The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-17

@AlIXTY feet below the surface runs
SaA1sIG passageway under the Thames
SSS.I.sA 1t has been the scene OF many
love VOWS and murders, as well as several
interesting and amusing lawsuits. 1t Is
in The form OF large pipe forced through
the earth, rather than tunnel. and ITS
srewsome history attracts the attention OF
every visitor to the ancient British cap
itaL
Now this famous landmark of old Lon
don is TO be swept away, the County Coun-
Gil having decided to close the strange
construction. 1t is known as the Tower
subway, and runs beneath the river from
Tower Hill to Tooley street.
Perhaps no spot in the great British cap
ital is more famous than this quaint old
structure, which from an engineering
standpoint is without doubt one OF the
greatest curiosities in the world. 1t was
constructed in 1869 and cost over $4,000.
Two shafts, each sixty feet deep, lead
down to the tunnel, which is simply a
continuous steel tube built of circular
bands, which were rlveted to each other as
fast as the boring was done. The tunnel
is 1880 feet long and is only seven feet
nlSn II Is lOM 4iS A4tSA " S4SNSA~S-Nf'
in its best days-those TO which so many
recollections are attached-it was kept in
total darkness.
The tunnel was first opened with the
idea of quickly shooting passengers from
, Tower Hill to Tooley street, journey
which would take quite a time if made on
the earth's surface. A quaint little circu-
lar omnibus was constructed of steel and
quickly drawn from one end to the other
by a wire. The passengers descended the
shaft and entered the omnibus through
trapdoor in its top, descending into
the car by a ladder. This crude and I'M
comfortable method of transportation met
, with only little public favor, and 1t was
not long before the little steel train"
was abolished. The ventilation was bad,
and coupled with the darkness was always
the fear that the River Thames would
some day break through the steel tube
and drown the passengers in their little
subterranean deathtrap. Once in the car
it was impossible to get out until the other
end of the passage was reached. The only
exit was through the trapdoor at the top
and when this was in the tunnel there
was no room to open it.
Two or three times when the cable has
broken a carload Of passengers have been
near death from suffocation before they
could be released. There is plenty of ven
tilation in the tunnel itself, but no room
to allow OF its passage into car.
When visited Tor the Trst time a most
uncanny feeling comes over one. The
atmosphere is damp and chill. No outlet
is to be seen, and above can be heard the
splashing of the paddle-boats as they
steam overhead in the Thames. Death
would be certain if the water should ever
break through, but in this regard there is
little danger, for the structure Is i'm
mensely strong.
Since the abolition of the little steel
train" the bridge has been opened TO foot
passengers on payment OF one cent toll,
but few pedestrians care to take the walk
without they are in dreadful hurry, for
Il apart from its natural uncanny appear
' 4nce, so many episodes of grewsome
nature have happened there that those at
all nervous are almost afraid 10 take the
trip.
There have been several murders COM
mitted in its depths, and several times the
shrieks OF a terrified woman have told OF
highway, or rather subterranean, robbery.
Once caught in the tunnel by a desperate
there is no hope of escape, and if rescu e
IS at hand there is small hope of catching
the offender. The passage is so small
that only three persons can walk abreast,
and then they are compelled to walk so
close together that their travel is any
thing but comfortable. 1t is impossible to
run through the tunnel.