Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-06-22
SIGHTS IN THE SEWERS.
THE SUsTERRkNEAN WONDERS OF
OUR GREAT METROPOLIS.

pLt to Flight
Grie of the workmen climbs up the wharf
and proceeds to open the manholes along
Canal street in order to give us air as We
pursue our way along the interior of the
sewer underneath. The other workman
springs from the boat into the mouth Of the
outlet. Mr.. Murray and / follow, each
holding lantern, and thus our little process
sion, with the man in advance, commences
the line Of march. Equipped with rubber
boots, old clothing, SLOUGH hats and gloves,
we lack nothing requisite for the journey
The huge sewer presents all the appearance
of a long tunnel, its strong bricks walls being
coated with Shiny yellow, gray or black
scum, varied at different points, sometimes
glistening and reflective, and at others dull,
flat and fuzzy. The atmosphere is heavy,
dark, oppressive, but not las the popular
idea has been) at all nauseous or disgusting
What might be termed sour, stale odor pre-
walls, but the air is preferable to what we
. ind in many tenements. Without ventila-
tion it would be suffocating, but with the
manhoies above open we experience nothing
unpleasant The new style of perforated
manholes now largely in use prevent all pos
sibility of the collection of mephitic vapors.
Over the bottom of the sewer flows a volume
of liquor less than two feet in depth. With
the lantern rays cleaning over the surface it
looks black-inky black-but upon closer ex.
animation proves to be almost clear water,
with scarcely perceptible fragments or
grains of refuse which cause the slight dis
coloration
We had proceeded about three blocks, COM
municating now and then with our man on
the street above, the other man. in our ad-
vance, being visible in the dim distance.
When opposite the Varick street sewer Mr.
Murray presses my arm and we pause to scan
the surroundings STOPPING down we can
peer into this cross street sewer, which is
about SKA feet. 1t is very old, shows signs
of rapid decay, and seems very thickly coated
with black and gray slime, and has a dead,
dull, oppressive odor Mr. Murray exerts
himself and shouts to the man far ahead-so
| far that he seems only the size of boy. The
man beyond shouts in return, and the echoes
come like the refrain of requiem, subsiding
in hoarse kissing or lisping whispers The
refraction, repetition and multiplication of
| sounds is inexplicable on the basis of all
acoustic principles. The effect on the nerves
| is exciting. 1t is more than solemn and
awful-it is horriblei
Mr.. Murray swings his lantern, and at this
signal the man beyond begins to dance,
throwing his arms about wildly, shaking his
lantern and singing. Instantly there ensued
one of the most amazing phantaslnagorial
effects imaginable. The echoes seemed filled
with the vibrations Of score Of mandolins
| or guitars, or like human voice singing
with the teeth pressed against a comb. There
also seemed to be myriads of Liliputians
| thrown into all conceivable contortions,
dancing, writhing, twisting and turning. As
the man continued his singing and gesticula-
| tions the effect became unbearable, and at
my solicitation Murray signaled him TO stop.
Bitter, chilly draughts of air, as damp as
| if forced through an ice moistened sponge,
sweep through past us-sweep with sound
| like the cadence of q muffied or suppressed
death song, like the last expiring gasp of
some dying wretch, or the expiring wall of
agony of an abandoned sinner, or the throt-
| tied shrek of lost soul on its downward
| fight into the abyss of despair. My good
| friend Murray arouses me from my mesmeric
hallucinatiOn, and we go splashing along
again.
Now we are near Church street Here is
the cross sewer, and again are new novelties
revealed. Overarching us is a fungus growth
depending from the walls and standing. out
from the sides like a trailing or climbing
vine. In some places it hangs in clusters or
punches, and in others spreads out as fine
moss, from six inches to two feet in length.
Its color varies greatly-there are several
shades of gray, a purple, dark brown, and
an almost silvery white. 1t grows more
luxuriantly as we proceed, until it becomes
dense, and resembles not little some of the
moss covered groves in various parts of our
southern states. The light glistening through
this produces queer yet splendidly novel
effect, and reminds us much of theatrical
representations Of fairyland in spectacular
plays.
Our advance guard had just turned into
the Broadway sewer and started upward,
Murray and l following, and had gone but a
few steps before he caught my arm again
and signified that l should stop. Pointing
his index finger forward, he uttered the two
words: Rats! .Seei S-s-h-hl WatchIn
Sure enough; though when we first shaded
the light of our lantern and peered into the
pitchy darkness ahead / could not dis
tinguish any living object, but then could
just make out a row of glittering green eyes
like so many pointers of phosphorus, gleam
ing, glaring and swapping toward US. There
was a regiment of them, and they scanned
us like staff officer making reconnaissance
in force Most Of them were quiet, but there
was more or less squealing, scampering and
splashing around in the water. Three OF
them acted as leaders, and they were of enor
nous proportions-that is, compared with
the largest ordinary rats that we are accus
toned to see.
Our advance man, who had gone beyond
out of view, unobserved by US had ap
preached the assemblage of rodents in the
rear and hurled loose brick into theil
midst. Like fash of gunpowder a panic
was instantaneously started With a dis
cordant chorus of shrieking saueals anc
screams, which seemed TO actually spill
our ears, they struggled, leaped, whirlec
about and tumbled over each other, be
ing confronted in front and rear, and moi
knowing in which direction to escape. Bu
desperation seizing upon them, one or two
made break in our direction, and that wa.
leader for the entire horde. There may
have been a thousand of thcm-at the mo
,nent it seemed to be miIlion-but pell nell
screeching, kissing, they bore down upon us
their scampering feet splashing the watel
intc foam and their shrill cries awakening
the echoes Of pandemonium. They rrlshet
past like an avalanche, and although W,
drew aside as far as possible, yet in their craz
of fright, some leaped against us or rushel
between our legs and over our feet
! As their rear guard" had passed by
whipped out my revolver and fired twice il
rapid succession. This seemed to intensity
their terror, and, if possible, also to acceler
ate their speed, for, amid the deafening re
verberations of the explosions, there cam
back to us a renewed refrain of walls ans
prolonged squeals of despair.-New Yorl
Star.
SIS that your dog, Squildig" Eyes; fin
animal, too. Here, Rover" whistles vainl,
for him. HE doesn't appear to obey yer,
we'll" "Oh, that shows he's a pure breed
He's tarrier, you see."-Pittsburg Chron
icle TELEGRAPH