St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-08
AN UNDERGROUND RAMBLE.
A Trip Through the Waterworks Tunnels
By q 6GIOhev Man

A Trip Through the Waterworks Tunnels
BY "GlObe" Man.
'Want to take a walk twenty feet under
ground?" asked Superintendent Overton of
GLOBE man who poked his nose into the
elusive item.
Upon an answer being given in the affirm
alive, preparations were made by the doffing
of overcoats and the arming of each with q
lantern, and dive was made into the dark
hole beneath the waterworks building.
"We're going up Fourth street now" said
the superintendent, turning an angle in the
rocky cavern, Sand that noise is made by
street cars" the rumbling of the passing
cars being distinctly heard through the rock
overhead.
''This is Rice park" said the guide, ''and
here is the Metropolitan, with little mo-
ton of the torch to his right and left. To
the reporter it had the appearance of a
tunnel dug through the rock, with here
and there break in the rocky wall where
some old sewer had been encountered and
the opening walled up with brick, and line
upon line OF water pipe varied at intervals by
water gate or building connection with
meter. Each connection bears a leaden tag
with its number, and when it is desired to
shut off the supply from any building, the
number of the building which corresponds
with the tag is handed to patrolman of the
underground streets who hunts the tags
location and turns it off. BY this time the
scribe began to appreciate the disadvantages
of being tall, for while Mr.. Overton moved
al lv hn ali tad
man had been going with his body at an
angle of about 45 . and had several times
abraded his scalp in the spot where the hair
is thin, by forgetting himself and straighten-
ing up. Turning up Exchange street. the
workmen were found tunneling from Fourth
to Seventh, but one being able to use the
stone-pick at a time. This stone-pick
is short-handled and has very fine
steel point, which it takes a practice d
hand to use and not knock off its point at
the first blow Twenty of them day are
worn pointless, and each blow struck into
the rock ahead causes the fire to fly in a
brilliant blaze.
straight line is kept by taking an obser-
walton from behind with lights and two
plumbobs, sighting to candle which when
in line is used to burn black spot overhead,
and this spot the tunneler keeps as central
point for foot or two ahead, when another
observation is necessary. ssLet's take peep
of daylight" said the pilot, making for ray
of light ahead, sand then go down Third
street"
Coming out on the side of the hill, it was
seen that the athenaum was straight ahead,
and that Exchange street was the point OF
outlet. After enjoying the luxury of stretch
ing his aching back, the tail end of the pro-
cession followed into the ground again.
''This is the Rogers block, and between it
and ourselves is a regular cave, which some
day is going to collapse" remarked Mr..
Overton, SIT was used in connection with
tannery operated by Rogers long time ago."
At the corner of Third and Minnesota
streets the tunnel comes to an abrupt end,
though the pipes are continued on
to Broadway and up that street. Returning
and turning down Cedar street the roof of
the cavern along the latter way was found
covered thick with FROST at that point it be-
ing but eleven feet to the surface Of the
ground. This frosty covering was very
thick, and something like stalacttes, and
shone with scintillating brilliancy in the
light of the lanterns.
The temperature of this underground
labyri nth remains about the. same through
out the year, though in summer wraps are
needed in traversing it and it is not always
safe to 90 in from the streets when the ther-
mometer registers 500 or Whereabouts. So
familiar have those connected with the wa
ter works system become in going about the
subterranean thoroughfares that they can find
their way about without lights, and, in fact,
it often happens that the lamps go out--a
possibility that didn't occur to the timorous
pencil pusher until too late to recede. Many
visitors are shown through the tunnels, par
ticularly from other sections, those from out
of town appearing to be better informed upon
the subject than residents. 1t is an interest
ing trip aud gives good idea of the intrica-
cies of the water supply.