The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-16
A Belt Railroad Around the World.

well known as the author of the "Im.
pending Crisis" has been identified fol
some years with a plan for railroad to
Central and South-in one commercial
confederacy. Through excursion
trains could be run from New York to
summer resorts in the Andes, and RE
Janeiro could get its genuine Paris bon
nets and authentic French champagnei
direct from the makers in Division street
and the Bowery. A bill on the subject
has been introduced in the House OF
Representatives by Mr.. Belford, whose
disposition is as sanguine as the color
of his hair. But it does not seem thai
he has been too hopeful in this matter.
The task probably presents no greater
difficulties of engineering than the con.
struction of the Pacific railroads, and
so good an authority as Mr.. Evarts sug.
gests in q letter to Mr.. Helper that
the only defect in his plans is that it is
not comprehensive enough. MIR. Evarh
says:
"But why confine the enterprise Of
railroad connection to the two Ameri.
can continents. when Asia and Europe
may also be embraced within colOs.
sal system Of worldwide improve
ment?
1T is only thirty miles across Behring
Strait. 1t is 5000 miles across the At
lantic ocean. The inevitable monotony
and increasing peril of long voyages in
ships of ever-guestiOnable stanchness
are becoming quite insufferable. Were
l now as young as my own children, !
should expect to live to enjoy the pleas
ure of visiting and running over Europe
by way of Alaska, Siberia and Russia.
Thenceforth, most travellers from the
United States, whether for business OF
pleasure, would contemplate journey.
ing to Europe, Asia and South America,
or to any one of those grand divisions
of our globe. by land.
THAT the incomparably greater in
struction and delight in intercontinent-
al travel thus anticipated are in reserve
for countless numbers of those among
us who as yet have attained only to
the period Of what is commonly called
middle life I do not deem an extrava-
giant expectation. The railway age, an
age of unparalleled national and inter-
national progress, is now upon us, and
is likely to remain with us indefinitely.
Its progress will not cease until Buenos
Ayres and Bombay, Santiago and st.
Petersburg. Panama and Vienna, Mext.
co and Madrid, San Francisco and Ber-
lin, New Orleans and Paris, New York
and London, and all the other CREST
cities of the great continents shall have
been firmly and forever bound together
in bands of steel. I sincerely hope you
may have. as you deserve, early and
complete success in your transcen-
dental!y grand and merisorious enter
prise"
We hope Mr.. Helper will feel sure
that Mr.. Evarts is entirely serious. We
confess to having some misgivings our
selves. But why shouldn't he be
serious? 1t was long ago proposed that
the Russian Government should build n
railroad through Siberia, and a trans
continental railroad in Africa is an old
idea of the French. Think of going to
Europe without seasickness! 1t is
curious that with all the prescriptions
against the annoying ailment no one
ever thought of prescribing Behring
Strait. The dose could be easily taken,
and would be effectual. And from
that point on to the Bay of Biscay il
would be easy travelling in parlor cars.
with an occasional change of con-
ductors when the train struck stratum
of new languages. In fact, the only
real obstacle to belt railroad around
the world is the Atlantic Ocean. and,
with some boring done under the British
Channel, he would be rash man who
would predict that there will never be
submarine railway between Ireland and
Newfoundland y Tribune.