The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-20

Nearly every pedestrian on West Sec
ond South street, on the north side of
the thoroughfare, has been compelled
of late to make a circuit in his peram-
bUlations, in order to pass the now va
cant lot between the Walker Bro hers
bank and the Atlas block, as at this
Point an excavation is being made for
the foundations for a new building
which is to fiji in the gap and make the
Atlas block one fine structure from the
alleyway on the west to The bank block
on the east.
The front of this vacant lot has been
enVironed on the street during the past
two weeks by a high board fence, in
order to prevent passerS-by from fall
ing into the excavation being made,
but yesterday the little strip of side
walk left was blOckaded, and every hole
in the fe-ce was utilized by curious
people, who had been attracted to the
SPOT by the report that the contractors,
in making the big excavation, had I'M
covered or broken into an old under
ground passage, and the rumor was
correct, as there. in plain view, was
to be seen the remains OF an old tunnel.
a crowd had managed to get TO the
rear and into the excavation by going
through the entry leading to the stair
Mems Christian association, and at
least 80 or 40 wondering people con-
gregated at the opening to the old I'M
foreground passage, and many were the
specuiations as to why it had been con-
structed, and to what use it could have
been applied.
The passage or tunnel was at least 20
feet below the surface of the ground,
its dimensions being about 4x5 feet in
the clear, the hole being substantially
timbered and Jagged on top, sides and
bottom, by three-inch lumber, which
was in a fine state of preservation.
As it happened, there was no one on
the ground who could account for the
strange and unloOked-for discovery, the
seeming ghastliness of which was added
to by the fact that a few days before /
several human bones had been found
within a few feet of it, and which are
10 be seen in the rear of the boot black (
stand in the entrance to the Y. NJ. c. A. /
rooms.
When these incidents were related, /
each spectator was prolific with his 1
fine-spun theory as to the reason for /
the existence of the underground pas
sage, and the spinner was certain that
he was correct in his deductions.
One old gentleman remembered that
many years ago notorious house of
in-fame had been located close to that
spot. Visitors to this brothel often
suddenly and mysteriously disappear
ed, and this passage must of necessity
have some connection with these diSap-
Pearances, he said, and could the old
walls of the tunnel but talk, they could
tell Of bloody deeds. and the Snuffing
out of life's tickle fian,e, and the recital
would well embellish the columns of
The Police Gazette
Others, whose memories reVe ted to
the time when the brethren were wont
10 resort to the underground because
Of plurality of wives, We're sure that in
the OLD time this passage was used by
the Mormons, in order to elude the
strong arm of the law; while there were
Others still, old miners among the num-
Der, who We're impressed with the idea
that some old mine workings had been
and they almost expected
TO stumble on to some mining tools,
rusted and decayed, OF primitive manu-
facture.
And so the gathering crowd talked
and wondered, told fiction for facts, and
were evolving a most wonderful story,
when an old man with a halting step,
and white, flowing beard, came along
who was able to tell how the under
ground passage happened to be there,
and the reason for which it was con- ]
Many years ago. said the old man,
the bed of City creek used to run :
down what Is now Main street. At a
point just in front of the place where {
the Progress block now stands, it -Ook J
a turn. and cut through the ground ,
now occupied by the Walker bank {
building and the Atlas block. and from ]
This latter point it turned south, COM :
ng into Main street again just about
where the Alexander building is To-
Gated. below Third South. In order TO
ouild on the block north of Second
South street, and between Main and
West Temple, it was necessary to fiume :
he creek and 10 cover it with DIRT
which was done but later on the course
# the stream was diverted. and it now
inds its way to the Jordan river by
reans of the viaduct on North Temple,
,ut the Old flume. which was well built, /
.xists TODAY. although il is rarely I'M {
covered. This fiUme was built 40 or ,
% years ago. but there are many OF US
I'D citizens who still remember when {
I was constructed. -
The story of the old gentleman was I
plausible and well told. but IL is stated l
n good authority that the tunnel was Y
constructed by John Wasley, an old /
Alta miner and that it was used at T
ne tirle TO connect the buildings own /
d by Walker Brothers with a deep cess I
,ool. there being no sewerage in the G
ity in those days. d