The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-02-12
CAIRO SUFFERS
WH[NSTANDP|PE
FALLS TO GROUND
Citg Experiences Water Famine
Wher Flow is Shut Of BY
Accident at Water Works.
WEAK FOUNDATION THE CAUSE
s.reage Of Water During High Stage
Last Spring Said to Have Under
mined Concrete and piling.


mined Concrete and Piling.
With a crash that resounded over
the entire city, the huge standpipe
of the Cairo water company's plant
al Forty-flrst and Ohio .evee toppled
over and fell to the earth about
2:20 o'clock Tuesday morning. The
big structure which had been lean
ing for some time, gave way, II IL
supposed because OF the probable
weakness OF its foundation.
When the mammoth water tower
fell it was flied with approximately
$50, 900 gallons, which when the
structure gave way spread in every
direction flooding the waterworks
plant, damaging the machinery and
putting out the fire. i'm the boilers.
AS result OF the accident, Cairo's
water supply was shut off almost
the entire day.
Superintendent Cannon, his sue
cessoI. Chas, Roos, and his foreman.
VIII Magner, and other employees
hap occurred and were on the scene
In short while.
A sorrowful sight confronted
them. Water from the dlsmembered
pipe was rushing over the premises
In every direction. To add TO the
discouraging conditions, the electric
light pant OF the works was out OF
commission and they had to grope
their way in the dark. All were IN
saaaasAdrgsaesaknewsag ssaetss waat
to do. so unusual was the state Of
affairs.
1t was daylight before any real
progress was made. Arrangements
we're made with the Chicago Mill so
supply water from their plant to the
boilers in the water works and a
nipe connection was made. Repairs
we're started on the machinery and
with the task OF removing the water
from the rooms in the various parts
of the ant, and clearing the debris
of parts of the houses OF the COM
pany that were damaged, Supt. Gan
mons force labored incessantly un-
til about $3.50 when the machinery
~as put in shape. A start was then
made to pump water direct from the
river through the iity mains. The
test was successful and water was
again avail able for use Throughout
the entire city.
While the loss to the water conf
pany is to be deplored the accident
was remarkable in that conditions
that might have existed with prob
able fatalities to Others, were luckily
avoided.
In eollapsing the large steel tank
| fe directly across the Illinois Cen
trails main tracks narrow missing
| the Illinois Central passenger train
| No. 207 en- route into the depot
| from the north.
In falling aeros the track il
struck and completely demolished a
house boat which was moored to tho
bank there. There were no oceu-
pants, the owner being out Of the
city. Just a few PAGES further on
the bank was another houseboa'
containing a famils VINO owe thetT
s1rvival today to a kindly fates
Tho pressure of the water Wien
t spilled from the standpipe was q
great that it greatly damaged /;
house on the premises owned by th'
water company and occupied by ne.
groes. The family pf, six eseapef
being killed when the water rushht
through the house tanning tn
furniture Though windows and dodr.
/ and carrying a..stoEe from one room
to another without damaging p
tThe occupants .had aSthri'ling tim
dodging tile flying household goop
land were drenched to the skin.
| The, hortheastward course tlF
| ne big pipe took in its fall, was an
other incident i'll the snishau Cha
| was peculiarly fortunate. Had
| fell in an opposite direction thor
would have oeen loss of life aud
complete demolition of the waite
works plant. As it was the me-
chinery needed only slight repair
I ands the water swas sent coursin
through the mains In a comparatis
short white.
| Had the adcfdenl occurred la
spring during the high water Gaif
would have been fionded in less tim
/ than 1t takes to tell the eistorN Th
lcrasli' Of the pipe tore away POI
tIon of about 80 feet OF the en-
bankment there, and had the wats
heen at a high stage. 1t would hav
forced its way through the levee.
Il Wires of the Postal telegrap
i Concluded on page 81