The Bossier banner., 1881-03-31
A Sail i'm a Paris Sewer.


The French do this. They invite visit
ors to sail in their sewers. A city
sewer is simply a bigger ofal barrel.
The visit to the Partisan sewers will oc-
cupy the best part of the day, and thus
keeps the visitor so much longer in
Paris. There are two days per week
for the sewers. You 90 down at the
Place du Chatelet, close by the small
column raised by the first Napoleon in
honor of his earlier victories. That is
where went one bright afternoon. l
had previously written to the Prefect
for pass to the sewer. The paste
board he sent in response was three
inches square, and as finely embellished
and printed as an invitation to Fifth
Avenue millionaire party. On these
visiting days the officials take up a
small stone slab in the Place du Chate-
let and disclose a hole and series of
winding iron steps going down to the
main sewer. 1t is the main sewer only
we travel on. The smaller sewers lead
ing into it are not navigable for the
gondolas.
A very distinguished company had
gathered about the little black hole.
First came fourteen Chinese Mandarins,
all in blue silk robes. They came in
carriages attended by coachmen and
footmen in livery. Their arrival caused
a great deal of bowing and ceremonial
on the part of the seven officials. They
were passed down the hole one by one,
while the lesser caste Europeans waited.
The distinction of rank and position
must be kept up, even in entering a
sewer. These Chinese poblemen at
tempted their entrance to the hole with
much dignity. The dignity held on un-
til they stepped into the hole and at
tempted the descent of the narrow
winding stairs. But silk robes reach
ing to the heels and Chinese wooden
shoes are not compatible with the de-
scent of very narrow pair of stairs
through hole so small that the Man
darin's head while out couldn't see
where his feet were going in the hole
underneath him. twas sort of COM
edy in fourteen acts, each act repre-
senting the going down of a Mandarin.
We stood outside the narrow rail and
enjoyed it. Then came five Arab chiefs
in their long white bornous. They also
attempted the dignity of the descent,
but failed like the Cinnamon. When
the Chinese and Orientals had descend
ed the herd of Americans, English, Ger
mans, Italians and Russians were al
lowed to follow. The etiquette of rank
is well kept up even in a sewer.
We went down and found ourselves
in a large vaulted space The main
sewer was there, black as the Styx and
many times nastier. Directly over it,
the wheels resting on a rail on either
side, were number of open cars, hold
ing fifteen or twenty each, whose con-
strhction would almost warrant the term
elegant. Bottoms and sides werel of
light wicket-work, and at either end
shone two globular lamps. As fast
as car was filled with passengers
two men on either side of the sewer
passed II stout bar through fixed iron
rings in the car frame, and, bracing
themselves against the projecting ends,
trolfed off and trundled us away in the
darkness. The Chinese Mandarins and
Arab Sheiks went first. 1T short inter-
walls the noise of murmuring rills and
babbling brooks came to our. ears.
These, as we were rushed by them, we
saw to be the tributaries of the main
stream. The sewer over which we rode
was named from the street under which
it ran-the Rue Ge Rivoli-and the muir
muring rills, brooks and rivulets were
called from the streets under which
they passed. Some bounded into the
main river in joyous little cascades and
the meeting of others with the parent
river was conducted in more quiet, Or
derly and solemn fashion. The average
smell was simply that of a sewer, some
what carbonized perhaps, but still
sewer.
We stopped. Here we were to leave
the car. Here began the remainder of
the passage by water-at least, it is
called water, and for navigation the
fnld answers the purpose; but it isn't
water. We left the car The barees
were loading up. Each would hold
fifteen or twenty people. In the dis
tahce saw floating away the oondola
the Sheiks and Mandarins
who everywhere must have official and
social precedence over us plain, honest.
civilized men and women. Our barres
started. Twenty were on board. It |
rolled unctuously in the dark-colored
huid. AS the passengers moved about
N getting to their seats it rolled as a
Tessel might roll in a lake of molasses. |
1t was an unpleasant sensation. The
motive power was furnished by a few
blouse covered Frenchmen attached to
ong ropes, who, in the capacity of |
mules, hauled us along. Silently we
moved on. Not ripple was heard un-
Ter the prov. The sewer had no ca
'acity for rippling. Little was seen
ave the glimmer of the lamp on the
barge ahead of us, and long, straight.
le Mt stream.
The barge, loaded deeply, seemed but
few inches above this Partisan Styx.
IS we slightly rocked there came awful
uggestions to our minds of the possi-
'lllty of shipping sea. A young man
ctively and unpleasantly curious, thrust
us cane into the stream with a view
# getting soundings. On brinpino
he cane on board all in its vicinity
moved away. Some folks never
an let well enough alone. 1t was
veil enough to float upon this fluid; to
e rocked upon the cradle of this dirty
eep; to feel its heavy, leaden roll, but
ot to stick cane in it and bring it on