Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-21

uuced by tho pressure oil noXlDus gases
| generated in the enorm Gus sewer below.
The accident, which was trival9in its re-
| suits and excited but little comment ut the
time. suggests the subject of underground
| Chicago.
Every one has read and marveled at ac-
| counts of that wonderful relic ofah0 ancient
| world the catacombs of Rome. In which OF
old were buried the dead of the Eternal
City, and yet few. even among Chicago's
| own people, know that below the level OF
her streets there is Il subterranean world
surpassing in interest the one beside the
| Tiber.
Chicago abounds.in beautiful buildings
massive and tall and grand" many OF
these rise to a height OF two hund nd1ed feet and
number thirteen stories and more. AS the
| eye of the visitor sweeps their extensive
| fronts. rich in architectural designs and
ornamentations he forgets the solid foun-
datlons. reaching far into the euTth, upon
which the superstructure, vast and beauti-
| full is reared. The cost of the foundations
OF Chicago would suffice to build city OF
no mean proportions. Hundreds OF thou
| sands OF dollars are often expended on
single building before.its granite walls rise
to the level of the sidewalk. The space
thus reclaimed from the bowels of the
earth" is utilized for boilers and engines to
run the elevators and machinery for all
manner of manufactures, to heat the vast
structure, and furnish power to keep alive
| the electric lights in n whole block some
| times. Besides, many ba Sements are lifted
up us cleSulJ reSIuuTanls, SuieSTOOmS
factories. In one of Ghicago's basement
restaurants more oysters are served during
the r months" than in ;Sly other single es-
tablshment in the world. metropolitan New
York not excepted, Twice during the sum-
mer Just past great rainstorms have over
taxed the sewers and caused the water to
| invade Easements and cellars, to the great
damage of property.
But the space below visible Chicago is not
all used for the useful purposes mentioned.
Many low saloons. resorts for thieves and
| thugs where all manner of dark and diabo-
| ical crimes are concocted. discussed and
perpetrated, are tucked away in Easements
secure from the observation of the casual
passer-by. 1t is here that the almond eyed
| Celestial conducts his laundry. too frequent
| ly but fence or mask for an opium joint.
and the qualification of other vices of still
darker hue. Gambling houses of the bet
ter" sort are usually situated high up in
| buildings, with openings to the roofs for
| egress in the event of an interruption in the
form of police raid; but the lower sort.
particularly those operated and frequented
| by negroes. who arc apt. to be inveterate
| gamblers. are found in Easements and eel
lars. These are often so connected with
each other as to form a regular labyrinth.
and render the inmates tolerably secure
| from arrest.
Pure water and good drainage are two Of
the principal requisites to the health OF a
| city. These are supplied to the Garden
City" by underground systems which. to-
| gether with the gas mains for furnishing
| light. fairly "honeycomb" the streets and
justify the caption OF Underground Chi
cago."
The water-supply system OF Chicago is
unequaled in the world: and to such as