Baltimore has an established reputation as the national U.S murder capital. The homocides weapon of choice are hand guns. Many of these handguns have washed into the citys underground networks of storm sewers. The majority of these storm water tunnels were designed and built in the early 1900’s, some even earlier then that. Parts of these sewer tunnels act as sumps related to the flaws in the original design.
Because its not immediately visible, its not a common knowledge of all the crap that gets washed underground.
Its likely these “pieces” were introduced into the underground as a means of quick disposal. Its probable that the majority enter through street gutter. Torrents of water soon to come, take care the rest. until the heaviest material in the river are slowed down.
Most often at older bends and ancient buried culverts. There are these huge piles of metal. Much of the metal has begun to fuse together into one solid blob / piece of metal.
It is likely that Old Schroeder Run was one of Baltimore’s earliest buried streams
Old Baltimore had to deal with Schroeder run, which was a small sized stream flowing through the streets and close proximity to the city’s South Western inhabitants. And this is in the olden days, well before Baltimore’s 19th century drain revolution, and over haul. People back then were trying to figure out how to contain and bury small stream systems that created nuisances by acting as open sewers and suseptable to surge flooding.
The northern half of Schroeder run was buried first, thus referred to in literature as Old Schroeder run.
This run, like the rest of them would swell, even during periods moderate precipitation. Its floods wrecking havoc near the city’s western district . The original stream bed followed a southerly course from Saratoga Street to Pratt street.
Its likely that the stream running down Central Avenue was the first stream in Baltimore to be covered. It appears that Old Schroeder was built within that time period in which the city was still using wood as a primary component.
There is reference that “It was first a sewer built of wood and stone. In which was finally “modernized” in 1845, by removing much of the wood workings (we later learn not all it was removed !) and replacing it with granite blocks. ”
The nature of the cities sudden downpours wrecked havoc on these early drains, always needing to be repaired.Meaning tunnels can vastly vary from one section to the next. , time period or work order. At times problem areas attended to and buried first. Railroad culverts left in place, and tied into a tunnels construction. them which includes endless need for repairs due to the nature of the cities sudden downpours, cause much havoc.
Later on the two small streams, running almost parallel to Schroeder’s , were running through South Carey and South Calhoun. These too would have to be dealt with. In which they were diverted into Schroeder’s Run via 7ft full brick tunnels. Baltimore vitrified brick at that, circular in shape and both running side by side, at legit grades, with the one having a granite block floor and both running near some of the earliest of the cities hospitals and industrial zones.
Enjoy the Silence:
Compared to the drainage area it serves the majority of lower Schroeder and Bush was built with excessive capacity. These tunnels swallow the stream, and the stream flows silently. A peaceful, silence much like what you would expect a lazy brook flowing past a quiet meadow near the Ivy Hills.
The depths of the city house large piles of petrifying waste metal
Within the deepest portions of Bmores oldest storm drain tunnels. A phenomenon exist where these large piles of metal waste are found deposited. Many of these piles are in a petrilific state. These piles of fused metal is the result of 100+ years of gradual accumulation, coupled with a continuous bath of acidity brought forth by urban starless streams that still run. It is here, past relics are forever fused.
Upper New Gwynns; Not Pecks
Etiology :
Flow Behavior
Old drains, that have a poor design element or feature. Such as; a decrease of hydrolic grade. A unmovable point of friction. All that which causes a decrease in the stream’s flow velocity. Which then allows for the settling of materials over 100’s of years. The heaviest of the materials deposit, always oddly shaped creating additional friction points. The weight and pressure of the stream relentlessly bathing the metal glob in an acidic solution known as urban run off.
Waste content
Metals of all shapes sizes, textures and time periods. Are formed in these sometimes huge piles or globs. Accidental or purposeful , metal gets washed into street inlets or storm gutters. It doesn’t matter how oddly shaped an object is the water will overcome it. The torrents of storm water flows swiftly over the cities impervious surface. And does so relentlessly in search of the lowest point. Everything is in path is taken with it. Guns, bullets, knifes tools, car parts, toys, nails, parking meters, and more guns and more knives.
Acid Precipitation
Urban areas tend to have more acidic rainfall then rural counter parts (ref a.) The impervious drainage of urbania only increases the acidity, further dropping the pH. So by the time it reaches the drains, its an acid bath.
Fused Metal Glob
Observed Instances
Near magnificent underground culverts and their conjoining abutments. (Often, an open air culvert is left in place and is buried with the stream that passed under it. It continues to serve its purpose but now underground. Instances like buried culverts leads to tunnel transition points – (When a tunnel transitions from one building material to another) There is no doubt a beautiful inefficiency is found in this visual.
Instances have been found in tunnels that were built with excessive capacity, It is in these above mentioned zones that the starless streams acid bath waters slow. Unable to flush out its solid load. The heaviest of the materials deposit, creating additional friction points. Gun Metal Homicide.
Eastern Gwynns or Pecks Branch? In general There has been a lot of back and forth regarding which stream should be referring to as Pecks Run . The above photo seems to suggest that Pecks Branch sat much further south. It also suggest which we were already concluding that Pecks Branch is a collection of small streams. The photo also suggest that Gwynns run should be given to what we are calling Lower Gwynns Run.
