Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-23

1 AMERICAN
history. In hI old age ex-senator Camerou
enjoys exceptionally vigorous health. He d
particularly pleased to have the satisfaction OF
seeing the party, of which he was foremost
founder and architect, once more in the as.
cendancy in the administration of public affairs
| DEB r K.
| Written for THE EVENING STAR
ANCIENT TALE OF A TUNNEL.
How they Dealt with Dishonest Con-
tractors 1900 Years Ago.
The recent developments in the Washington
aqueduct tunnel have caused hindrance to
the completion OF the whole work, which bears
some resemblance Gnvolving a principle
although by comparison with the more gigan.
tic enterprise seemingly slight--and yet of ap-
! propriate interest just now to recently-com-
pleted tunnel in Italy, which was first con-
ceived, engineered, and the work begun up.
ward of eighteen hundred years ago.
II we look back through long stretch OF
centuries to the reign of Nero's immediate pre-
decessor, Claudius /, we see the grand politi-
cian0nd statesman julius Cesar, tasking his
keen-sighted intellect to discover some means
OF preventing the occurrence of frequent
famines and wasting fevers which were in his
day
| THREATENING THE VERY LIFE OF ROME.
He ascribed much of the evil he so depre-
Gated to the existence Of lake without an
outlet up among the rocky peaks and spurs OF
the Apprentices, 1000 feet above the level OF
the sea. His investigations satisfied him that
could this lake be successfully drained an area
OF rich volcanic soil of more than l70, 900 acres
would be added to the food-producing tracts
OF country OF unsurpassed fertility, and at the
/ t<,fx thsa
humiliation Of these pestiential vapors, which,
rising from the great surface Of stagnant
waters, were continually being waited down
over =. the inhabitants of the sur
rounding valleys and Staying the natur-
ally, otherwise, hardy mountaineers with
this breath Of poison in ratio equal, perhaps,
TO that OF the hidden dagger which was sweep
Ing on Its victims in the aristocratic courts of
the great city.
The great scheme thus originated found
favor with the emperor. and plans for the in
| auguratlon OF the work were being carried for
ward when all the good intentions Of Julius
Cesar were rendered of no avail in consequence
OF MS sudden removal by dagger tbrusts from
hands OF assassin politicians, whom, though
rivals, he had loaded with benefits. Selfish
greed and luxury seemed to be the only am
| billion to which the old Roman politicians then
asplred: All projects for the good of the peo-
PIE vanished INTO mists as impalpable as those
| THE DEADLY LAKE.
At length the fears of Julius became stern
fact IN the visitation of famine which aroused
even those besotted votaries of pleasure to the
especial needs of the time. Again the meas
| ures which Julius had urged for the prevention
OF such DIRE calamity were discussed and de-
| clded to be practical. skillful and scientific
! ehSineer-such an one modern times has
not outdone-was engaged and commenced the
WORK. Accurate plans of one of the grandest
pieces OF engineering OF which We know any
thlng was the result.
! The high altitude of the lake, and higher
| ground -most of it granite rock-encircling it
no outlet and no mountain stream near into
| whlch, through some valley, the waters Nigh,
be conducted. decided the engineer to bore q
tunnel which should carry the waters of the
LAKE into the nearest natural stream-the
| Llris-a mere wild rocky canon having many a
counterpart In the rugged Sierras which, with
tortuous way, guides its seething waters often
WIN a wild leap and sharp turn. distance OF
lou miles, Into the Mediterranean. Six thou
SAND yards was to be the length of the tunnel
ana l,0O0 feet its depth below the summit OF
the mountain, whose long extinct crater held
the VIDE expanse OF poisonous waters.
AS BAD THEN AS II IS Now
1t is well known that the accomplished and
able old Roman engineer who commenced this
grand work was not long permitted to continue
it, for in those days-as now-contracts were
| eagerly sought by men anxious only to enrich
themselves at government expense, and so
| then--as now-experience, honesty, and science
had 10 give place to cupidity and ineficiency
! Inc contract was obtained over many competi.
tors by Narcissus. the emperors private score.
| tary, freedman who had become a great
favorite, and attained an almost boundless in
nuence over the emperor. When he found
that the Empress Messalina sought to oppose
! that influence he murdered her, and still kept
himself in high favor with Claudius
| having procured the coveted contract Mar
cissus proceeded to carry it out in accordance
| with his own infamous character Without any
| means OF his own, as parasite Of the emperor
| he was enabled to
| DRAW VAST SUNS FROM THE ROMAN TREASURY
and employed $4,000 men eleven years upon
this imperial undertaking. No account was
ever rendered OF sums of money received or
| paid out on this remarkable contract, and Mar
! clssus died worth SI5,575 600 He adhered
strictly to the original plans of the great en-
| giheer-whose name, even, has not been pre-
served 10 us-where there was any danger of
| lnsPeOUon, but when the depth attained rem
dered inspection inconvenient, the passages
| were purposely narrowed, fewer air shafts and
ducts allowed, all the true and solid designs. 80
true and scientifically made, were supplanted
| by work most cheaply and carelessly done. The
| secret OF his shameful frauds and peculation
was deeply hidden, buried fathoms down in
the rocky soil OF the mountains-would it ever
come forth to confront his villainy? When. at
length, Narcissus considered his work complete.
ne announced to the emperor that the drainage
OF the lake could now commence
In the meantime Claudius had married the
infamous Agrippina, and adopted her son Nero
/ to succeed him on the throne He determined
to hold grand inaugural festival on this op-
| perfume occasion and rejoice the hearts of his
| people with a series of splendid amusements.
| Tor which purpose circuses and villas were
built upon the shores and slopes of the lake:
! the rise around the whole circuit forming a
natural amphitheatre.
THE EMPERoRs THIRST FOR BLOOD.
naval conflict had been decided upon.
that the waters might be well tinged with
blood, as a propitatory offering to the evil
minded goddess who was supposed to preside
| over the lake before the flood-gates were
raised. For this purpose sufficient timber had
! been transported over the hills to build large
fleets OF vessels which, when there constructed.
were manned with nineteen thousand combat
ants-convicts-whO were compelled to fight
| each other to the death.
The hostile crews showed decided disincli
| nation to engage in this gladitorial exhibition
and when the emperor gave tie signal for at
tack one ship seemed to wait for another. and
the hesitation became so great that the crowds
which had gathered from most Of the Italian
provinces to see the spectacle gave utterapce
/ to ominous murmurs OF dissatisfaction. Clam
dius, also impatient for the carnage to begin
sent messengers to the vessels with his COM
mands to the effect that if the crews did not
quickly engage in the fight they should all be