The daily gazette., 1881-02-07
OUR PARIS LETTER.

In the early part of last week W,
had a day of cold rain. On the follow
ing morning Paris woke mp to find it
self paralyzed by snow storm, tn,
like of which, save once, was not IL
the experience of the oldest citizen
To us it was bat an ordinary fall ol
snow, and one that would gladden. the
Yankee heart with the anticipation OF
jolly sleigh rides and the frolIcs that
belong to them. But here business
was suspended, the doors and many
windows remained closed until near
noon. At 0 o'clock, most of the streets
were smooth and unbroken as Lonesome
untry roads. Not a tram car or
ciligence left their depots. Ali rail-
road traffic was at stand-still. Paris
went without its breakfast, for butcher,
baker, milkman and all those pur-
veyors who regularly furnish the ma
terials for the meals, or the meals al.
ready cooked, to all families, were not
to be seen. Toward noon the doors
and windows began to open and the
people to look out many of the strong
est and most resolute even ventured
upon the streets, where they wandered
IN kind Of dazed purposeless manner,
az though wondering what 1T all meant.
Boon the army Of five hundred scayen.
gers, permanently employed by the
city, were set to work in squads to
make paths in the side streets, Re-
QUESTION was next made for a few
thousand temporary workmen to clear
the streets. Whole regiments of sol.
diers were set to work uron the rail-
roads, forming one of the most PIC
turesque and beautiful sights, clau, as
they were, in their bright uniforms
which looked brighter In contrast with
the snow. The horses of the tram
ways and diligences were also hitched
to carts and wagons, and the grand re-
moval of the snow from the streets to
the river Seine began.
The snow was scarcely eight inches
deep, and the day was moderate. the
thermometer marked several degrees
above freezing yet all day nothing
was done but work for the removal Of
the snow,
The authorities found this slow
business, and after fifty Mousand loads
were tilted into the Seine, they com
cluded to open great holes in the
streets and tilt the snow into the sub.
terranean Paris, which is a city of
darkness and mystery to thousands
who dwell in the celestial like streets
of Paris above ground.
What is the underground cityP It in
the rootwork, as 1t were, of the creamy
structures that rise into six and eight
stories, with carved fronts, that ex-
tend for milesand miles without a dis
cordant pile to break the harmony.-
The quarries from which were taken |
the stones to construct the beautiful |
Paris above ground. 1t is the home of |
the dead, too, the catacombs, where
The skeletons, jointed and disiointed. |
of three millions of people are piled up |
in awful ghastliness-in ranks, in cir
enlar heaps, in all manner of piles aad |
rows forming streets through which |
we walk for long distances, varied by
occasional gigantic crosses formed of
the souls,
1t Is the city of the sewers, whence
the upper city is drained of its water.
It's Impurities of all kinds, it's dead
rats, cats and dogs and unwelcome ba-
oles who have made unwilling parents,
We looked down one of the open holes
around which half dozen snow laden
carts were waiting, and saw a rapid |
stream of unknown depth rushing |
pasta river on which sloop might |
sail.
And here a sad accident happened.
A gentleman was passing with his
little son, nine years of age, who,
fearful OF the great carts, let 60 his
fathers hand and ran away to escape
the danger, ran into the hole and was
in moment swept out of sight and
into darkness and death. The bereay-
ed father was erazed, and it required
the strength of four of the stout cart
ers to prevent him throwing himself
after his boy.
They told US that in about twenty
minutes the swift current would carry
the corpse to the Seine, half mile or
more distant.
We haYe beside us, Philadelphia
newspaper giving the particulars of
your Christmas snow stnrm. with
which we compare the accounts of the
recent storm as given by the Cont.
rental papers. The storm in the Uni
ed States appears to have been of
much greater severity, yet without
anything like the proportion of disas-
rous results.
The cause OF this is to be found In
he fact that such storms are of more
requent occurrence at home, and we
re therefore better prepared; as well {
$ in the superior energy and inventive
.enius of our people.
For three days no mail reached Paris c
rom the Provinces, and only yester-
ay morning-fve days after, the mail
rrived from London. All this and
le snow scarcely eight inches deep q
nd melting every day since. In Eng 4
md the trains were showed up on e
leir tracks where American locomo- L
yes would have pushed right through
10 drifts. In France they feared to d
enture from the depots. The engines
cur roads are stronger and greatly
lperior, whilst the tracks are gener- I
ly inferior. Our trains average
'uble the size of tho trains of Eng c,
nd and the Continent. Besides. tue
lgines here have no appliances for
caring the tracks, and snow plows
Q never used. =
The trodden snow in the streets
use many accidents to the horses, as
. French with all their ingenuity,
We not yet learned the art of rough