The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-02
A WET
SUNDAY ON
THE HILL
Flood Drives People to Cover
and Will Cost the
City Something.

Residents in the vicinity of South
Orange avenue and Rutgers street were
given a scare shortly before noon
yesterday, and pedestrians on their
way home from church were obliged
to run in opposite directions in order
to escape a drenching. Cobblestones
and dirt filled the air, and for a time
excitement prevailed in that neighbour
hood. The ~improvised geyser caused
the streets for blocks to temporarily
fill with water, and the cellars in and
around the section were covered for a
time by a miniature flood and were
overlooking with water.
The direct cause of this trouble was
the bursting of a thirty-inch high pres
sure water main at the intersection of
South Orange avenue and Rutgers
street. Without the least warning the
water spotted high into the air, carry
ing cobble stones and mud over the
tops of the nearby buildings.
Before people realized the effect of
the break streets became flooded and
surrounding cellars were soon overflow-
ing with water. The cobblestones were
carried by the torrents of water down
the inclined streets until it was finally
impossible for the South Orange ave-
nue. cars to proceed along the regular
route and the cars were shunted over
on the Bergen street line and passen-
gers taken through to Fifteenth ave-
nue.. There was n lone eyewitness to
the sudden break in the main and he
was Samuel Yonteff, a storekeeper at
South Orange avenue and Rutgers
street. Yonteff was gazing idly out of
a window when the centre of the street
seemed to him to expand, and, volcanic
like, stones and mud were flying in the
air. Yonteff was frightened and not
thinking of the result to himself ran
into the building and warned the other
tenants hat there was trouble near.
In a few minutes, n hardly before
the merchant thought of the goods in
his cellar, he saw boxes of eggs cheese
and other articles floating out of his
cellar windows and going down the
avenue towards the centre of the city.
Mounted Policeman Wolfe sent in a call
to his station appraising his captain of the
trouble. In turn, word was sent to the
City Engineer, Morris R. Sherrerd, and to
the water department, which brought out
George Sanzenbacher. AS soon as it was
possible to be done, the water in that sec
ton was turned off and repair workmen
were at once summoned.
This was not accomplished before South
Orange avenue and Springfield avenue
were closed up for pedestrians, so great
was the flood of water in those streets.
The water reached Washington street and
Market street, as well. n this drew a
large crowd.
Board of Works Commissioners Book and
Halpin aided materially in the directing
of the repair work. 1t is said that it will
cost in the neighborhood of 1915 to repair
the streets damaged by the break.
Yonteff's loss will reach $500, and this
will be a total loss, as there is said to be
no way for him to recover damage re-
sulting from the break. There was some
talk of other citizens, whose cellars were
flooded and who suffered losses, bringing
suits against the city. but according to
some legal advice on the subject there is
no chance for any such claimants obtain
ing any damages.
The water washed down Thirteenth ave-
nue., into Springfield avenue, and came
within an ace Of watering the lawn recent
ly made in front of the Court House. Many
people who were waiting for trolley cars
at the various crossings had to wade
through the water over heir shoetops to
board the car. In several instances Doarus
were secured and were stretched from two
ash boxes and miniature bridges were thus
made.
While the break caused much damage
and regret on the part of the many, the
small BOYS of the neighborhood were en-
thusiastic. Many tossed boxes into the
rapid-going water and races were planned,
and the boys sprinted after the would-be
boats.
Shortly after the break the telephones
in the Fourth Precinct police station were
kept going. One of the annoyed ones
asked Captain Vogel to send a man over
to his house. Captain, mine house Will
fall down If you don't help me-" said he.
what can I do?" inquired the captain.
"Oh, please, captain, do me that favor"
"well, I'll send you a man over to hold
1t up" the captain answered.
"All rirht, captain, thanks ever so
much"
Policeman Bernhard. who was the man
who won the tug-of-war match for the
Fourth Precinct station against the vari-
Gus other precincts, was sent over to try
his strength at holding up a collapsing
house.