The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-09-12

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The bomb made small hole In
the street and bulged the surface
ominously. It broke a gas main and
flames spurted up until the gas
was turned off. .
Policemen and air raid wardens
roped off the entire area in fear
the bomb would explode at any time
There has been acute fear on
three occasions - in 1912, in 1921
and 1882 - that the building, OF
part of it might collapse even with
out such a shock as the explosion
Of q bomb.
Fear Years Ago
In 1892 it was asserted that at
any time the Cathedral might crash
or begin sinking into the ground.
1t is balanced on wet sand and its
foundations are no deeper at any
point than 4 1-2 feet beneath the
floor Of its crypt.
Experts after survey in 1892,
upon completion of a reinforcement
project, said that so long as the
sand remained wet there was little
danger of a crash. But it was feared
today that If the underground
springs which keep the sand wet
were damned by large excavation
such as q bomb might cause, there
would be acute danger.
Several delayed action bombs
have exploded in the area in recent
days.
Also the great church, whose
dome dominates London, had been
in danger from fire started in its
vicinity by incendiary bombs.
The church, second only in fame
among those in London to Westmin-
ster Abbey, is the Cathedral of the
Bishop of London and is called "the
l parish church of the British en-
pre-"
Even without the fury of German
air attack, there had been periodical
anxiety for years over the stability
of the great building. Defects in
the stone work of its piers support
ing its dome, a subsistence on its
west side and the appearance of
assures caused alarm in 1912, and
years of work resulted to strengthen
Crypt of Old Heroes.
In the crypt Of the church are
buried some of Great Britain'S most
revered heroes. Nelson and Well
ington among them.
There is a legend that the church
stands on the site Of heather tenn
pie. The first church was built in
604, and Sebba, King Of the East
Saxons, was buried there about 100
years later. The first stone church,
built in 20-odd years starting with
676, burned In 1887. Its successor
was damaged by fire in 1886 and
was rebuilt by 1910. Its $40 foot
spire burned in 1861 and the church
burned in the great fire Of 1866.
Sir Christopher Wren, whose
bones now lie in the crypt, built the
present magnificent building, which
rises $3.50 fee from the slight emf
nence on which 1t stands.
Even before the bombing raids, VI
brations Of the motor traffic surging
past st. Paul's, the laundering Of
the subway and the spread Of I'M
derground power and sanitation
pipes had threatened to doom It.
Years were spent In preservation
work. Cement was pumped into
cracks and holes TO reinforce the
eight piers which support the $4,000
ton come. These precautions were
believed 10 have spared the Struc-
ture for q few more centuries.
At one time the great dome IT.
self. which expands In the summer,
did not contract correspondingly In
the winter. Therefore 10 prevent
further expansion two great steel
chains. each Weighing 30 tors, were
fastened around the deEna.
PsIice Safe Guards.
In taking precautions against ex-
ploslon Of the bomb III 81. Paul's.
! Dolleo oofdoned of an afoa az more