smallest quantity around MONDAY but In
consequence Of the incoming Of the gas stove
for cooking the consumption in NewYork be-
tween the hours Of II and l o'clock has greatly
increased.