The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-05-06
Mistellan W..
BENEATH THE STREETS OF PARIS.

The stranger, sauntering along the boule-
wards, may have often noticed great iron
plates, let into the macadamized pavements,
at regular and short distances from each
other. Even while he stopped to wonder
what was theirmeaning and use, perhaps one
of them would be raised by man dressed
in uniform sucn as is often worn by men,
bers of fire companies. In the opening dis
closed below, the man would disappear,
carefully shutting behind him the iron
cover. If the observer were quick enough,
he would have discovered that the descent
bad been made by means of an iron ladder
I i'll the chimney-like shaft beneath the open
ing. Turning to some passing citizens for
information, he would receive it in the
words, "les egortts'-the sewcrs-putting
him in mind of descriptions in Victor HUI
COS Lies Miserables." The new sewers of
Paris, however, are very different from the
old Ones of the loathsome horrors of which
such u vivid picture is given by the novel
ist, though these old sewers still exist, and
in immediate connection with the new,
which form Il labyrinth-sixty leagues in
entire length-beneath the pavements of
the city above. Four times year, at sta
ted periods, access may be had to these
subterranean passages by those fortunate
enough to obtain the necessary permits,
which are, however, granted to but few.
With one of these lucky few, let us de-
scend and make the tour of Paris under
ground.
Through n door, at which two men in
high boots and military caps demand our
passes before opening to us, we enter hall
of considerable size. The door is closed
again behind u.s. Down narrow flight
OF some eighteen or twenty steps, we de-
scend by the gaslight, and find ourselves
at one in an apparently endless gallery
lofty, but hardly more than eight or ten
feet in breadth. AS our eyes become ac-
customed to the CLEAN of the lanterns and
the uncertain twilight which pervades the
passage, we see that its walls are formed of
blocks of reddish freestone. We are in the
sewers. Through the middle runs a ndr-
row canal-not more than two feet wide
in which flows sluggish stream, muddy,
but scentless and fluid, for the ventilation
is wonderfully perfect, and the contents of
the drain are kept by machinery in con-
slant motion. On each side of this narrow
deep canal, is II sideway of stone tagging,
four feet broad at the widest parts, and on
head, at distances of every twenty feet, the
daylight penetrates dimly through round
shafts called egards. -Four men in uniform
stand ready to receive us. Before them is
a small car, capable ofholding two persons,
with lantern in its front, which sheds
bright light for short distance on the rails
ahead. The four men rest their hands on
handles attached to the back of the car
In silence W mount the latter; Immediate
ly our attendants push from behind, and at
a quick trot drive us forward over the rails.
SO rapid is our passage, we hardly see that
each of the egards closes as soon as we have
passed beneath it. Every minute we are
under immediate supervision and control.
Gradually the eye becomes used to the pc
culiar dim light, and now, for the first time
we see that, into the main passage through
which we are flying along, open hundreds
of side galleries, in all of which are similar
railways, while at the corners, on blue,
lackered shields, are painted, in white
letters, the names of the corresponding
streets of the city above us. At distance
overhead, we hear the dull sound ofrolling
wheels in the streets; next moment drown
ed, however, by the monotonous roar, often
rising to thunder, in this vast world of
sewers, where on every side invisible cas-:
cades are pouring down, and the machinery,
which keeps the dull currents in motion,
is grooming and clanking. Every little
while we glide swiftly past group of in
dustrious eidangeurs who for a moment
cease their labors and lean back in silence
against the wall to let us pass Along the
wall, ON the opposite side, runs a cast-iron
pipe, more than metre in diameter. This
is the new Waterman. Were it to burst
at some weak spot, we should be likely to
find watery grave in this gloomy vault.
On and on we roll rapidly along, from gal