The Placer herald., 1865-10-07
34OO FEET UNDER LAKE MICHIGAN.
Ride in the Chicago Lake Tunnel.

mel by number OF distinguished military
gentlemen and Others who accompanied Gen.
Grant on his visit to that city. The General
himself, being unwell, was unable to Join the
excursion:
Whenever person goes into the lake tun
mel be must prepare for the work before him.
Col. Gowan keeps constantly on hand large
variety of tunnel costumes of the most ele-
giant and subterranean designs, and Of the
--latest" style. lie marched bis guests to the
clothing room, and, showing them the col
lection, bade them make choice OF their APP
parel stipulatng that however fascinated
they might become with its fit, and their
own figure when attired, they must on no
account wear away sing e article, nor take
single Shred home with them as relic of
the visit.
This being arranged, the Major Generals
were first given their choice of garments
General Ord, who is a tall siX,tooter and
rather slim. picked out a corduroy jacket,
which came down as far as bis hips and
there paused. 1t set admirably, the sleeves
being little shorter than his arms, which
Col. Gowan assured him was all the rage, Ma
poleon having worn similar coat on re-
cent visit to the great Mont Gents tunnel un.
der the lps. Quite Napoleonic looked the
General when attred, and he was cheered
for his success in fashionable drapery. Next
his military ha, went by the board, and a
chapeau of very slouchy appearance took
its place. Rolling up his trowsers he declar'
ed himself ready for visit to China or any
where else.
General Wilcox next fixed up, in very
long coat, being moderately short man.
This was satnet garment, very threadbare
from long acquaintance with the tunnel, and
longer with the world. The General looked
like farmer Slocum just come town with a
load of vegetables. A palm leaf hat sat
jauntily on his caput, giving him decidedly
Yankee air
General Williams borrowed coat from a
miner, because he thought the coat IN ght
know more about the tunnel than any other,
and he would be less likely to 90 asray
from the rest of the party. A dilapidated
tile finished his outfit, and he stood before
the admirng spectators veriabe diamond
miner
Senator Chandler is tall man; very tall.
Few old coats will fit him; few new ones do
lie was more fastdious in his taste than the
rest of the party, aud consequently Jared
worse. very ragged coat and very rag
ged hat finally got adjusted on him; in what
manner hereafter follows: The coat was
turned inside out, because the Senator began
to put it on at the wrong end, and because
nobody told HIM bow it went on. His hat
was caved in, and appeared to have brick
in it, and had constant and inexplicabe
tendency to gravitale eartbward. How it
served him, this veracious history will here
after record.
Superintendent Rice, of the Michigan Cen.
trail Railroad, got on very narrow little
cap, something on the clerical style. His
cloak was once broadcloth. but that was be>
fore Chicago was city. When it was cut
there was not railroad in America; hence
the very grotesque appearance of railroad
man IN such garment.
The remaining members Of the party at.
tired themselves in whatever was at band,
some turning the coats inside out and tving
handkerchies over their heads All in all,
a more novel group Of explorers was never
seen. The men in buckran were ecpsed.
Col. Gowan had prepared three earth cars
for the voyage under the lake. These ve-
hicles are about three feet long and two feet
wide, and when used for carrying passengers,
are expected to hold four persons. On this
occasion they were upholstered with blankets
and buffalo robes, and were quite comforta'
Bile to travel in. There was not the slightest
chance of falling out, because the sides came
up to the passengers heads when seated up.
on the bottom.
The cars were now brought forward, plac-
ed upon the elevator and four persons got
into each one. AS fast as they were filled
they descended into the shaft; the explorers
bidding adeu to those behind as their heads
went down out Of sight. When the cars
were lowered to the bottom of the shaft they
were rolled off into the tunnel proper, as
they came down, and coupled to each other,
like railway train, on genuine track ex'
tending the whole length of the BORE
When everything was in readiness, or, as
superintendent Rice said, when the train was
made up, dminutive mule was attached,
and miner with little lamp on bis hat
drew rein over him, gave shrll whistle, and
the train moved off into the subterranean
darkness.
NOW we are under Lake Michigan" said
Col. Gowan, and the mule was given the
whip. Off went the cars at breakneck
speed, into the darkness, into the bowels of
mother earth, under the waters of the lake.
The rapid motion caused current of air,
which relieved the damp sensations of the
place. Imagine tube nearly a mile in
length, and the size of a carriage wheel, built
of solid masonry. Through it a train of lit.
tie cars are gliding, each one filling up the
rntre space of the tube. Each car is filled
with four persons-major generals, coonels.
senators, &c. The only light is a dim lamp
in the bands of the driver, and similar one
on the engine, or the mule. Nobody but
the driver, one Of the passengers Colonel
Gowan) and the mule, have any idea where
thew are goipr what thew will run AGAINST