The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-19
-FOUR RISK LIVES
IN WOODWARD
SEWER
IN DANGER OF DROWNING. THEY
BATTLE WITH SNOW JAM THAT
BLOCKS BIG TUNNEL FROM
MOUTH TO coNGREss.sT.


their lives In the swiftly-fowing black
waters OF the big sewer on the west
side OF Woodward-aye., four men
fought for hours, Thursday morning
TO break the snow jam In that big
tunnel. While they we're fighting their
way through the jam that threatened
to blockade the sewer, the nre-poat
Battle was bucking another SNOWMAN
that had formed at the foot OF Wood
wardave.
Having warning in advance OF the
thaw. the department OF public works
has been striving TO get rid OF as much
OF the snow as possible on Woodward
ave, sno 10 this haste the jam was
due. Al. along ths avenue gangs or
men were kept busy dumping the
snow into the man-holes OF the big
west-side sewer. Scores OF wagons
were also busy hauling the snow from
other streets 20 the Woodward-aye
dock and there dumping 1t into the
river.
Owing TO the fact that the river Is
very low at present and that there Is
not much current. the snow, instead
OF being carried rapidly away. piled
up and gradually closed the sewer ex'
cept for a small swift stream at the
bottom.
Last night the ferry boats tried to
break the snow jam but II held fast
Commissioner Haarer was warned OF
the situation. Thursday morning. Al
that time the man.holes as far north
as Congress-st. were filled to the top.
I he thaw made the condition danger
Gus as the snow was likely 10 dam
up the melting water in the sewer and
back II up.
First the fire boat was sent for and
by repeated ramming she succeeded
In driving away the masses OF snow
so that the mouth OF the sewer was
again free. Then Sewer Superinten'
dent Peter A. Dunn, with Peter Breen.
Gus" Smith and A. Yulick, were sent
down into the sewer TO complete the
work
Descending into the blackGess OF the
tunnel, they began to under-cut the
snow jam at Congress-st. They had
brought plank along which they usec
as platform from which TO peck at
the mass OF snow with their shovele.
AS often as the loosened masses fell.
ell had TO spring backward into the
water to avoid being buried under the
snow and drowned Gradually thu
snow was carried away by the current
along the bottom OF the big bore.
Water trickling in from the melting
snow above gradually increased thu
depth and swiftness OF the water until,
when the four were at work under the
Woodbridge-st. manhole. they had to
work in Icy water nearly waist deep.
This was the final point, the SNOWMAN
being then broken and the four re-
traced their way and came up TO day
light again, chilled but unframed after
their struggle.
AS many men and teams as could be
secured were put at work. Thursday
morning. on the snow-cleaning the
days payroll being about $4,000, and
the snow was hauled to all the docks
from Griswold-st. TO Third.st. and
dumped so as not TO cause another
jam.
City Treasurer Koch has agreed to
pay of the snow-cleaning gangs Sat.
urday night for all work done up tn
Tuesday night. and an arrangement
may be made TO take care OF the re-
mainder OF the weeks payroll prompt
ly, although the appropriation for
snow-cleaning Is exhausted.
we have had a great deal ~
trouble through merchants shoveling
the snow from their sidewalks into
the cutters" says Superintendent.
Aldrich. Our gangs have tried to
clear the cutters SO that the water
from the melting snow could easily
run Off The merchants have filed the
cutters again. however. A sudden
thaw would flood the streets In many
places, In spite Of our efforts. There
should be an ordinance forbldding fill
ing the cutters In this way"