The morning news., 1899-01-18
UNDERGROUND EUROPE.
Danger of the Tunnels That Trav-
erse London, Paris and Rome.

eFse LOhOoh, Inrts and Rome.
Ex-Attache in Pittsburg Dispatch.
Among the most remarkable features
OF the nineteenth century now RAPIDLY
drawing to a close, has been a revival
after more than a thousand years of
that disposition to burrow beneath the
surface of the soil which seems as in
stinctive with man as it is with the mole
the analogy between the two in this re-
spect affording food for reflection to
those who favor the doctrines of evolu-
ton in connection with the orie1n Of
the human race. Give a child of tender
years spade and a heap of sand and
the first thing that he will proceed to do
Is to tunnel and as he grows M the
fascination of The underground grows
upon him TO such an extent that sooner
than go over mountain or a river he
will prefer to pass underneath while in
a number of the leading cities of Eu-
rope the people, called upon to choose
between the aerial and a subterranean
means of traffic and communication. have
unhesitatingly announced themselves in
favor of the latter.
If attention is drawn to this at the
present juncture, 1t Is because Of the
announcement in the cable dispatches ia
the effect that England's Parliament is
about to be called upon to institute
measures for the purpose of putting a
check, If not an absolute stop 10 the
process of honeycombing the founda-
tions and subsoils of the British metropo-
lis. Moreover an alarming accident has
recently taken place at Paris, where the
celebrated Restaurant ChamDeaux on
the Place de la Bourse. where the princes
Of finance are wont to gather for
their midday meal, was wrecked the
other day by an explosion of terrific
force, which is ascrbed to the accumu
lation of gases in the subterranean PASS
ages and tunnels which traverse the
French capital. maze-fashion in every
direction. Then, too, The works of the
new METROPOLITAN" or underground rail
road beneath the crowded Rue de Rivolt
that skirts the Tuileres are enconptor-
ing almost insuperable difficulties. owing
10 the extraordinary number of vaulted
galleries that tier upon tier intersect the
entire route of the projected railway
and which will require the most deli
cate handling in order to avoid danger
10 the huge buildings that line the Rue
de Rivoh throughout the greater part
of it's length. Finally, the anti-anarchist
conference at Rome, which has inst
brought It's sessions to a termination is
Asserted 10 have had under consideration
the disposition, which the nihilists and
anarchists have shown of late 20 avaiI
themselves Of tunnelings and of tunnels
for the preparation of the outragas
against the constituted authorities ana
against society.
The peril that threatens London and
that is about to lead to statutory actions
in Parliament is serious. But il is ono
by which Paris, Rome and a number Of
other great cities Of the Old World are
menaced in the same way. One hundred
years ago there was practically no mn
derground London, save dlong the rivers,
edge, where wine cellars centuries old on,
tended for several miles. To-day there is
almost as much life and trafic beneatn
the surface of the British metropoiis as
above II. Two and even three tiers Of m
derground railroads with their under
ground stations and shops as well ae
other huge conduits, tunnels sewers ot5
subways Of every description honeycornb h
the subsoil of London to the depth of more
than one hundred feet, and unless some
check is offered to this form of enternrise
there is no knowing where 1t will end
The results of this tampering with the
foundations of London are beginning to
be felt, and are giving rise to no end Of
alarm. goodly portion of the metrono-
lis appears threatened with subsistence
and the gravest fears are entertained for
Westminster Abbey, ST. Pauls Cathed-
raj and other historic state edifces. In
fact, no one would be surprised to learn
that their safety had become affected by
the imprudent interference with their