Middletown transcript., 1868-12-26
Visit to the Sewers OF Paris.

Visit to the Sewers Of Paris.
A woman who signs herself E. D. W.
is writing her " Experiences in Europe"
for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. In
late letter she describes as follows, visit
to the celebrated sewers of Paris:
Yesterday, the fifth of November, was
the day appointed by the chief of the sew
erage department for our party to enter
the subterranean vaults of Paris, so inter-
esting to the readers of Les Miserables
The ticket of notification informed us that
we must be at the Place de la Madeline,
on the side of Boulevard Malesherbcs, at
one and quarter o'clock precisely. Ar
irving, we found about twenty-four per-
sons assembled around temporary railing
of iron that enclosed the opening to the
sewers, two iron doors that lay fat on the
pavement just like our covers over the gas
and water pipes in the streets of Philada'
The doors opened, narrow spiral stair
way was disclosed, and ray of light from
lamp far down the dismal entrance rather
increased the gloom than any attractions
the place might have. However, when
the chief, dressed in government uniform,
with the title of his Office in gilt letters
placed conspicuously on his hat, gave the
signal, we started, single file, and in mo-
ment were nearly blinded by a glare of
light from rows of kerosene lamps in the
hands of men who we've to conduct us
through the sewers. At the foot of about
twenty-five steps, two large boats were in
waiting for us, and when my sight became
manageable, that was at first dazzled by
the swinging lights reflected upon the wa
ter, the boat rocking as each one stepped
on the side, [ tried to realize that | was
not entering death barge on the Styx,
or hearse gondola on the Via Mora, or
the funeral canal of Venice by night.
| Who would imagine sewer, through
which the dish-water of Paris was carried,
could be converted into canal twelve feet
broad, foot-path on either side of solid
stone, wheEe two persons could pass each
other, vaulted roof, along which water
and gas pipes. two feet in diameter, were
conducted, and telegraph wires were held.
From the center of the arch large lamps
were suspended every ten or twelve feet
Our party having seated themselves in two
boats, there were twenty men in blue bon
nets, and wooden sabots ready to seize the
ropes when the command aoancez," was
given. Presently a faint sound of horn
was heard that grew louder as it was
caught up and echoed from every angle of
the sewers. Our chief gave shrill whis-
tie, and the men started on trot On
the sides of the walls small white porce-
lain plates were inserted bearing in black
letters the dates and heights of risings of
waters at different periods, some of them
considerably above our heads, and sugges-
tive of the horrors escaped by Jean Vail
jean, at the Place de la Bastile, at the
time of the French revolution. The names
eff the streets under which we passed and
the corners of the cross streets were mark
ell, so we could tell exactly our direction
Runaing down the main sewer of the Rue
Royal to the Place de la Concorde, We
found-what do you suppose Ia train o
cars. waiting for us Six of the pretties
little cars 1 ever saw. They consisted Of
/ six platforms, about eight feet square, with
, brass ratings, seats cushioned with rec
leather, no top to the cars and on each cor
, ner of the cars brass lamp, with grained
, glass globes, formed bright and beautfu
5 finish to this fairy-like conveyance.
; The sewer was narrower here and tht
wheels of the cars ran on brass rails laid
on the edges of the foot-paths. Each cal
| had an iron handle back and front, with ,
brass cross-piece like those ON our hos
: carriages at home. When the cars started
$ four men pulling and pushing each dowr
: the grade of the Rivoli vault, the long Wis
e ia Of the illuminated vault, the regula
e clack of the sabots on the stone walk, wa
4 ter splashing into the side entrances eithc
0 on stone steps to break the force, or invert
n ed arches to prevent splashing of the mai
: canal, the speed of our human locomotives
o the expression of delight and wonder o.
$ the faces of our party, strongly thrown ou
v by the four foot-lights on each cara
!. was so strange, and half pleasing, ha
: frightful that, like the rest, waited to Sc
what the end would be. After trotting
e mile and half we were suddenly lande
Ie at large iron gate, and so intense wa
the light there that went back to my fir
d theory, and concluded that we were at th
rae of Dante's Iprerno. We had arrivt
.e at the Place lu Chatelet, and the light W,
the sun of MONDAY, on the white embanl
-e ment of the Seine, and opposite the tv
ie tall towers of the Palaise de Justice. inv
ting to come and see that we were in
3, world Of reality, that there the beautif
: Marie Antoinette suffered the tortures
imprisonment, and from there was release
lie by death alone.