Telephone Tunnel?
In the basement, along the west wall, is the old telephone cable vault. There is a heavy fire door with a counter weighted closer. It makes creepy noises when it is pulled open, worthy of a slasher movie.
- Cable Vault Door
Wonder what part of the cables would have been flammable?
Foundation wall telephone line entry point into the cable vault
There are cut conduits visible that have been filled with concrete. Outside, there is a manhole in Colorado Avenue that is labeled “Bell System”.
The manhole lines up with the hole in the foundation
So, if we open this up, is there a tunnel to our basement? Could we have a secret passageway at the BAB?
Could this be our secret access to the BAB?
How cool would that be!?! For the past year we’ve been wondering if it could be true. We got a chance to answer the question!
Our chance to find out!
Yesterday, Tom saw a Southwestern Bell truck outside and noticed that they were working in that manhole. He approached the worker and tried to explain why he would be interested in this particular manhole, without sounding too crazy. So, is there a tunnel still there? No. Maybe I’ve been watching too many action movies. But I still think that would have been great. If the potential secret tunnel had been there, do you think we would have put it in the blog? 🙂
B. A. B. 
VERY cool. Having rehabbed a drugstore and warehouse/loft and had my office in a converted firehouse for 10 years (the old Webster houses don’t count), I can only say, “enjoy the adventure” and “may The Force be with you”.
Thanks! Any guidance would be appreciated!
Too bad no tunnel… cool way to enter/exit your future bat cave!
…Makes me remember all the commotion when John Paul II came to St. Louis, and the security detail having all the manholes along the Pope’s route being temporarily tack welded or bolted in place.
The concerns about open flame probably have to do with flammable sewer gasses coming in thru the cable conduits. There probably was not a tunnel but just conduits to the manhole.