Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-04
PARIS UNDERGROUND.
The Magnificent Drainage of
the City-HOw its Vast
Sewers are Con-
strucfed.
The Part they May Play in
II Revolution.

Paris Correspondence New York Times.l q"
The other day, prompted by the ac-
counts of numerous disastrous fires in
American cities, and by one at Paris, |
wrote you letter on the Paris Fire De-
partment. showed you in that letter
that fires were rare in Paris-I forgot to
mention that the average annual loss
from fire in this great city Of two mil
lions of inhabitants, was only $l60,000,
and this extraordinary immunity was
due to the generally accepted system
of prevention instead Of cure.
The houses have been made effectually
fire-proof why may not the city be
made water. proof2 M. Haussman long
ago made this proposition to himself,
and he is now trying to carry 1T out.
Imagiae to yourself the ground of the
city covered with cuirass which will
turn off completely, without the least
absorption, all the fluids that fall or are
thrown upon its surface, whether in the
streets, in the alleys, the courts, or on
the roofs of the houses. The object is
to get rid of the miasma that arises from
stagnant waters and the decay of vegeta
BILE matters, and thus to make the city
as healthy a residence as possible.
How was this to be effected ? The
first object was to place rapid currents
of water under all the streets, currents
which should draw to them, so to speak,
all the surrounding fluids, and carry
them swiftly away, not in torpid state,
but swiftly, before fermentation had time
to take place.
Now, as Paris is an inland city, located
in plain, with only small river to drain
it, the problem was a serious one. 1t
has nevertheless been solved. M. Haus-
mann's underground circulation is one
of the greatest of modern marvels, and
of this / shall speak further on.
But this was not all The drainage
| from the houses, courts and alleys, toward
this underground circulation, must be
facilitated. The houses and grounds
must not contain water. Nothing must
be left to the carelessness or stolidity or
righteousness of servants. They must
be prevented from creating nests of in
| fection whether they will or not Moth
| ing is to be supposed in their favor, moth
| ing is to be left to their good intentions.
| Things are so arranged, therefore, that
all matters too heavy for the sewers must
| 90 into the streets before eight o clock IN
| the morning, to meet the carts charged
with their evacuation. Then the houses
are so built that the fluid matters may be
made to pass through the channels most
convenient to those charged with their
| evacuation.
When, therefore, houses are so built
| that it is most convenient to do that which
| il is best to do, when the law makes it
obligatory to do this, and when besides
there is a concierge in the house charged
with the police of the house, and who, in
everything relating to police gulations,
NAV be said to be the enemy OF the ten
ants, there is not much Of a loophole left
| for the violation of all essential sanitary
| regulations. The rapid evacuation oil
offal and fermentable fluids is thus as
nearly perfectly secured as possible.
| The kitchens, the courts and the alleys
are kept clean and dry, and the public
health is thereby guaranteed.
Provision is made also for rain and
snow. No collections of rain water are
allowed in any form or for any purpose
1t is all conducted rapidly and immedi-
atelv into the sewers, and within an hour
of its falling is beyond the city limits.
The streets, the payements, the courts
the alleys, every place on which water,
whether clean or foul, may fall, Is also
arranged as TO be impermeable, with the
exception of planted ground. But even
here. so far as regards city plantations
precautions are taken against any ab
sorption Of rain beyond the point re
ouired for the roots Of the plants Tins
around the roots Of the trees IN the
pavemenis, clay pipes, an inch and hal
in diameter, are placed, so as to conduct
away the super abundant water whiel
may flow into the covered place LET
around the base Of the tree.
Thus, BY means Of zinc, and stone, anc
asphaltum and cement, and underground
earthern pipes to absorb moisture wher.
moisture is necessary, the city is shielded
as If BY euiFsss from all stagHant ans
fermentable matters. The great problem
not Of evacuation, bot Of rapid evacua-
ton, is thus solved.
} We come nov TO a description Of ih'