The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-28
IMPORTANT TO NATURALISTs.
Preh istOFic Remains, Dating Back TO
40 H. e., Found at 81. Louis.

from me ~. LOUIS ICepNOCcdB.
1t is generally known in this country, and in
scientific circles in Europe, that the gigantic
undertaking of bridging the Mississippi river at
this point has been already begun, and that for
more than year, when the state OF the river
would permit, the sound OF the ponderouS
machinery has ceased not day nor night, butthe
work of excavation has been going on until the
solid rock has been reached for the 70 undation
of the piers upon the western shore. One of
the piers is already above low.water MARIA
triumph of mechanical skill. The blocks of
stone of which it is built are as huge as those of
the Pyramids, and yet by the application OF
original principles of mechanical and engineer
ing skill, these gigantic blocks are moved
as easily as the common foundatlon-stones
of our dwellings. The outer pier is not
yet begun. the excavations therefor not being
quite completed At tins point the wonders
begin, the end OF which is not yet. what effect
the discovery OF this tunnel under the river may
have upon the location of the bridge the board
of engineers will soon determine. ABOUT ~ +.
NJ. yesterday the workmen engaged In blasting
the rocks in the bottom OF the excavation for
The foundation of this pier discharged an extra
ordinary large blast of powder, when, lmme-
diately after the report, strange phenomenon
presented itself. Instead OF having the usual
time for the smoke 10 clear away they saw 1t
ascend rapidly in a column, as though Issuing
from the smokestack OF Que OF our steamers
This soon cleared, and 1T was found that steady
amount Of air with q strange damp odor was
Issuing from the cavernous excavation, snow
ing that an opening had Deen maze INTO some
unknown subtenanean passage. upon descenu-
ing 10 the bottom, the usual mud ana water
had disappeared through dafE, deep opening
in the rock about ten ieet in diameter, made by
the last discharge of powder. Ropes, ladders,
and torches were Immediately procured and
careful explorations begun. we cannot now
enter into detailed description, but having been
invited to accompany the board of engineers
with delegation from the Academy OF Science
and Historical Society, we must reserve n full
exposinCn OF the wonderful discovery until we
shall have made more careful survey. Suffice
it for the present 10 say It is certain that it
passes entirely under the river to the Illi-
nOis shore. and whether iJ is wholly the
work OF some ancient race who once inhabited
this land, whose Interesting remains are sIOWn
whether it is partly natural and partly artificial
remains TO be seen, In any case 1t is none the
less stupendous. The main passage we should
Judge to be about twenty feet high by fifteen
broad and Systematically arched overhead; part
of the way by CuttlTg through solid rock and
part by substantial masonry. The bottom
seemed to be much WOIn as if by carriage
wheels OF some sort. There are many lateral
passages, which, OF course, we hsd no time to
enter. These are about eight feet high and six
feet wide In the main passage we saw no tools
or implements OF workmanship, but on entering
one of the lateral passages we soon emerged
into a large chamber supported by leaning
pillars of solid rock when the chamber was
excaVated. Around the walls OF this chamber
there were what seemed to be inches cIosed
with closely fitting slabs, each slab covered
with inscriptions in Runic uniform characters,
which TO our eyes bore marvellous resem-
blance to those upon the slab In the Mercantile
Library, which was brought from the mines of
projecting pilasterss, with dIaped Assy-
rian or Egyptian heads, which presented
they were illuminated by the torchlight. Those
sweet, sad faces looked down upon us from the
ancient ages, like the souls OF the departed. One
OF the passages opening on the north SIDE