The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-09-06
Pressure From Below Bursts
Patent Basement Covering and
Rushes Like a Torrent
FALL GOODS WERE STORED
AND ARTICLES HELD THERE
Business Men Are to Circulate a
Petition Today Asking City
Council to Make Plans for West
Side Drainage

AT o'clock Monday evening water
was lying on the floor of the basement
OF the Barnes Woodn building to tho
depth of ten inches and was rising
The water burst through the ironite
flooring about 1880 o'clock, literally
lifting huge pieces of the patent nla.
terial from the floor. The thrush Of
water thereafter and for consider
able period was like the flow from one
of the Mckee artesian wells. The wa
ter in the manhole outside. in the al
ley. showed a depth of water fourteen
inches above the level OF that on the
floor and it was thought that the In
ward flow would continue until the
water had reached level. It is not
known at this time what the loss will
be. 1t cost some 81 600 to lay the
tloor, which was guaranteed water
proof, and that work will need to be
done again, in part at least.
Barnes Woodin Loss
Charles Barnes, of the Barnes
Woodin company, said last evening
that lie would be unable for some time
to make an estimate of the loss In
his basement. which he had used as
a sales basement. were a considerab BILE
quantity of goods on display and in
addition large lot of fall goods in
the original package. He at once ar
ter the water broke through, put men
at work removing this to the upper
floor. 1t is in this that the loss will
be- Fills store is already heavily
stocked He Is forced to crowd the
two floors with goods from the water
soaked basement and naturally will
undergo considerable loss on the I'M
opened goods which were on the base-
ment floor
Water Pressure Too Great
The basement, it will be rememb er-
ed, was coated this spring with iron
tie, which was guaranteed to be wa
terproof. This guarantee appears to
have been about right According to
the account given Of the flood Mon
day the water must have been lying
around the basement on the outside
and beneath It, many inches deep.
Finally the pressure of this water.
which could not leak through, be-
came so great that it burst through
literally lifting the floor IN hinge sec-
tions and throwing them to one side.
George Listmann, of the Listmann
Furniture company whose place of
business s almost opposite to that Of
the Barnes Woodln company. says
that there Is water in his basement
to the depth Of two or three inches
and that his basement goods have
been standing In water for some time.
II is also reported that there Is water
In the Easement Of the new Masonic
Temple to n considerable depth and
that II II showing in other easements
on the east side OF the city Messrs.
Listmann. Barnes, Secretary Rider Of
the Business Mems association and
others propose today 10 get out with
4 petition. addressed ia the city coun-
eli, and asking that body to take stops
AZ once for the construction OF the
west side drain which has SO long
been talked about. Members OF the
city council are to he invited to in
spect the various flooded easements
and assure themselves that there Is
such a thing as q body OF water lying
beneath the streets and buildings of
the city.
| Work H. to be done today by the fire
department in pumping water from
| tho basement of the Barncs-W Oodin
| building.