The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-16
NEW BOOKS.



The Cosnepolitan Railway-A Match sf
Americas Novels.
TM1 CosMoroIIrAN RAILWAY, CoMRAcTIne AND
sSs4s 81 Wiiiism az Cabin la s9 9 S 4
Colorado. The History Company, San Fran
cisco. 80 PIP. Royal svo.
The Russian government has ordered that
construction Of the Siberian PsciAc railroad.
from st. Petersburg 70 Petropaulovski, KAN
ns o.n D csss q b sas sssm
roads, 20 - 20 b able 70 protect her northern
border from the Cossacks. The British Column
bia parliament will soon b petttioned 70 eranta
road from Vancouver to Alaska. 30 Governor
Gilpins who foresees the completion Of : railroad
system fsOm the Atlantic coast Of America TO the
prophet. The obstacle 70 s. encountered Be-
tween Seattle and st. Petersburg are not more
appalling than those presented by the Rocky
Of lS40, when Governor Gilpin was urging PEG
pie 70 emigrate to the Pacific coast: Much OF
the Cosmopolitan Railway" II devoted 20
proving the fessibleness Of laying rails all.
this Il no longer disputed Governor Gtipin
does not tell how Boring strait - to be
reached except that "a railwsy connsctlns the the
nearest station In Russia, BY way Of Boring
strait must pass northward through Alaska BY
one Of two routes; that IS, either up through
the seashore. It has long been known that Be-
ring sea is shallow, vessels being able 70 anchor
in almost any part Of It. At St. Michael's there
are but five lsthoms Of watsr tns,eising; now
The average depth between lstitudes 81 and Is
falls tribe under nineteen and one-haI faith
oms: Between st. Lawrence island and Pl0ver
bay the average II thirty-dve fsthoms, ehoeltng
to nineteen fathoms on approaching the bay
itself. The bottom consists of soft mud and
sand, with here and there gravel Rugged
ana make il one Of the stiliest and safest hsr.
bon in the world. Compared with the obstruo-
lions encountered by the Central Pacific In
Pscc me a. q sn1 th
bridging Of Boring strait BY way Of the Dfomede
islands, which lie almost midway In it, narrow
est part, is by no means = difacult achieyement.
Siberian Pacific railr0ad) has good. deep bar.
Dor well set In among the hills, with long spit
In front. The climate 10 no worse than that Of
culture being BY no means impossible, hay and
vegetables reaching fun perfection during the
Siberia Governor Gilpin says: "In 1866 an ex-
lifted out q San Francisco ior exploration
under Colonel Bulkley, Of the United State:
the proposed line. OF this expedition Frederick
Whymper was member. Alter two years OF
labor and an expenditure Of 100000 the pro-
able difficulties in the way, but owing to the
completion of the trans Atlantic cable. Whym-
per says: Icebergs, properly SO called, are
Vsns ss currents ss strongly nso the Arctic
ocean, not from It. The real obstacle IN the way
of our enterprise, especially in British Columbia
and the larger part Of Alaska, was the existence
OF densely -timbered ground, where, In wintry
storms, or by the process OF natural decay, the
trees might be expected to fall ON the telegraph
The work contains . number Of handsome
maps.
CElouErrE. By Ludovic Halwy. Translated
BY Arthur D. Hall Chicago: Rand, Mentally
A bright, fanciful. touching French story,
which has been rendered with delicate touch
by the translator. The career OF . child Of
genius, who rises from flower girl to leading
actress, by gifts which are no rarer than the
purity Of heart and tender loyalty that finally
brought her1orrow and death. 1t - romance
that might be true, and in its fidelity 70 nature
pictures from the streets Of the provincial town,
the dressing-rOOms and stage OF the theater, the
homes of the people, are done with the brush OF
apart through the long gallery. II not the great
est Of the authors works II IL one Of the most
delightful, and ito heroine will hold q place in
forgotten. The publishers have made q more
volume than 10 usually presented In
cheap covers, the large, handsome type and good
paper making it worthy of better binding.
Two MEN OF THE WORLD. By Harriet True
Bates. New York: G. w. Dillingham;. For
sale In Seattle by Lowman 4 Hsnford. ,ax
A novel that begins with Islander of the stage
and hardly makes amends for the false state
ments Gin all the pages following. There are
many true things in the book, and two or three
admirable characters, but a. whole It 10 not
pleasant reading. That there are many men
who make playthings OF the women who love
and trust them is certain; that there are many
women who, possessed Of Hilda's gifts, would
not probable The story might have had fewer
dark shadows, and the shutting down of the
clouds at the end might have been changed to
the dawn of q radiant morning, but the story
would have been quite another thing in that
case. The author has valid claims to recogni.
ton in the charms OF her style, which is much
day which have been widely read She Is
capable Of work better In every way than this
story.
HEB HUSBANDS FRIEND BY Albert Ross. New
York G. w. Dillingham;. For sale in Seattle
by Lowman Il Hanford.
young man of wealth, education and rare
and originality of thought, who
marries country girl in a fit of piQue because
he cannot have the one woman who Is his ideal
in every way, il the chief instrument Of evil In
this story His desertion OF his bride immedi-
ately after the wedding, and continued absence,
fitted up for the woman who bears his name,
gives opportunity for the Introduction of the
friend, who wrecks the home while he means
only to comfort ana make ls., happy, the lonely
lineatiOn of character, and while he has hit on
three or four people who are far removed from
the throng and made them the prominent
figures In his story, much OF his work Il hap
PLY done. The scraps of argument given in
many of the scenes are no addition to the
strength OF the story, and have little bearing
upon the plot. The novel is not fascinating, but
exciting; not artistic, but strong.
A Gop OF GOTHAM. By Lee Bascom. New York:
CIV. Dillingham;. For sale in Seattle By Low.
This Is said to bs . romance from the life of
weil-known actress. There is much of the
theater in the book. The conversations are
stacy, the descriptions OF beautiful scenes re.
mind one OF painted canvas and the lavish
wealth Of the property room, aud there is some.
the persons in the story. The heroine is indeed
a hayward girl, but does not deserve her fate
and the momentary pang it gives the hero.
story, and the last scene, in their cosy home. il
one OF the really good things In the book.
The Magazines.
The series Of papers on Gettysburg opens in the
February number of the North American Reuie,c.
with contributions from the Count of Paris,
General Howard, General Slocum and General
Doubleday, and Ill are rich in Renaissance.
Justin Mccarthy writes OF the deposition of
Mr.. Parnell," and tells the story of the great
leaders deliberate plunge into whirlpool from
the case for his friends and their policy Is some.
thing more than piece of fine writing: il ID
calm, judicial and patriotic The somewhat in
congruous bringing. together of Ouida and
"Has Christianity Failed?" There is little choice