Washington sentinel., 1900-09-01
TEE SENTINEL
HOW PARIS MAY
DISAPPEAR.

nEdLG - AON |
lately about the lake under Lon
don. wonder how many out oi
the crowds OF persons now hooking
into Paris are aware that tne
Greater portion OF that popular city
isbuiltupon arches none too strong,
and that many Of the houses and
public buildings have been propPed
up from beneath and without the
knowledge of their owners or in
mates? 1t was by mere chance tnat
/ came to learn all about these
arches and the chasms which they
span. l was seated with friend
in an Empire cafe in the ClichY
district. At table beside ours sat
several artisans slightly the worse
for absinthe. Before long their
conversation grew so interesting
that we ended by chipping in" on
our own account, for they were
workmen employed IN the vast
chasms to which l shall now
allude. A week later, with one OF
the aforesaid artisans, we found
ourselves entering the secret sub
terranean caverns in Paris, which
extend from the elevated Faubourg
St Tacuues down almost to the
Val de Grace district, so long
famous for its large Convent OF
English Benedictines.
Never shall FORGET the impress
sion the first sight OF those vast
caves and crypts made upon me.
Small wonder, indeed, that the
Paris authorities should keep
secret all knowledge of the mighty
caverns which Immediately under,
lie so large an area OF their Prouo
capital. We had descended by
rough stone steps to a depth OF
over 3so feet; and, though the
allevway along which we pro-
ceeded first is narrow at the begin
ming and slopes gradually up
ward, it grew broader when we
had walked a couple OF hundred
yards or so along 1t. Then ot
sudden we found ourselves at a
point where a number OF wide
streets or tunnels converge eight
or ten there must be. All these
streets have names or numbers
placarded at their corners. Pres
emily we came to another flight OF
steep steps, down which moment
later we were all cautiously tread
ing. Most OF the streets vary con.
siderably in size. Some are broad
and very lofty, others almost
cramped, but everywhere the root
drips Shiny moisture, which in
places has CONCEALED in a translu-
cent sort of stalactite. Here and
there We passed wooden scaftold
ing, stone pillars, and iron and
wooden props, many OF the last
named greatly de -aY ed, and now
and again by the light OF our can
dies we could distinctly discern
broad stone flags jammed against
the overhanging roofs and arches,
and kept there by means OF stou'
poles OF timber. Evidently these
flags had been placed there to sup
port the buildings immediatel!
overhead, Between four and tivu
hours elapsed before we again re
turned to the surface, and we cal
IL A. = - = - u
must have traVeIIeC IN more o
less circuitous route through SOM
six miles Of tunnels and caverns
Our guide, who had required {
heavy brlbe before he could be in
duced to show US these caVerns-
il was affeHa'H to show them L
anybody,he kept on repeating
either knew nothing, or would tel
US nothing whatsoever concerning
their origin, and il is only recently
that have succeeded in discover
ing the story Of these subterransaI
streets in a work published abou
the middle of the last century, anC
entitled "Tableaux de Paris" Tht
writer says that in order to builC
up Paris in the first instance, it be
came necessary to procure ston,
for building purposes from somt
locality as near ar hand IS possible
Now, all around the district theI
called Paris there lay immens,
virgin quarries OF very hard anC
durable stone, and much Of thi
was excavated. Soon the city o
Paris began to grow apace, unit
within comparatively few years tn,
very edges OF the vast quarrie
were reached, This beinT so, NJ
alternative remained but to arch
over the now disused pits, anC
build the new houses upon tht
arches themselves. This was soor
done. Then, as the town required
to spread still further, more archie
were built, and more house
erected, so that now many of tn
great buildings in Paris which vol
behold towering into the skies ar
practically without foundations
Hence, then, the frlghtful chasm!
to be found to this Gay under tn,
houses in many districts: in reality
these houses stand upon the abys
ses. No very severe shock, then
would be needed to hurl bacl
those great masses Of stone into tn
yawnlng pits from which so man
years ago they were removed will
so much difficulty.
The news that recently eigh
men were suddenly engulfed in
chasm a hundred and fifty feet il
depth, and that minor accidents G
the same sort were occurring iron
time 70 time, has caused police AM
Government to take precautionar'
measures and now the building