New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
DANGERS ~ 4 CITY SEWER
ApVENTUR RES OF VETERAN IN BlRMlNG-
HAM.
From The London Mail.

From The London Mail.
Birmingham is on the eve Of losing one # the
most remarkable public officers the city has
had. His name is Grubb, and he mas spent
nearly fifty Yeas in exploring the sewers. good
bad and Indifferent, most Of them INDIFFERENT
on an average Grub has trudsod through SIX
or seven miles Of sewers each day. ana reck"ns
that his total tramp IS close upon one huhdIru
thousand miles.
There is. perhaps, no other man in the world
who could spend so long period under crcum-
stances SO unhealthy and say that he has never
had days illness. He has rsked his life over
and over again. faced millions Of angry and
hungry rats, and thriVed on an atmosphere
which is certainly not better than that Of ON
durham.
He is now reaching a ripe old age and has
every appearance Of leading an active NE Tor
many years but whether the air Which most
people breathe will suit his constitution Is an
interesting problem.
Talking to our Birmingham correspondent
YESTERDAY the sewer veteran explained that
when he entered upon his duties the city could
boast scarcely a well-constructed underground
channel of even moderate dimensions, whereas
to day il was possible to have a subterIaheah
stroll from north to south and east 10 west
either journey being over seven mics.
Most of the men engaged in the work enjoyed
fairly good health, but it question OF the
aurvival Of the httest Some of the people VINO
attempted to follow the occupation were khocKed
up in a few hours. and not a few OF them were
tiInd at the rats As a rule the rats moved
about in hundreds. and when driven ih'O cor .
ner were not at all pleasant to meet
There is only way Of dealing with theln
effectively" he says suppos,hg ,s SSu a. Of
them and they cannot get away You turn OUT
your lamps and plant your feet against one sue
Of the sewer and support yourseH III ~,
xontal position with your hdnus against '"'
opposite side.
by this means you leave them clear pas
sage While you in this position one OF the
men beats the water in the channel with the
back Of his spade. 1t makes an awful NOISE
and every one does his best 10 swell 1t by shrleks
and cries.
pretending danger, make dash past where you
are situated Those that come within reach on
the shovel finish their stampede, but the rest
race on squealing and frightened. Sometimes
we get nipped, but as rule this plan almost
frightens the life out Of them.
zone of the great dangers we nave TO ehcouh.
ter down below is that of being overtaken by
storm water and only the greatest care can
prevent disaster. | remember beng with an
other workman in the sewer running underneath
the Parade on the occasion OF the queen : 'isi'
to Birmingham many years ago , .
I'VE had just got down, and IS passed a
manhole / extended my arm ana zen ie"
drops of rain. Unfortunately, the grazing apove
was secure and Il became necessary 10 ndke
for the next outlet. where ! knew q man wds
stationed We had scarcely begun 70 NOV lu or
ward when heard awful rum blne AT , me
back which indicated that terriic s'o' III Ii
broken over the city, and that the water was
coming after US in torrents -, 49,.
eve hurried along as quickly as possible, Dut
svery second the water rose higher and hlsher
and our task became harder and harder ~
sc nm TO our waists when we first caught slght
Of The speck of light which showed us where
we had to get to in less than minute II we
we're to save our lives .,,
az ,yac , thrilling race to escape terrible
A.atb We exerted every muscle anc as the
water reached our shoulders thought our el
forts were doomed to failure allowed my
nonion a Younger man than was TO CLIMB
nm the opening first. With the aid OF the men
on top he was hauled out quickly; but l mao
scarcely had time to make start "nen te tT mn
rnnt ca,no with such force that IL shot Me Wy
wards and / was rescued $1,000, 49,. . o
"A few seconds later l should have met "a
shocking fate There was so much var ~ t t
channel that IT forced its way up through @io
manholes and flooded the entire district