The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-16
Mysteries OF Paris.

myStcTlCS Oh fafIS.
Lies Mysteres de Paris" by Eu-
gene Sue, approaches the style of
some fairy history, but we might now
supply three hundred thousand
examples of the n0ucedaec mysteres de
Paris which are no less fantastic and
chimerical.
We have seen o uildge soute7rain in
habited by thieves, some of whom
have lived there for five years.
situated at the end of the Carriere
dAmerique, or American quarry, as
we might term it, which novelists
have so often explored, is a large
plaster quarry, in the Nineteenth
Arondissement of Paris, and gives
the name to the Seventy-fth Quar-
tier.
It is SO called because the plaster
which is extracted in a considerable
quantity is principally exported to
the New World. It is embarked on
the canal, transported to Havre,
from thence to the other side of the
Atlantic, and more than one clean
looking cottage or white villa resi-
dence of Kentucky or Florida owes
its cleanly appearance to the materials
extracted from this extensive quarry.
La Carriere d'Amerique cover an
area of more than six acres the up
per surface is 100000 square yards,
and the lower 10000. More than
sixty pounds of gunpowder are used
every day, and more than one hun
dred men are employed.
There is nothing more imposing
and horrible superb than the interior
of these vast catacombs. The mas
sive pillars left at regular intervals to
support the roof of the cave, the light
of the torches coming and9going in
the midst of the pitchy darkness, the
water trickling down from the top
into the pools below with musical
sound, the distant singing of the
miners, all have q distinctive cha
racter in these black quarries. Some
times the cry is heard "Saucre qm
peut" Instantly the lights are seen
flying hurriedly to the right and left,
minute, then an explosion shakes the
place to its foundations, and any one
visiting the place for the first time
would believe that some great catas-
trophe had happened. Immediately
after the explosion, however, the
lights re-appear, and the miners
songs are again heard more clearly
than before. A train of powder had
been fired to blast the rock.
There are, however, frequent ac-
cidents-the quarry has its victims as
well as the battle field, and one needs
to see in order to realize the alarm
which is occasioned when the labor
ers leave their post and run to the
spot from which the cry is heard,
"Ua hona7ne dams la 7noutaa'c2e." IL
all subterranean excavations there are
found here and there in the inequali-
ties of the soil what may be termed
huge basins, some lower in position
than others. The upper ones being
filed, discharge their superfuous
water into the lower ones. The
water in these become stagnant, and
the detritus from the works mixing
with it soon forms kind of liquid
mud, which the workmen call naou
tarde. Woe to hin. who should take
a false step and fall into this mixture
He sinks Immediately, having neither
earth or water to support him. IfhelI
be not quickly at hand, he is suffo
Gated In very short time. In honana
dams la 'nomaroe is worse off than
man overheard!
When night arrives, particularly il
the winter, one may see cautiousl,
approaching la Cmriere d d'Amaerique
number of individuals who hav
neither lodging nor ire to sit by, tn
recently liberated felon, the profes
sional thief, the beggar, the youn,
street Arab, and even the homes
workman, victim of long struggl
with poverty. All, rogues or un
fortunates, lodge themselves here a