Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-04

marvellous underground circulation. /
saw these structures made, for they all
date from M. Haussman's time, but was
anxious to see them in operation, and
only lately paid them q visit We went
down at an opening on the Boulevard
Malesherbes, near the Madelaine, took
boats to point where there is sort of
depot or turn out, under the Place de Ia
Concorde, and then took cars through
the Rue de Rivoli to the Boulevard Sc
bastopol and the Place du Chatelet, a
distance of mile and third.
In this route we are able 10 inspect all
the different sizes and forms Of sewers.
That of the Boulevard Sebastopol is the
largest, and has straight walls like rail
way station. That of the Boulevard
Malesherbes is almost as large; the one
Of the Rue de Rivoi is the third in size,
while in some of the cross streets we
noticed sewers only large enough for q
man and wheelbarrow to pass.
The great selecting sewer of the Boule-
ward Sebastopol, about twenty feet in
diameter, is close to the top of the
ground. The sewer of the Rue de Ri
voli is also close to the surface that of
the Boulevard Malesherbes is eight or
ten feet below the surface in the neigh
borhood of the Madelaine, and seventy
five feet below in the neighborhood Of
the Park of Monceau.
At the point of issue in the Seine, a
mile and half further on, at Asmeres,
it is again close to the surface of the
ground. The large sewer which is now
in course of construction across the
Place de l. L'Etoile is something like a
hundred feet deep at that point. The
excavation is going on subterraneously
and almost without the knowledge of the
public, the dirt being hauled up by steam
pulleys at stations eight hundred feet
apart.
In the large sewers, like those of the
Boulevard Sebastopol and the Boulevard
Malesherbes, the public, who are admit
ted to visit them, are drawn in boats.
The stream of water is about ten feet
wide and five feet deep. The rapidity of
the current, when there has been no rain
storm, is about two miles an hour. When
there is a sudden rain storm they fill up
so rapidly, and the current is SO swift,
thai the workmen are obliged To hurry
into the refugees to save their lives.
These refugees have been only
lately built, or cut rather, into the sides,
and previous to their construction, work
men were not unfrequently drowaed. On
the sides of the stream of water there
are pavements for walking about three
and half feet wide, Lard with hagstones
n. Al. NIL
their boats, and carry their implements
for dragging. In the sewers, having only
five feet width of current, like that of the
Rue de Rivoli, iron bands are fastened to
the edges of the side pavements or walks,
and the wheels of the cars which span
the water run on these fat iron rails.
The cars are quite elegant and spa
cious affairs. There is a front transverse
seat for three; a middle longitudinal
seat for six-back to back, and poste-
ror transverse seat for three. In the
front are fixed two handsome lamps, and
by poles projecting over the pavement,
four men--two before and two behind
propel the vehicle easily at rapid trot.
There are two or three dozen of these
boats and cars for the use of invited
guests, and their rapid passage through
these subterranean passages is not the
least curious of the scenes one passes
through in this life. The fact is, there
we're various suggestive remarks made
about another life, which singularly
added to the chiliness of the place.
On the walls of these sewers are placed
water pipes for drinking purposes, and
telegraph wires for the use of the sewers
and for the secrets of the government
These sewers look, in fact, as if they
were intended by M. Haussman to play
a role in revolution, if we are ever to
have another. The telegraph wires are
here in safety; soldiers might be marched
in secret from one part of the city to
another, treasures secretly carried away,
and last, but not least, individuals might
thus easily escape from arrest. The
whole affair is quite suggestive in a
military and political point of view.
The water is not offensive to the smell /;
it is not limpid, and of course looks
black. But it is rarely thick enough to
need the help of the workmen in moving
on. The deposit at the bottom is re.
moved in the boats, and like the water
itself, is distributed on the plain of st.
Dennis for manure.
NJ. Haussman may well be proud OF
his underground circulation.
Gan Hancook