The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-09-15

native born Of Gods best gifts seem
ever shorn
Sion is the capital of the Yalais, the
most miserable and wrotchcd district
in northern Europe. The humorous
Castles and evidences of former splen-
dor indicate once hourishing coun-
try. Mathew Schinner Bishop Of
Sion, was n powerful prince i'll the
commencement Of the 10th century
and whose alliance was courted by
nh the Soyereigns of Europe princi-
pally for the sake of procuring the
services Of the Swiss mercenarios
1t is said that Sion has been be-
sieged and taken more than thirty
times, and like many Swiss towns,
been burnt nearly down. 1t seems
now to be principally given over to
Roman Catholic priests (who rule
the ignorant inhabitants with iron
hands,, poverty, filth, feas, degrade
ton and deterioration. I enjoyed on
ly the charming view from the ruins of
the Castles Of Torbillon, the Muscat
wine, produced near by, and the crack
Of the drivers whip that started the
horses on the great Simplon road just
before midnight. From Sion to Breg
the distance is about 30 miles through
a valley, the scenery of which, after
seeing chat between Martigny and
Sion, is called 'monotonous. At five
in the morning we were aroused from
our break-neck slumbers and notified
that half an hour would be allowed us
for breakfast We alighted from our
respective localities, hard looking set.
Yawning, covered with dirt, and hard
" able to move, tempting breakfast
was needed to arouse us, but when
we entered the hotel we concluded
that Sion and its filth and smells had
Travelled ahead Dirt and all sorts of
edibles and lad cooking a man must
get used to in travelling, but it is very
difficult to take ones peck in such
heavy instalments as the landlord Of
the hotelin Brieg set before us in
such places I call for boiled eggs and
whole potatoes.
Brieg IS quiet a pretty place, situat-
Ell on The slope Of the mountain, up
which we toiled so long and so weari-
~ 1t contains less than 500 inhabi-
tants. The Chateau of the StocLal-
per family, whose four turrets are
crowned with tin covered cupolas, and
the Jesuits College. are the only con-
spicuous buildings. There is also an
Ursuline Convent At half past five
we commenced the ascent of the
mountain Six fresh horses were at
tached to the diligence, and during the
whole post 0 miles, they did not get
ont of walk As the Simplon road
IS the finest, longest and most remark
able Of tho different roads over the
passcs Of the mountains of Europe, l
deem it Of sufficient interest, before
taking you over it with me, to give
You its history in brief
The construction of route over
the Simplon Pass was decided upon
by Napoleon Immediately after the
battle of Marengo, while the recollec-
ton of his own difficult passage of the
Alps by the Great St. Bernard Cat that
time one of the easiest Alpine passes)
was fresh in his memory
The plans and surveys by which the
direction of the road was determined
were made by NJ. Ceard, and large
portion of the work was executed I'M
der the superintendent of that able
engineer 1t was commenced on
the Italian side in 1900 and on the
Swiss in 1901. Six years were re-
quired to complete it, though it was
barely passable in 1905, and more
than 10000 men were employed on
it at one time.
An idea of the colossal undertaking
may be had when it is stated that the
plumber of bridges, large and small,
constructed for the passage Of the
road between Brieg and Sesto, which
is at the southern end of Lago Mag
giore, amounts to GIL, in addition to
the far more vast and costly con-
structons, such as terraces of massive
masonry miles in length; of ten gal
leries, either cut out of the living
rock or built of solid stone; and
of twenty houses Of refuge to shelter
) travellers, and lodge the laborers
constantly employed in taking care
of the road. It's breadth through
out is not less than 25 feet and from
that to 80 feet, and the slope no
where exceeds one foot in thirteen
Sir James Macintosh says, ''the
Cir,,,l.,,, ,,,o,- 10 cofalv said IN Ia the