Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-20
/ MARrEL of RAILBolDiNG
swiss Railway which climbs TO Il
NriRhI OF NRHJ EeeI.


Thousands of tourists annual, visit tina
favorite resort in Switzerland, the charm
ing little city Of l.ucerue One of the most
impressive views there is the imposing
form Of Mount platus, with its rugged and
serrated peak towering behind the beauti-
full shores Of the lake Viewed from the
shore. pila;us-or, as the natives pronounce
| it, Patis- appears as "A beautifully pro
portioued cone, terminating in grayish
white apex called the Esel-which means
the Ass; IA vulgar corruption. 10y the way,
Of the ancient name Etzel. designation
expressive of ruggedness and wild grandeur
/ But. " hlle tins appears the highest point,
| there is another peak ii little to the west,
/ the rumlshorn, which is really the summit,
the heights being respectively $3.50 feet
aud & ggs feet above sea level But the
| Esel is the more conspicuous peak.
Two enterprislug engineers Of Zurich.
/ Colonel locher and NJ r.. Guyer Freuer
conceived the startling idea of construct
ns "a railway to that uoiut, which has been
constructed and ha, been worked, to the
surprise aud wonder Of tourists during the
past summer.
The starting point of the railway is at
Alpnach Stand From the lake shore up
ward the foundation consist, uf a continu
Gus wall of solid masonry, covered Within
mem,- slab, Of granite All the arches arr
Of masonry there being no dangerous iron
bridges The super structure is of iron
and steel. braced and bolted to the masonry
yard by yard
The rack rai runs midway between tn"
two smooth rails hut at somewhat higher
level 1t l. wrought Of steel, and has Il
double row Of vertical cogs milled of solid
steel bars Every engine aud carriage ha,
two horizontal cog wheels. which grippe the
raised rail on either side The brake can
be applied III a moment, aud there are. be
sides, vigorous automatic brakes. The
locomotive aud the carriage, with fonr
compartments, each seating eight persons,
is one piece of rolling stock The boiler is
placed cross wise All the material is
Swiss
The speed, both in ascending and in lie
scending is o. yards a minute the mean
gradient being - in 100 and the maximum
- in 100 The actual length Of railway is
nearly three miles .l.Oig yards the work
Of construction having occupied two short
summers only, rs last winter tunneling
work could only be carried ON, and this at
all altitude Of i 900 feet, where the cold
was intense The cost has been so, 600
1t might Ice added that glance at the
train will satisfy the most timid rs regards
safety
Leaving the terminus, the first point Of
special interest is the Wuiort Ravinr, SD
yards distant. where water Is taken in Here
"A grand view is afforded Of the Alpnach Bay.
right under our feet Then follows the
Wolfort Tunnel. and climbing the slope,
fine views are encountered till the Spycker
Tunnel is passed and the Aemsigen Alp
plateau is reached, whore is the turntahe
for the crossing Of up and down trains.
Now begins the ascent Of the steep Esel
wand, in fact, the mountain wall, where,
at AN altitude of Il, 200 feet, no less than
four consecutive tunnels pierce the huge
body of the Esel, and between the second
and third the grand Alpine panorama, with
its glittering snowy peaks, extending from
Appenzell 10 the Bernese Oberland. is sud
denly unveiled to our astonished gaze.
The line now rounds rocky corner, and
as if making final squirt, the engine emitS
a shrill whistle. that echoes and re echoe,
from crag to crag, as it ascendS the last
aud steepest incline, aud enters, through
lofty archway, building at the base of the
topmost pinnacle This is the Pilatus
Kuhn station, the upper terminus.
We are j,3i4 feet above the shores Of the
lake of lucerne, down Wonder, and turn
ing the corner of the old inn We gaze in
establishment and awe into the terrible
abysses below 1t is not in our province to
describe in detail the view from the sum
init. Suffice it to say that it embraces the
most beautiful uplands, the most rugged
and awe inspiring mountain scenery, blue
lakes aud rivers winding like silvery
threads among forest-crowned ridges and
fertile plains while from east to west IA
frame is formed 10y the lofty glistening
peaks Of the snowy Alps-a view that is
hardly surpassed in the world Illustrated
LoHdoH NelrS.