The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-29
DANGERS IN A CITY SEWER.
Of = Veteran in Bir.
miug ham.

Birmingham Ia on the eve OF losing one
Of the most remarka bic public officers the
city has ever had. His name % Grub, and
he has spent nearly. nifty years in exoior-
Ing the sewers. good, bad ana Indifferent,
most OF them indifferent.
On an average Grub has trudsed
through ak or seven miles Of sewers eaesi
day. and reckons that his total tramp Is
close upon 10000 miles
There IS. perhaps, no other man In the
world who couNs spend so long a period
under circumstances 20 unhealthy and say
that he has never had days illness. he
has risked his life over and over again.
faced millions az angry and hungry rats.
and thrived on an atmosphere which is eer-
tainly not better tifan that of omdurmaa.
HE Is now reaching ripe old age. ana
has every appearance OF leading an active
rfc for many years, bur whether The a.
which most people breathe will sui his
constitution Is an interesting problem.
Talking 10 eur Birmingham correspond
ent yesterday. the sewer veteran explained
that when he entered upon his duties the
city could Toast scarcely q Well constructed
underground channel o..even moderate d.
mensaons. whereas TO-DAY IL was possible TO
have subterrsnean stroll from north 10
south and east "a west, either journey
beng over seven miles.
Most OF the men engaged in the work
enjoyed fairy good health. but II was a
question OF the survival of the fistest. Some
CT the people wfis attempted 10 foliow the
occupation were knocked I'D in few
hours, and nos a few OF them were t.mid
AT the rats. As a rule the rats moved about
In hundreds and when driven into corner
were not at ali pleasant 10 meet
There liz only one way of dealing with
them effectively" he says. "supposing you
are brought face 10 face with few hun
dre1 Of them and they cannot get away.
You turn oat Your sanns and Plant Xoar
feet against one side Of The sewer, and sup
port yourself in a horizontal position. with
seu- hands against the opposite side
Fly this means you Leave them A clear
passage. While you are N tails position ore
a a fk5.- rks oh IL
with the back OF his spade. 1t makes an
awful noise. ard every one does ais best to
swell 1t By shrieks and cries.
The rats. knowing they are AZ Ray and
appresending danger. make a dash past
where you ara situated. Those that come
within reach OF the shove. finish their STAN
pe6e. bat The resi- race on. slseaiing ard
frightened Sometimes We get nlp;se1 hut
as a rale this plan almost fFigatens :se lie
out Of them,
zone OF the great dangers we have III en-
counter down below Il that OF being over
taken ~ storm water, ard aaiv the great
ssi care can pgeyeGt disaster. remember
ts.ag with another workmen Ia the sewer
running underneath the Parade on tina oc-
caSscn o. the queens sisit e. Birmingham
many years ago.
We had Just got down ard rs passed
3 rnauheie I extended ms arm ara felt a
few drops " rain. Unfortunately the graf
tfg above was seeure. sni IL became nsrss-
ssgy 80 make FOR tAe next outlet. where
kasw man war Stss!ened. We had
~Ssafse1E EkAI 10 Ba&ff s9Ea8rl when
heart an awful E4naling a; he back
which Indicated tss. terrific storm had
brcsers over ira city ard that fAe water
wss eor1siag after as Ia torrents.
We hurried along quickly an nasss-
bic nsgt every second the water rose higher
ana slgher. and our task became harder
aa1 barrier. IL waN ;sp 20 our waists ws~rs
sySt eaugh; sight OK the Sneck Of tixh.
which showed SIS where we lad 10 gsf 10 tn
less thar minute II We we're 10 save Cur
.fFss
u; wss thrilling race 30 escape 4 ter
eiase i4afa. We Fxerf ed every rzltssfi4 ees
as s5e water reached oar shoulders
thought 11r efforts ware doomed 90 fail
are. allowed ny carAs-an{0f \ younger
man fAan Was 10 ciirsc un the opening
frss Nftn fhe af3 81 tire men on zoe he
was hauled cat quickly bsi: haz s~s-crsy
had ssrs@ 20 rysA ke starr when tire torrent
came vSsh ssct7 for>s thar Il shnt nfe 0t-
wards ana I was rescued.
a few seconds IsteF Shouts have n.ss
\ shocking fate. T@egs wAs much @at4r
n the cha nnea fhas Il forced st= way tn
,nTnugss ,h~ nanhoEss aad aoe25sss tie en-
,a-s district. =