New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TWELVE THOUSAND MILES BY SPECIAL
TRAIN.

CALIFORNIA AMP ALASKA, and over the CANADIAN a1
Pacific Railway. BY William seward webb ROYAL
6vo, PIP. 100. Illustrated q. 4. fu'haih 3 0ohS'
The multiplication of railroad comforts ana
conveniences has made travelling so swirl ana
easy that long journeys seem insignificant even
TO those who make them, and it constantly BE-
comes more difficult to achieve genuine feat OF
locomotion. Private cars fly back and forth
across the continent without exciting comment
or attracting observation, and the traveller who
brings home something worth the attention even
~ his friends is to be congratulated. But the
cxnedition which DR.. William Seward Webb or
canized and accomplished without a mlsunder-
standing or an accident last year must be SET
down az an extraordinary performance, ana ne
Is amply justified in preserving permanent
record of its success. The newspapers at the
time described the departure of the party and the
ARRANGEMENTS for their comfort and progress, ana
noted occasional incidents of the journey, but 1t
remained for DR.. Webb himself to write an eX-
tended account of the undertaking, which has
now been published by G. p. Putnam's Sons in
letter-press edition Of 500 copies IL was NAM
raj that the writer should desire TO keep for his
immediate satisfaction and for the purpose OF
future reference and suggestion diary of his
experiences. and this was all that his first in
@cntion covered but after his return consd-
Grafton of the unusual character Of the journey
and the persuasons of those who accompanied
him led him to expand the record to volume
and TO nut it in a durable and delightful form.
The marty numbered twelve persons, exclusive
NJ servants and railroad employees, and the jour
ney was made in vestibuled TRAIN of four prl-
va+e ears which ran as a special from start TO
finish independent of timetables and altogether
under Dr. Webb's control 1t was fitted with mani
fold appliances for safety. comfort and diversion,
and was, in fact, commodious, attractive ana ex-
tremely cheerful home 10 which the travellers
became much attached, and in which they found
greater ease and more conveniences than most of
the hotels on their route could have given them
Starting from the Forty-secondst. station in this
CITY. they travelled rapidly and with few stops to
Southern California. Then they went north-digres-
sing and halting as it pleased them-to San Fran
cisco and Portland. whence they turned eastward
Tbev trayersed the western half of the continent
four times, and mere allusion TO Omaha, Dem
YER Santa Fe Santa Monica. Los Angeles. Mon
terey the Yosemite. the Golden Gate. Portland
Helena, ST. Paul, Winnipeg, Vancouver. and their
long voyage by special steamer through Alaskan
waters to the foot of the Muir Glacier, will sug-
pest the magnitude of their undertaking and the
variety Of scenes and experiences which 1t brought
them. The return was made by the CANADIAN
Pacific, and the party separated at LIT. Weoo
country-seat in Vermont.
No elaborate or ambitious description IS IN
cluded in this volume. 1t narrates with entire
simplicity of language the incidents which lett
the deepest impression upon the writer's mind,
and which therefore naturally found place III
his diary DR.. Webb is a good observer ana MS
memoranda could not fail TO interest much
larger circle than that TO which their perusal
must necessarily he confined. The organizer OF
this notable expedition possessed, as prominent
railroad Official not only unusual facilities for
anticipating every requirement and procuring
every service that could aid its progress, but also
an exceptional appreciation Of the obstacles 10 Ne
overcome. of the foresight and caution and saga
city upon which safe and pleasurable 1raVei
under such conditions depends. Several feats OF
the rail, including few extraordinarily last
runs over long distances, are briefly recorded;
and they suggest a regret that so competent
witness did not tell us more about what might
be called the professional aspects of the Journey
The complicated and delicate mechanism con
stantly readusted TO meet every possible contln-
aency. which not only makes such an under
taking possible but performs it without delay or
uncertainty or even the most Trivial accident or
irritation is miracle of organization.
The volume is illustrated with four India
proof etchin.s and nearly hundred full-paPc
photographers, and is in every particular a beau
tiful and admirable example Of the book makers
art.