Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-03


butter, and some OF the best Burgundy l
evel drank Now everything was hilarlty
and miEtb; oRr fears We're entirely dispell-
ed; aud ;Ar Ganger We dreaded the momeLt
befose was Log no longer thought O.. In
short, We we're al in good spirits again,
and proceed on our journey about two
miles further, when our guides judged 1t
prudent for US to ascend, as we we're then
got to the steps which led up to the town.
We here found ourselves safe at the Val de
Grace, near to the English Benedictine
convent, without the least accident having
happened to any of the party. We imag
ined We had walked about two French
leagues, and were absent from the surface
of the earth between four and FIVE hours.
After we had thanked the inspectors and
guides for their very great eivility, polite
ness and attention, we took our leave to
visit the English Benedictiue convent, in
whose courtyard, and within few yards
of their house, the roof of the subterrane-
Gus passage had given way and fallen in
the depth of one hundred and ninety.three
feet
Though there was some little danger at
tending our rash expedition (as some peo-
pie were pleased to term it, yet il was
most exceedingly agreeable, and so per-
iectly O nourele scene that we were all
highly delighted, and thought ourselves
amply repaid for our trouble.
/ regretted much that did not take o
Thermometer and barometer down with
ne, that l might have had an opportunity
of making some remarks on the tempera-
ture and weight of the air. Certainly,
however, it was colder at this time than on
AZ pf tha aortb Pint Mr. Inn h
man informed me that when he descended
the last winter, IN the long and hard frost.
he found the air much more temperate
than above ground, but tar from warm.
Neither, however. had he thermometer
with him. / lamented, too that / had not
time to make more remarks on the petri.
actions. &c.
Mr.. Smeathman observed, that when he
descended he found very sensible diff
Guilty of breathing Ia some of the passages
and caverns, where the superintendent
rock was low and the company crowded.
This no doubt was much increased by the
number of persons and OF wax lights, but
he doas not apprehend chat the difficulty
would have been so great in rooms of equal
dimensions II ove ground. We remarked,
too, when we descended, that there was in
some degree an oppression of respiration
throughout the Whole passage.
There were tormeraiy several openings
into the quarries, but the two / have men
toned, viz, the Observatory and the Val
de Grace, are, | believe, the only ones left /:
and these the inspectors keep constantly
locked and rarely open them, except TO
strangers particularly introduced. and TO
workmen who are always employed in
some part by the king.
The police thought ii necessary pre-.
caution to secure all the entrances into
this cavarn, from its having been formerly
inhabited by famous gang OF robbers,
who infected the country for many miles
round the city of Paris.
"For the first building of Paris, it was
necessary to get the stone in the environs,
and the consumption of it was very consid-
cradle. As Paris was enlarged, the
suburbs were insensibly built on the an
cient quarries, so that all you see without
is essentially wanting in the earth,
for the foundation of the city; hence
proceed the frightful cavities which are at
this time found under the houses III sew
eral quarters. They stand upon abysses.
1t would not require very violent shock
to throw back the stones to the place from
whence they have been raised with 30
much difficulty. Eight men being swal-
lowed up in gulf $50 feet deep, and some
other less known accidents, excited at
length the vigilance of the police and the
government. and in fact, the buildings OF
several quarters have been privately
propped up, ard by this means support
given to these obscure subterranean places,
which they before wanted.
"All the suburbs OF st. James's, Harp
street, and even the street OF Tournop,
stand upon the anciert quarries, and pill
lars have been erected to support the
weight of the houses. What subject for
reflection, in considering this great city
formed and supported by means absolutely
contrary. These towers, these steeples,
the arched roofs Of these temples are SO
many signs to tell the eye that what we
now see in the air is wanting under our
feet"
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