The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-12-19
An Adventure in the CateCOmbs
Of Paris.

The Paris correspondent of the London
Times relates the following incident The
Paris catccombs, once visited by all the
strangers who came sightseeing to the French
capital, and afterward closed to the public
as unsafe, are, as most people are doubtless
aware, old quarries, extending under por-
ton of the Faubourg ST. Germain-the
streets of La Harpe, Saint Jaques, Taugir-
ard and others, and also under the Panthe-
on, the Observatory, the Odeon Theatre and
other large buildings The roof or crust of
these vaults is, as may be imagined from the
weight it supports, Of great thickness and
soldity, but in certain places it is compare
lively thin 1t was about 1855 that the cat
ecombs first received human remains. A
quantity of bones were removed thither from
the Channel House Of 1nnocents. '"g-
During the Revolution Of 1889 they serv-
ed as burial l-places to numerous victims, and
from 1892 to 1911 large quantities of bones
we're deposited in them, taken from church
es that were pulled down, and from cemetc-
ries that were closed Three stair cases
lead into the catecombs. Great precautions
have, of course, been taken to prevent any
falling in of he ground, and tn place is
watched and kept in repair. Two days ago,
NJ. Katery, one of the guardians, wishing to
have lock changed in one Of the galleries,
went down with lock-smith, his apprentice
and architect. Carrying lighted candle,
he conducted these three persons to a dis
tance of more than quarter of an hours
walk, from the entrance fa.
Incredible as it appears, the candle was
unprotected by Lantern, and none of the
party rad matches! They had scarcely
reached the spot where they were to work,
when puff of air extinguished the light
In the dark there was little hope of retracirg
their steps, for the turns and windings were
numerous. 1t was more likely they would
get deeper into the labyrinth. Nevertheless,
Kattery, Judging that from the point where
they were, it was impossible any-body could
hear them. bade his companions follow him,
and sought his way out. But after cropping
or several hours in profound darkness, he
felt it was hopeless case, so he called halt,
and the four men strained their lungs in
shouting for help. Hour after hour passed,
and no succor came, no sound replied.
At last toward two o'clock in the morning
when they had been for eleven hours in this
immense suhterranean graveyard, when they
were exhausted by fatigue and hunger, and
tormented by the fear of being forgotten,
they suddenly heard voice inquiring what
they were doing there. Some matches were
thrown down to them, and the candle was
lighted. They found they were just below
the street Of Duguay Trouin. 1t appeared
that a composition, going to bis home in that
street at the still hour of 2 A. NJ, heard faint
cries, which seemed to com from beneath his
feet In the noisy day time they would
have been inaudible. Unable to account for
the phenomenon, he hurried off to the near
est police station, whence some sergens de
rille accompanied him to the spot. These
men knew that the catecombs passed under
that street, and it was through draught
hole nearly opposite the compositor's house
that they were able TO communicate with
The pris ssners.