Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-02
AN UNDERGROUND VOYAGE.

u
Star RepOrter-Feasfbilit of Ua.
derground Teiegraphy.
A few days since a STAR reporter accepted an
Invitation from Mr. J. j. Burrows, superinten-
dent In charge Of cleaning out the Tioer sewer,
to make a boat excursion through that and the
James Creek sewer. Having some time pre-
vious made trip in the b street AMI some
other OF the tidal sewers the Invitation was
accepted, and after five minutes walk the
District property yard on "a, near G street
southwest, was reached. THIS property yard is
located directly over the sewer and an opening
has been made through which al OF the debris
collected by the workmen Is hOisted TO the sur
face. when, after the bricks. builders, paving
stones, &c, are separated, each Is deposited
IN different piles for future use or sale.
THE DESCENT
into the sewer Is made by means OF lad Ter let
down through the aperture TO a lat bott0ne1
scow boat. about twenty feet long By ten or
twelve wide. Mr.. Burrows selected two stout
coloTed men for prOpellOrS and after placing
chairs on the boat and lighting coal Oil torch
lamp the party set out, taking northeriy direc-
ton up Under Sd street, the prOpeilinZ power
being applied by the hands OF tue c0lJr9d men
against The roof or top OF the arcn, w1!cl at
this point Is rather low. THIS Is what IL term
a CulyeTt or arch sewer-S0meEh4tfl tue shape
of the capital letter ID caTeened oyS", ShoWug
the curve on top. the brick arch resting on
heavy stone masonry abutmenJ walls. the In
side diameter between them being thirty teet
ana Tor almost eQIlTe length 10 lFtteQ lStI
between the iloOr and apex or th3 arcn. Tne
sensations upon entering and starting are very
peculiar. The first thing that Strikes the neE
underground yoyager Is
TIE MUSTY SMELL
which everywhere prevails. This. however
soon wears of, and what az first was quite Of
fensiye, becomes bearable, and az other old
things appear, is forgotten. The sewer odor Is
not near so offensive as Is generally imagined
This erroneous impression of the horrible con-
dition OF sewer air, probably comes from the
puffS which are encountered frequently In
passing along the street corners where there
are sew er traps. It Is from the dead and decay
ing animal and vegetable matter that these
offensive punS emanaJe and not from the sew
erS- Another peculiar sensation Is the Jumole
OF echoes whenever the least noise is N ade,
and the distinct vibrations upon the dense air.
the sewer acting like huge speaking tube.
Voices at distance can be heard quite dis
tinctly, and the echoes create the I'm preston
whereas only one may De talking TAe voices
also sound much louder In the sewers than In
the open air.
THE RUNBLING OF CARRIAGES
ard heavy steps OF hors on the reefs Is
going on almost constantly. THIS, combined
with the noise OF noRing water from the late
raj sewers constantly pouring their contents
In on either side. together With the darkness
makes the surroundings rather peculiar AMI
ference 10 be on the outside. That section on
starting. which includes the crossing under
Maryland avenue and under 81 street u } as far
as the overflow In the Botanical garden, is less
In height than either below or above the points
named, being but 1lK feet from the h)or 20
the apex OF the arcn, a difference or ~ feet
This depression was the cause or the bursting
OF this sewer several years ago. AMI after wards
the construction or the overflow In the otan-
ical garden by Lieut. Hoxie. The bursting of
the T1oer arcs within the Botanical arden, tt
Dprp6 during o. r
nary frcShet several years ago, before the
drainage had been circumscribed by turning it
into other water courses. GA this occ 4s,on the
full capacity OF
TIE TIBER ARCH
was tested, and the depr, ssion on the sewer
below the overflow, reducing Its capacity, was
the cause OF its destruction at that time. Why
the difference in the capacity was permitted in
It's construction IS not very clear, but II IS said
that ft was done to accOmmo1 late the Washin--
ton and Alexandria Railroad company, which at
that time run their tracks down Mary md ave-
hue and arouGd the curve or the Capitol
grounds. connecting with the Baltimore and
Ohio roaG; the purpose being 10 avoid nece5-
sity OF change Of grade and relying Of the
tracks OF the Washington and Alexandri4 road.
ON the part OF the city authorities 1t proved an
va indulgence md mt uttio SraattC To
the company, as IL did not long eDjoy the con
Meeting privilege before Gov. Shepherd put a
most effectual Injunction upon 1L one eVe1ttul
night With gang OF laborers, who tore Up the
southwest 10 1Idiana avenue.
THB FIRST GLIMMER OF DAYLIGHT
seen after starting was al man hole ar the
curb line on the north side Of VI aryland avenue.
Here a streak o; sunlight shoots In through a
small round hole Ia the iroa cover, and at a
distance resembles q pillar OF fire. little
further on. scoS load OF sand was met on It's
way down 10 the opening. TIE ficKeTIng l,g1t
OF its coal OIL lamp and the loud Jalkin, Of the
TWO negro psepeilers, pushing VITA III 'ir han1s
Nt- "a ~ Tt1n NOD eli
lar spec tacle at distance. After passing a ID
Just before turning arOuDd the curve LOwar i5
the Overflow, appears the mouth OF the Nl5S1un
avenue sewer, OlFcEarglDg It's contents 4teaiIy
In 10 the Tlber sewer. Here rather 5cSentng
odCT prevails, which Is causs1 by tue house
drainage on the line OF that sewer, put IS soon
over as the scow enters the overflow. Near this
overflow party OF dredgerS were found at
work, filling a scoT with sand, aud q motley
looking group they were, standing with long
gum oooLs In the mud ana water. working With
nickeTtHg lamps fastened On sticks AID inserted
in holes on the edges OF the boat. They were a
merry group, Notwithstanding the dismal sur
roundlngs, and could be heard singing Life on
the Ocean Wave and Home on the Roaring
Deep long bsfore they could be seen. Mr.. Bur
lows, after giving some directions alb )ut the
work, asked them II they had had their dinners
20, yes, was The reply, we've just done eat
our grub"
HEALTH OF THE SEWER MEN.
1t may be Interesting here to state that the
present force engaged on this work-fourteea
men-are in the sewers ten hours almost every
working day for months. eat and drink there.
and are the healthfest looking set of laoOrerS
that can be found anywhere. None OF them
weigh much less than 200 pounds. and they say
tnat they never know What sickness Is, and
haIoly ever KNOW when they nave eaten
enough. Tie 'Oyeino~n IS imply a s0Iare
room OF even size with tae width OF the Sc ger
QUILT OF Drlck masonry and runs up to the sur
lace or The ground and over whicl Is built
movable and elt-acjusting roof, which rises
Dy force OF the water when the sewer Is filed
letting the surplus water, confined II conse.
quence or The depression or the sever bsioy
out at the top. lie acts simply as safety valve
Ior the sewer II tfGes OF heavy freSle1S. S0ne
sIeaks OF aylighJ are let in around the edyes
OF lis Ioof, and the atmosphere Is quite pure,
there being perceptaole draft OF air.
TIE CAPITOL SSwsa.
Leaving this point In q northeasterIy dlrec.
tion, the first object noticeable is the EVER
mouth which drains the Capitol Ii Looks to be
about four feet IN diameter, aad at the present
there Is but little dow from &c. but during the
sessions OF Congress 1t Is said 20 b /. KEEP ruu-
hing Ike nlllrace The height OF the Tfber
arch Is fourteen feet from the overflow uo as
lar as the scoW could De made 10 nJat, Just
before passing under Pennsylvania avenue is
another ray Of sunlight, admitted through
small SIX -inch-square opening inside the Bo-
tanical garden.
HAD SEEN GHOSTS THERE
This brilliant little spot, quivering by eason
OF the waving branches OF the Urees outside.