The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-22
SEWER BURSTS
AND WORKS RUIN
Havoc in Easements at State and
Third South.
FIRE ENGINE TO THE RESCUE
HOTELS ARE AFFECTED BY THE
FILTHY FLOOD.

Huge engines pulled and pumped, and
q dozen men labored in the snow and
ice on Third South street yesterday
between State and Second East streets
to prevent the flooding of that section
of the city and the immense damage
which would have followed.
Even in spite Of hours of labor, cell
lars under A. ]. Byron's saloon, the
Candy Box store, Gallaeher's trunk es-
adjustment. Hudsons grocery and
others at Third South and State are
still under six inches. of water, and
considerable damage has already re-
suited. The basement of the Manitou
hotel, on Third South east Of State,
was flooded for hours and fire engines
worked steadily Saturday night and
yesterday morning driving out the
water.
The waters poured into the basement
and rose rapidly. The power plant
which controls the elevator was soon
envelOped and the elevator was closed
down. The furnaces soon began to
sizzle and only by strenuous efforts
the heating plant at the hotel
kept fee from it's enemy. Nauseating
gases rose from the flood, which car
ried everything portable from it's place.
The vapors rose into the building and
permeated the rooms of the guests.
Engines Have Hard Task.
Fire engines were sent to the place
and after hours of steady putting and
steaming succeeded in driving away
the water. Before it was removed, how
ever. it began leaking into the base
ment of the Knutsford and threatened
disaster. 1t was stopped before it
gained any Roadway in the larger no
tel and consequently small damage
was done.
The cause of the winter food was
the stopping up of a sewer pipe on
Third South between State and Second
East. Some object, which was for a
long time undiscovered, found it's way
into the sewer and lodged. completely
impeding the flow. Having filled the
sewer, the water sought an outlet and
surged rapidly into adjoining cellars.
1t crowded through the manhole into
the street and rushed through every
available crevice into cellars and base
ments on it's level. The Manitou was
flooded first and the other basement on
the Miller hotel corner, opposite on
State street, was quickly filed. Pieces
of garbage and filth fioated amid the
wreCkage and entrance. into the place
by night watchmen and officers last
night was practically prohibited by the
stencil.
City Engineer on the Scene.
City Engineer /. 9. Kelsey was noti-
fled yesterday afternoon of the havoc
that was being wrought and he at once
placed a dozen men at work, together
with a large pumping engine. The
sewer was stopped at either end and
the work of pumping the water from
that. part between State and Second
East began. A great stream of filthy
water spread rapidly over the street
and found its way along the cutters.
The engine was started at 10 o'clock
last night and worked steadily till mid
night before the obstruction was found.
1t was removed and the sewer viii at
once be repaired.
The water in cellers of the places of
business at the Miller hotel corner viii
be removed today. It could not be
stated the amount of damage that had
been done by the flood but it is be-
lieved that it will reach only a few
hundred dollars.