New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-04
TIE NEW WATER SUPPLY OF PARIS.


WATER THAT OUGHT To MAKE THE SEINE
ASHAMED.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.l
PARIS, Aug. 1.-The other day, duly provided
with card sent me by the Water Board II have
always found French officials very ohllGing in such
matterSl set out voyage of discovery to the new
reservoir at Montsouris, the latest and most mpor
tant of the works for supplying the capital with
water 1t lies Just INSIDE the Notifications n high
plateau on the south side of the city. and though
begun 1869. what with the war and other OBJ
sacleS, not flushed till 1876 An odd peculiar
ity which It shares with its pepdant-the at
Menllmontant. containing the waters of the Dhuis
and the Marue-is that 1t is a two-story construc-
ton, about 500 feet in length and breadth. Each
story is divided INTO two separate basins. thus Civ
ing four in all, each completely independent of the
others for its inflow and outflow, but capable Of
being put IN communication with them at pleasure
Its total containing measure is rated at 500, 900
cubic metres. Remembering that the metre is over
thIty-nine inches or very large yard. | leave
others to make the closer calculation for themselves
OF this quantity the normal inflow per day about
100000 cubic metres, which has the snug little Jour
ney of over l2J miles to traverse from the source
al La VanDe to Paris. the pipes being throughout
the whole distance thicky banked up with
EARTH turf aud masonry that the water reaches the
city delightfully."- fresh and cool.
Alter strayng about moment among the back
aged to find the entrance gate, and on showing our
ticket to a saturnIne old garden in a soed white
blouse, began our exploration. At first sight tho
whole thing looks like al open parade ground, APP
parently about as large as MadISou-squarc, well
sod,led. and with two or three little kiosqucs or
sentry boxes at the corners. Closer examination
SHOWS n humber of great bull's-eyes in thick glass
Embedded IN the turf. and meant for tho Illumna-
ton OF The reservoir below. Standing at the corner
III pafn he frIllr 1i al Of
iron traps, and gave Us a glimpse of the two great
vertical supply ptpes-over yard III diameter
through which The water came bubbling and spark
hug up IN gpat. clear. green waves aud yelling
over into the corridor, from which could hear II
FLASHING INTO the basin near at hanl. Then un-
locking ar iron door and leading down a few
steps the old gentleman let look "a smooth
wall of cemeGt- covered masonry and gaze into the
same clear green waters III the uppet reservoir.
stretching oil seemingly t. an endless distance
pleasantly lit by the half light from the bulls
eyes. aud studded with The countless pIlasters OF
iuasonry several hundred III ALL which support the
low vaulted room. Tho water IL only six feet deep
so. he said. the late drouth had greatly re-
duced the level to nothing OF repairs Just then
going on IN some OF the supply pipes. Just near us
however, stood an Immense iron cup calyx on It's
stalk OF eXhaust-pIpe. the edge only a foot Ut ~
below tue level OF the parapet on which our chius
rested. and could not help fancyng the emotions
of poor fellow who might by some odd accident
get locked mp III the little masonry pulpit during
freshet, and the vast green lake slowly rising
and pouring over INTO the down pipe only few
inches below his nose. in pleasant uncertainty
~ t" whether the supply might increase beyond
the measure Of evacuation.
Coming out into the open air, the guardian led
uS down to an iron door III the side bastion. and
ushering us into a cavernous archway. beneath the
upper basin put into our hands little coils of tallow
candle, and at once plunged with into the utter
gloom of the lower basin. What n change! The
upper story had been comparatively light and
cheerful with pleasant murmur of waterfall from
the supply. aud dancing sunrays uickerng over be
vaulted groins OF the root; not bad place one
might fancy for "A bath on "A hot day. Here below
all was dense. inpenetrabie darkness, an awful
stiffness. the very realm OF mystery and shudderinp
horror. The FAINT gmmer of our tapers dotted
with feeble twinkle the narrow and low-arched
footsteps, ganctng on the snowy staactites winch
| frInged the masonry bringing ont ghosty scraps
| anu reiiectlous OF the nearer columns which we
could imagine but not see, stretching away illmit-
ably through the night. Leaning out the
| parapet we could. by holding candles far down
Jusy eaten the meroSt glimpse of the black. still
surface beneath. TAR below its normal level, IA IN
the old Stygan legend, as the Styx might be with
| ont the shades or voices of the departed. When
peerlng down. SOME half way round the circuit we
traced the outlines Of ghostly boat reallv "a small
propeller launch for examination and repars) and
! when scrami ling down light Of stone steps
started back at hndlne ! was plunging my feet into
the cold black water, ! could have iancled that /
had really come upon the long shut site OF the old
| realm OF COcytus, where Pluto had long ago re-
signed his scepre Charon stopped his ferry and The
whole concern gone out of business. Better still
perhaps, and more real was nv recollecfon Of nm
illustration, very impressive to my childish imag-
nation, OF the immense Cisterns in Turkey now
mainly dry and used for other purposes IN one of
which daring voyager Is supposed to have lOated
out III boat and wandered by orchlight among the
countless columns till. losing his way and growing
bewldered, he persisted amid the thick gloom in
despair and madness. 1t was pleasant on reaching
the opposite side OF the reservoir to the bright
daylight from the entrance shining over to liz along
anu picasanter still to get back to the outlet nav
ihe guide his fees, brush the lime stalactes from
hats and coats, and issue forth INTO tao warm sun
| ward. ~ " 'i' "ooio-
The result of all this outlay u.s. as said. pecuarlv
son the sweetest and coolest of the different tans,
! supplied to the thirsty Parisans. 1t il odd Of n
warm evening to see the crowds gather round the
wallace fountain in front of the Palas Royal
each soberly and politely taking his turn al the
dlpper, except when red breeched infantryman ar
bloused workman makes mock .sorors 3 outcry at
the pretty girl who stops to fill her cardfe and so
| delays the prompt succession of drinks But the
| late warm weather has given the municipal
! authorities scare. IL is clear that more water
| must be had the prominent plan seems to be 10
| set up more pumping engines on the Seine, a plan
which has the merit of greater prompttude than
any such gigantic undertaking the aauesiucts of
Montsouris or MenilmOntant. Unfortunately it will
| only Increase the supply of the very unpleasant
Seine water. fluid which has much the taste and
to some people-the medicinal effect OF mild dose
| Of salts.
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NAVAL JNTELLIGENCE.