The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-08-10

When the large pipes Tor the new main
were laid recently at the corner of Boy lSton
and fremont Streets, many observers watch
ed the process curiously and were impressed
with the fact that there is a subterranean city
as we'll as one above ground. But in Paris
the sewers are large enough to be traversed
on foot with ease and comfort. The Jour
nal says
A correspondent of Swedish journal fur
nishes an interesting account of a subterra-
mean voyage made through one of the adm-
rably constructed sewers of Paris. The boa,
which conveyed the party was reached by de-
scendins flight of steps to the depth Of a
bout forty-fve feet. The boat, a fat bottom
ed affair, was lighted by four lamps. The
sewer is an archway fifteen feet high, and of
equal breadth with ditch or canal about ten
feet wide wherein all the dirt and filth of
Paris is carried away On the sides are side
walks which are together about four feet
!
white sandstone, and is kept remarkably neat
and clean. No stencil or bad smell was per
cepti5le. The denser portion of the filth is
carried away through large drains beneath
| the sidewalks. The sidewalks are excellent
and exhibited no signs of dampness, while
the walls of the archway are kept whitewash
ed and are at all times as white as the driver
snow. The structure possesses the proper
ties Of an immense speaking tube, the work
men being able to converse at the distance
of two miles from each other. The echo il
very strong and lasting. The fabric is sal,
to be built after model of the catacombs 0
Rome, aided by all the latest Improvements
On both sides at about two hundred yards
distance from one another are openings b,
which the workmen can ascend by means Of
permanent iron ladders in case sudden rail-
STERN should cause the water to rise over th'
sidewalks, which is however of rare occur
renee.
The contents of the sewer of course flow
into the river Seine, and the current is sutfi
cient to carry the boat used along with con
siderable velocity. Large reservoirs are con
structed at intervals into which the water Cal
be turned for short time in case it be neces
sary to have the canal dry for little while
The whole work was completed in two years
Besides the main canal there are many mino
ones constructed under the principal streets
all of which can be made to communicat
with one another. These admirable under
ground works are accessible from the Louvr
the Tuilleries, and from all the barracks, ant
should the Parisians take a notion to barri
cade the streets in any part of the city, tn
Imperial government might at short motto
and without any person being aware of i,
transport troops, and if there is time to max
use of the reservoirs, so can cavalry also b
transported the same way. There is an en
to shooting on the soldiers from the window
and revolution in Paris will soon only b
remembered among things that have beer
never to occur again. Through these under
ground passages prisoner can easily be ia
ken from the Louvre to the Seine w:thou
attracting attention, and thence sent off b
railway which is near at hand. This spler
did system of sewerage was one of the pe
schemes of the first Napoleon.