Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-12-06

iucel by tho pressure OF Ho&loOS stses
generated in the enorm GUS sewer below.
The accident. W ich Was trivial in ITS re-
suits and excited but little comment at the
time. suggests the subject OF Underground
Chicago.
Every one has read and maryeled at &C
counts OF that wonderful relic y the anciene
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 u subterra1ean world
surprising in interest the one beside the
lib r.
Chicago abounds in bheautifu. buildings.
"massive and tall and grand" many OF
these rise to a height OF two hun1redfeet and
number thirteen stoie and Inre. AS the
eye Of the visitor sweeps tEir extensive
fronts. rich In architectural lesigns and
commentators. lie forgets tn solid foun-
dations, reaching lar into th' earth. upon
which the superstructure. vas and beautl-
full. is reared The cost OF til foundations
of Chicago would suffice to build city OF
no mean proportions Hundeds OF thou
sands of dollars are O ten extended on
single building before its gralte walls rise
to t,,e lev of the sidewalk The space
thus reclaimed from the "bwels of the
earth" is utilized for boilers d engines to
run the elevators and machinery for all
manner of manufactures. to bat the vast
structure. and fun ish power keep al We
the electric lights in whole block some
times. BeSi,;es, many basemats are fitted
up as elegant restaurants, salsrooms and
factories, In one OF Chicag's basement
restaurants more oysters areerved during
the "r months" than in any otter single es-
Enlistment in the world. metropolitan New
i York not excepted. Twice DUNG the sum
mer just past great rainstornS have over
| taxed the sewers and cause the water to
| invade Easements and cellars to the great
damage of property.
But the space below visibleChicago is not
all us,d for the useful purposs mentioned.
| Many low saloons. resorts br thieves and
thugs. where all manner of DIRK and diabol-
| ical crimes are concocted, discussed and
perpetrated, arc tucked ava in Easements
secure from the observatiorof the casual
| passer-by. 1t is here that tie Acknowledged
| Celestial conducts his laundr, too frequent
ly but Il fence or mask for a" opium joint.
and the qualification OF othe vices OF still
darker hue Gambling houes OF the bet
ter" sort are usually situatd high up in
buildings. with openings 1 the roofs for
cgrcss in the event of an interruption in the
form of u police raid; buthe lower sort
| particularly those operated nd frequented
by negroes. who ara apt b be invcterate
gamblers. are found in Easements and eel
lars. These arc often SO onhocted with
each other as to form q regllaf labyrinth.
and render the inmates toeltbly secure
from arrest.
Pure water and good drai1aEe.are two of
the principal requisites to tue health OF q
city. These arc supplied to tie Garden
City" by underground systems which. to-
gether with the gas mains oAfrnishing
light. fairly 'honeycomb" the STREETS and
justify the caption Of "Undergromd Chi
ca.o."
The water-supply system OF Chicago is
unequaled In the world; and to such as