The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-09
A DANGEROUS OCCUPATION.
Sewer Explorer in Birmingham Who
Has Had Many Adventures.
From the London Mail.

From the London Mail.
Birmingham is on the eve of losing
one of the most remarkable public Of
ticers the city has ever had. His name
is Grubb, and he has spent nearly fifty
years in exploring the sewers, good,
bad and Indifferent, most of them in
different.
On an average Grubb has trudged
through six or seven miles of sewers
each day, and reckons that his total
tramp is close upon 100000 miles.
There is, perhaps, no other man in
the world who could spend so long a
period under circumstances so un-
healthy and say that he has never had
a days illness. He has risked 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 Omdurman.
He is now reaching a ripe old age,
and has every appearance of leading
an active life for many years, but
whether the air which most people
breathe will suit his constitution is an
interesting problem.
Talking to our Birmingham corre-
spondent yesterday, the sewer veter-
an explained that when he entered
upon his duties the city could boast
scarcely well-constructed under
ground channel of even moderate di-
mensions, whereas today it was pos
sible to have a subterranean stroll
from north to south and east to west,
either journey being over seven miles.
Most OF the men engaged in the work
enjoyed fairly good health, but 1t was
a question of the survival of the fit
test. Some OF the people who attempt
ed to follow the occupation We're
knocked up in a few hours, and not
few Of them were timid at the rats.
AS rule the rats moved about in hum
dreds, and when driven into a corner
We're not at all pleasant to meet.
There is only one way of dealing
with them effectively" he says. Sup
posing you are brought face to face
with a few hundred of them and they
cannot get away. You turn out your
lamps and plant your feet against one
side of the sewer, and support yourself
in a horizontal position, with your
hands against the opposite side.
by this means YOU leave them n
clear passage. While you are 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 to swell
it by shrieks and cries.
1.-THE rats, knowing they are at bay,
and apprehending danger, make a dash
past where you are situated. Those
that come within reach of the shovel
finish their stampede, but the rest race
on, squealing, and frightened. Some
times we get nipped, but as a rule this
plan almost frightens the life out OF
them.
"One of the great dangers we have
to encounter down below is that of be-
ing overtaken by storm water and only
| the greatest care can prevent disaster.
l remember being with another work
man in the sewer running underneath
| the parade on the occasion of the
queens visit to Birmingham many
years ago.
I'VE haG just got down, and as
passed a manhole I extended my arm
| and felt few drops Of rain. Unfortu-
| nately, The grating above was secure
and it became necessary to make for
| the next outlet where / knew a man
was stationed. We had scarcely be-
gun to move forward when we heard
an awful rumbling at the back, which
| indicated that e. terrific storm had
broken over the city, and that the
| water was coming after US IN torrents.
I'VE hurried along as quickly as pos
| sible, but every second the water rose
| higher and higher, and our task be-
| came harder and harder. 1t was up TO
our waists when we first caught sight
of the speck of light which showed us
| where we had to get to in less than q
| minute If we We're TO save our lives.
| 1T was thrilling race To escape a
| terrible death, We eXerted eyerV
! muscle, and as the water reached our
/ shoulders ] thought our efforts We're
doomed TO failure. l allowed my COM
panion, a younger man than / was, 10
climb UP the opening first. With the
aid of the men on top he was hauled
out quickly, but I had scarcely had
! time tn make a start when the torrent