Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-15
THE CavE-IN AT sTAUNToN.


given out yesterday at Stanton, anC
little further caying in is 10 be expected
As a matter OF fact, the only change il
the physical condition is a slight cavinl
around the edges. The city official:
expect to begin work today boring il
the neighborhood to see the character
of the strata beneath, and exploring a:
far as is safe the three openings al
ready there Nothing so far has been
done to repair the breaks. Crowds Of
sightseers went to town yesterday, all
local trains being filled with people from
nearby towns.
The following statement was given
out yesterday by the mayor and other
town officials:
THE cavern which has occurred on
Baldwin street at point near Lewis
creek, just beyond the northwestern
limits Of the business section OF Staun-
ton, lies across what some years ago was
known as Stuart's frog pond, small
pond in Mr. Stuart's meadow, and is
caused by the falling Of surface earth
into a well defined channel upon bed
rock following the general direction OF
Lewis creek. The fall or crave-in
has an extreme length Of two hundred
and fifty-fve feet and a breath OF 35 feet
at the surface, the channel at the foot
OF the fall having a width of some 6 or
5 feet. The ground in this immediate
locality is what is commonly known as
made earth, being mari formation
covered with clay, ashes, loan and
debris OF various kinds with which the
old pond was filled in. While the ex-
IRENE length OF the fall is 255 feet as
stated, the subsistence is not continuous,
the surface having remained intact at
two intermediate points, leaving bridges
across the channel about 80 feet in
width. The depth from the street to
the stream is from 40 to 40 feet. The
immediate cause OF the break is very
evident, being merely the caving in OF
the soft material over and around the
underground channel caused by excess
siye rain falls. This channel, now ex-
posed TO view probably is the old chan
mel Of the waters which fed Stuart's
frog pond. Immediately beyond the
present limit OF the fall limestone rock
occurs at Is. feet below the surface
and is known to extend downward 500
feet.
Immediately 10 the north Of the fall,
parallel to it and at a distance of not
exceeding 50feet, is the primary school
building, which is erected on piles
which are supposed TO have been driven
to solid rock. The destruction OF
property caused by this slide has not
been very large, owing to The distance
OF the point where it occurred from the
business centre Of the city. A portion
Of one Of the city fire stations lies inn
mediately above the slide and this must
be made secure before any use can be
made Of the station.
f. b. Van Horne, of the United
States Geological Survey, reached
Staunton on Saturday to. investigate
the cause Of the recent cave-ins.
In the opinion of Mr.. Van Horne,
the trouble was caused by the drainage
from the surrounding hills The dis
trict where the caves appeared is in
natural basin, under the surface For
some unaccountable reason the natural
outlet was stopped allowing the water
there to accumulate. This, he believes,
sOftened the earth, and when the water
was released it left crust, which has
crumbled away. Mr. Van
Horne does not credit the theory that
the boring of well for the Smith Fuel
Company bad anything to do with the
trouble. He has suggested boring holes
ia both directions in which the cracks
appear to locate the condition OF the
soil II this proves the soil to be mari,
he thinks there is great danger Of more
serious trouble. His advice is not very
to the officials or those liv
ing in the affected district.