Arizona silver belt., 1886-09-18

~ W fke AftttR A4lANNfl tf
ground and knowing al the time ex-
acily your position In its relation 10 the
woela above, The areh.way was dimly
lighted, the lights being generally at
the street corners; and sometimes there
would be an entire block without d sin
Gle iet along its length. II was
waim.d day lii August, but / had taken
tine preeaution To bring light
oyeleoat Tho oyercoat was useful,
ms there was just enough chilliness in
the stibterranean atmosphere to render
Che garment acceptable. MY companion
had soorned the idea Of bringing c0st
on such day, but before the journey
wis over he regretted his negligenee.
Any reader of this article who may tlcee-
after succeed In obtaining permission ttS
visit the sewers of Paris is advised to
take u light wrap of some Kind Rs u
shield against the peculiar atmosphere.
On either side of the arclrway, close
against the walls or lot into recesses,
were water aud gas pipes, the latter
smaller than the former and placed above
them Telegraph wires covered with
insulating material hang from the roof,
and at Que point several men were en-
gagged in placing new lines in position,
A large number OF wires ean be carried
through the sewers of Haris, and MS the
sewers form complete network over
the city, there is very little need Of above
ground wires In the FreaCh capital Ii
Is said that one object Of the sewer sys-
tenn of Paris is TO enable the government
10 move troops from one part OF the
t
certainly 1t would not be- difficult 10
transfer considerable numbers Of soldiers
through the sewers, so that insurgents
defending barricade could be ilanked
and taken in the rear without warning.
Since the completion of the sewers
the successful defense of barricades in
the streets of Paris IL impossible, Water
and gas-pipes, being quite accessible in
the sewers, can be easilYrepaifed ia ease
OF injury, and the Same may be said Of
the telegraph wires, but in this secure
position accidents are Of rare occitr-
renee, No one not connected with the
administration is allowed 10 enter the
sewers except by special permission, aud
then only when pro 2erly accompanied
II New York were provided with sys-
tenn Of sewers like those OF Paris. the
problem Of putting the telegraph wires
under ground nlighs be solved ith ease.
On and on rolled the little cars, and
finally came to n halt at the Place du
Chatelet, nearly two miles from the
point where we descended to embark on
tho scow. On alighting from our
cramped positions we gave gratlities 70
th parspIring w0rianen, and then as-
&c AIDED the steps and were restored To
daylight. The glare Df tho san half
blinded us until our eyes were accus-
toined TO the change, which was not for
Sci erii minutes.
n the same vehicles we might have
be- carried miles and milgS further ii
thu authorities had been willing t. per-
mil thejourney, but | doubt Il any of
the party cared for more travel Of this
sort Cine mills underground Il very
mucA like another you hageno change
Of " ather The total length of the
sewers Of Paris is more than three han
dred miles, and through the greater pagt
OF ia N distance mon cum 10 with ease.
The .ailroad along which we were 10 led
in Tho little cars Is ordinarily used for
tran porting materials for repairing tie
sewt rs, and also for carrying water
pipes, ga-pipes, telegraph wires. etc,
ta q places where wanted Thtap II
also an iron scoop or plow, which Its
eSat tly into ilr ditch, aRd ii mounted
on nd Of the ears and pushed alnna
whI never the srwcr requires ~ III
clea mad Ia ta6t, thc whole system il ~
CON pirte as The most enthusiastic eiti-
zen could desire, and il Is no wonder
that Che Parisians are proud OF their Ua
derg round works
In arranging The system the area 81
the a ty was divided into five ha-ifs.
three on the right hand III tlte Seine and
two IA the left There arc six principal
and ifteen secondary galleries. the lat.
Ter b sing tributary n the great onea.
Tire Of the six principal galleries arc
on e. eli bank Of the river and tie sec
ondaay ones are similarly divided he
tween the two parts Of the city. Then
.here are innnmcrable othgS galleries
einptylng into the sceondarttS and Ia
some c;tses into the pricipal Jncs Some
OF the sewers now Id use da u from the
middle Of che last century, bat their
length is very small by comparison with
the modern works. Ind iS06 there were
twenty-three thousand fn8ters,d covered
sewers III Paris, which had in sreased To
two hundred and twetity-six thousand
In 1862, and now exceed four hundred
thousand, The city certainly possesses
facilities for cleanliness which New
Workers must regard with a great teal
of envy when they consider the natural !
advantages Of Manhattan island 10 the
way Of drisiAage. aud then think how
they are utilized M II Star.