Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-03
foreien.
THE EXCAVATIONS UNDER PARIS,
TN. Catacom bs as they were Eighty.
-" ~

The ground under Paris is mined to a
cast extent with ancient quarries, from
,.bich the stone vas taken which was used
"a build the houses on the surface. We
s,npose that the Prussians have no means
~ fndine access to these by subterranean
passages leading to them from without the
ralls or they might blow up the town in
stead of bombarding it. OF late these
onarries have been made cataeombs Be-
fore they were such they were sometimes
listed by curious travellers. In a volume
,,rinted at London in 1871, entitled
Twenty Essays" we find the following
letter describing them:
SHORT ACCOUNT OF AN EXCURSION THROUGH
THE srBTERRANEoUs CAVERN AT PARIS BY
Mr.. THOMAS WHITE, MEMBER OF THE ROYAL.
MEDICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, SC, &C,
IN LETTER TO HIS FATHER.
yro= Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophica
Society of Manchester.
PARIS. July 80, 1884 i yesterday visited
q most extraordinary subterraneous cav
ern, commonly called the Qurries. But
before give you the history of my expe-
5ition it will perhaps be necessary to say
few words concerning the ObSeruatoirc
ro,,ol, the place of descent in this very re-
markable cavern. This edifice is situated
in the Faubourg st. jacques, in the high
est part of the city. Ittakes its name from
IFS rse, and was built by Louis XIV. in
1867. after the design OF Claude
perrault, member of the Academy
Of Sciences, AMI first architect to his
Majesty. It serves for the residence of
mathematicians appointed by the king to
make observations and improve astronomy.
The mode of building 1t is ingenious and
admirably contrlved, it being so well arch
ed that nither wood nor iron are employed
IN it's construction. All the stones have
been well chosen, and placed with uni
formity and equality which contribute much
70 the beauty and solidity of the whole
edifce. It is reckoned to oe about eighty
or ninety feet in height, and at the top
there is beautiful platform, paved with
flint stones, which commands an excellent
view of Paris aud its environs. In the
different floors of this building there are
number of trap doors placed perpendicu-
larly over each other, and when these are
opened the stars may be very clearly dis.
tinruished from the bottom of the cave at
monday.
At this place I was introduced to one OF
the inspectors (persons appointed by the
king to superintend the workmen) by my
friend Mr.. Smeathmau, who had used great
Application and interest for permission to
inspect the quarry and had been fortunate
enough to obtain it. For as this cavern
extended under a great part of the city of
Paris, and leaves it in some places almost
entirely without support, the inspectors are
very particular as TO showing it, and en-
deavor to keep it as secret as possible lest,
if it should get generally known, it might
prove source of uneasiness and alarm to
oh hot 10
remarkable, notwithstanding the extent of
this quarry, and the apparent danger many
narts of the city are in from it, few, even
Of those who have constantly resided at
Paris, are at all acquainted with it, and on
nv mentioning the expedition | was going
to undertake to several of my Partisan
friends, they yidiculed me upon it, and
told me 1t was impossible there could be
any such place.
About nine o'clock in the morning we
assembled to the number Of forty, and
with each a wax candle in his hand, pre-
csely at ten o'clock descended by steps to
the depth of 800 feet perpendicular. We
had likewise a number OF guides with
torches, which we found very useful; but
even with these assistants We were several
times under the necessity of hating to
examine the plans the inspectors keep of
these quarries, that we might direct our
course in the right road. l was disap-
pointed in not being able to obtain one of
these plans, which would have given the
clearest idea of this most extraordinary
place. At the entrance the path IS narrow
for a considerable way; but soon We enter
ed the large and spacious streets, all mark
ed with names, the same as in the city;
different advertisements and bills were
found, as we proceeded, pasted on the
walls, so that it had every appearance Of
large town, swallowed up in the earth.
The general height of the roof is about
nine or ten feet but in some parts notices.
than thirty, and even forty. In many
places there is liquor continually drop
ping from it, which congeals immediately
and forms species of transparent stone,
but not so fine and clear rs rock crystal.
As we continued our preregination we
thought ourselves in no small danger from
the roof, which we found but inditferently
propped in some places with wood much
decayed. Under the houses, and many OF
the streets, however, it seemed to be toll
erably secured by immense stones set III
mortar; in other parts, where there are on
~ fields or gardens above, it was totally
unsupported for considerable space, toe
roof being perfectly level, or plain piece
rock.
After traversing about two miles We
again descended about twenty steps, and
here found some workmen, in a very cold
and damp place, proping up most dan.
gerous part, which they were fearful would
give way every moment. We were glad to
give them money for some drink and make
our visit at this place as short as possible.
The path here is not more than three feet
in width, and the roof so low that we were
obliged to stoop considerably.
BY this time several Of the party began
to repent oftheir journey, and were much
afraid of the damp and cold air We fire.
quently experienced. But, alas there