Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-05

consciousness that we have but Just emerged
from the dark, long-drawn depths of a noun
tain tomb, and are about to engage in running
race towards the sunny south beyond. with the
roaring torrent below, is calculated to inspire
even the otherwise least impossible. And SO,
descending rapid decline, our train dashes into
the fearful depths of the Stalvedro chGsm,
through which the river has here carved its way,
and passing through several smaller tunnels
We emerge again in narrow, but cheerful
valley, greeting rs we speed along over the
green meadows divers villages on every little
plateau where sufficient space for human habi-
tation could be found. After leaving the sta
ton Of Ambrl, we soon find the valley closing up
again, and ere reaching Fiesso seem completely
hemmed in by immense mountain masses. What
next? Our altitude here is 3 104 feet, whilst
our next station, romantic Fado lies ensconced
in the apparently inaccessible gorge. Gl5 feet
below, and but 2 4S9 feet above tide water. Just
ahead OF Us we see the Tessin dart down
mighty chaSm, rent into the rocky base Of the
somber POttinO. whose
SCARED cliffs now torn asunier,
Can never more be one again.
then in succession of picturesque falls and
wild rapids reach the valley below. Here COM
mences the great Dazio gorge. in the depths of
which the engineer crosses the river and after
piercing two smaller tunnels boldly enters the
perpendicular cliffs OF the PiOttinO, to the left,
where scribing a spiral tunnel known as the Freq
gio $50 feet in length, we soon emerge, re-
cross the Tessin, on bridge OF single span, and
traversing in rapid succession two more smaller
tunnels after passing siding station, we are con-
frOnted by the massive rocky walls Of the Prato
looming far up into the sky. But nothing
daunted, the engineer has here again pierced
the mountain side, and developing another, the
PratO spiral tunnel, 5.10S feet in length, on the
west bank OF the stream, recrOsses the latter on
an iron bridge of single span, and thus after pass
ing through one additional tunnel we reach on
the left the station of Faido. The grandeur of
the view which here meets the eye can never
be forgotten when once seen. The scenery
between FiesSO and FadO
Is OVERWHELMINGLY GRAND,
and the daring of the engineer simply wonder
full. vistas far down the valley of the Tessin,
the mountain slopes and pateaus of which be-
.yond the gorge are dotted with villages and
groves Of mulberry. walnut and chestnut trees
are here constantly presenting themselves until
it would seem as though the construction of this
portion of the road was dictated rather by the
line points OF view it afforded than what was
really the fact-the Typographical difficulties to
be overcome.
From Faido southwark the valley widens
somewhat, and no serious difficulties are en-
countered until after we pass the station of
Lavorgo, in the Biaschina; the Tessin again
leaps from one shelving rock to another down
the rapid declivlty OF the valley, and the engi-
neer, to accomplish the perilOuS descent with
has this time reSOrted to two successive spiral
tunnels on the same side of the mountain. the
first known as the Piano FOndo, 49iS teet in
length, being reached by an iron viaduct 54S
feet long. resting on three immense pillars of
masonry each 90 feet high and another viaduct
OF iron 2l7 feet long, resting on like pillars from
to 81 feet high, together with heavy embank-
ments connecting the second or Travi tunnel,
5.O69 feet long, with its twin brother above.
The road then enters the station of GiOrnicO-
famous in Swiss history as the place where the
six hundred Helyetians under the lead of their
sO-called
"AyENGING ANGEL"
Frischhaus Theilig, in the winter of 147S, put to
flight 10 900 OF the troops of the Duke of Milan,
and where stands the well preserved structure
of the earlier Roman period, the church of san
Nicolo together with series of quaint old signal
towers and ruins ascrbed to the Long0bardan
era.
Again crossing the constantly increasing Tes-
sin on bridge Of elegant proportions. we soon
reach the station OF BOdiO, where ends the md
die or mountain division proper ana commences
the southern valley section of the road.
From here on past the beautifully located
Biasca and the frOwnng battlements of ancient
BelnZona TO the termini of the main stem at
Dirinella. a distance of 81 miles, there is q de-
cline of but 1868 feet, and the most notable work
OF the engineer. with the exception of five tun-
solid masonry along the TesSin and sundry
bridges crossing its eastern tributaries.
From CadenaZZO branch line crosses th e delta
like bed OF the Tessin on a securely constructed
causeway and an iron bridge, resting on five mas
sve piles of masonry 1854 feet apart within
eight miles. finds it's termn in that most inter-
esting of cities, LocarnO, gracefully spreading
itself out in the beautiful amphltheater of upper
LagO Maggiore
From GuibascO. the first station south of
Dol, ,,41,, a.
another road branches of to the east
ward, ana taking to the mountain slope
with maximum grade of 1877 feet to the mile
after passing through three tunnels and crossing
the massive PiantorinO viaduct, from which the
view is one of enchanting beauty and grandeur
enters tunnel 5,495 feet in length. emerging
from which the divide, 1,55S feet above tide
water, is crossed. and the summit station of BIZ
romeo reached. Thence the line rapidly de-
sends through the valley of the AgnO. passing
through but one small tunnel until beyond La
none. In order to surmOunt another watershed
it ascends on an incline a parapet of masonry 80
feet high, and enters the MassagnO tunnel
emerging from which the most exquisite picture
OF the route expands to view for Immediately
below, in unrivalled splend0r, lies that
PERFECT GEM OF SWISS AND ITALIAN LAKES
LUCIANO,
the city Of that name gstening like dadem
in the emerald mountain crown encircling it's
ildif clouS Dcduty. 1ueuCe TIE line ueSCenuS 2
steep decline to the lake Shore and following
its western border crosses the same at Melide
on a causeway and bridge, and hugging closely
the eastern shore. it finally leaves the lake and
passing MeudrisiO. soon reaches Chasso it's
Swiss termini, from whence it is but 2 u miles to
Como. on Italian soil.
We have thus on the whole line of the Gott-
hard railway 62 tunnels, aggregatng a total
length OF rs miles and Is bridges ana viaducts
whose united length aggregate upwards Of
10000 feet or nearly two miles.
Well is it said :-'s The nations Of the earth
with enraptured veneratiOn view this new line
of communication through the Alpine center of
Switzerland as one Of the grandest monumental
achievements of the present age and in it recog-
niZe that noblest Of all principles which can en-
gage international effort: the welfare of man.
kind IN cOmlnon!" JOHN HITZ.
An Anti-Crin0lette Crusade.
From the London Medical Press.
The crinOlette cannot, with prOpriety, be
called the thin edge of the wedge Of crinoline,
but it may, perhaps be correctly described as
the first elevation on the ascent of that noun
tain of absurdity which was such nuisance
twelve or fifteen years ago. The crinolette is
simply a ludicrOus excresence which gives an
English woman the outlines of Hottentot and