Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== SOURCE: Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle Tuesday, July 3, 1900 HUNDRED HOUSES WRECKED ____________ By Bursting of City Water Reservoir of Grand Rapids, Mich. _____ 100,000,000 GALLONS OF WATER _____ Let Loose, Carrying Wreck and Ruin - One Person Fatally Hurt. Grand Rapids, Mich., July 3 -- The big reservoir of the city water works located in an elevated situation in the hilly district in the northern part of the city, burst at 5 a.m. to-day. More than 100,000,000 gallons of water were let loose and rushed down the valley adjacent, flooded an area peopled by about *,000 persons. Many dwellings were washed away, others were badly damaged, and all those within a dis- trict three blocks square were either wholly or partly filled with sand. Broken buildings, furniture and uten- sils and ruined effects of all kinds added to the hopeless aspect of the scene. None of the buildings damaged was of costly character, as they were for the most part homes of working men. The sand which was dug out of the hill between Livingston Street and Coit Avenue and Newburry Street is lodged in the houses, filling some rooms and covering the floors of others. Not a house within the sweep of the flood escaped damage. The tracks of the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railroad a short distance north of the reservoir, were undermined and trains on that road were obliged to make a detour via other roads. The break was first seen by Burt Botsford, a boy delivering the early morning newspapers. It was then only a tiny stream, but realizing the im- portance of his discovery, the lad aroused hundreds from sleep and urged them to escape. The reservoir gave way at the gate house near Livingston Street, pouring down hill a stream thirty feet wide and ten feet deep. A number of houses were swept from their foundations and carried away on the flood and crushed. Some streets were torn up to a depth of 40 feet. Mrs. Cooper, of Clancy Street, was literally swept out of her house by the flood. She was carried to the bottom of the hill and buried to her neck in sand. She was rescued alive but will probably die. No other fat- alities or serious injuries were re- ported. According to rough estimates the damage will amount to $200,000. One hundred house were wrecked or badly damaged. ===========================================================================