The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-06
Big TANK COLLAPSED
WATER RESERVOIR ON TYBEE
ISLAND BURST.
RESIDENTS WEREFRlGHTENED
AROUSED FROM SLEEP BY FALL
OF THE TOWER.

Strnin on Rust Covered Hoops Was
Too severe and They Gave Way
Under the Heavy Pressure-Staves
of Hugh Tank Fell Apart and
Were swept Against Buildings by
$4,000 Gallons of Water HOOPS
Had Been Worn as Thin rs Paper
After Service of Seven Years-Wa-
ter Fell from Hight of 27 Feet.
With a rush that caused the resi-
dents to wake with a start, $4,000 gal
Ions of water burst from the large res
ervoir on Tybee Island at 3 o'clock yes
terday morning Worn thin by the
steady pressure borne by them for
years, the iron hoops snapped as
though they had been made of tin. the
large tank collapsed, and the great vol
ume of water rushed out and spread
itself in every direction.
Because of the fact that the reser-
voir collapsed at an hour when every
body was asleep the accident was at
tended by no serious consequences.
Had the same thing happened during
the day it is probable that somebody
might have been seriously injured AS
it is, the loss will scarcely reach 5000,
and those who live on the island are
not inconvenience. It was the sud-
den rush of water that would have
done the damage had the break oc-
CURED during business hours.
The base of the reservoir was twenty
seven feet from the ground and when
the hoops gave way under the enormous
pressure the water burst out with great
force. The tank was located near the
postOffice and those who We're asleep
there thought that an earthquake was
being followed by a tidal wave. The
noise made by the parting of the reser-
voir, and the shock caused by the wa
ter as 1t rushed out, made some think
that the island was about to be washed
away, or was sliding into the sea. The
force of the water swept the heavy
slaves against the side of an outbuild-
ing and caused some damage. A pen
that had been built for chickens was
washed away. and wood in the yards
Immediately adjoining the tank was
floated.
The bursting of the reservoir was re-
ported to Mayor John G.. Butler, and
he went to Tybee on the first train in
the morning. There is another reser-
Voir with a capacity of $4,000 gallons on
the island, and the residents are not
inconVenienced by the accident Mayor
Butler found after examining the
wreckage, that the iron hoops had rust
ed and worn almost as thin as paper.
The tank was built seven years ago
but was believed to have been in a fair
state of preservation, and was closely
watched by the authorities. The tank
rested on platform twenty-seven feet
nigh, and those on the island realized
that If anything happened to the tank
serious damage might be done.
several weeks ago one of the hoops
that held the slaves together, snapped.
and new one was put in its place.
Another hoop gave way under the
steady strain last week, and a new
hoop was put around the tank. The
others gave way together CARRYING
with them the two new hoops. Some
of the slaves were broken as thew
we're dashed violently against the
sides of buildings. but the majority of
them are in good shape, and the base
of the tank still stands
Mayor Fuller expects to secure spe-
cially constructed hoops and to have
the damage repaired at once The re-
port circulated Yesterday morning that
and was without foundation and May
or Butler stated upon his return to
the city that the extra reservoir is
capable of supplying the island with
water even in the summer season.