Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-23
MIGHTY ROADS OF NORWAY
Stone Highways Built at an
Enormous Expense.
THE DRAMMENS Vel OF BERGEN
And the Wonderful Rock
Road of Bjerkager.


LONDON, Nov. 12.-lraYel IN Norway
has some unusual and many exceedingly |
interesting phases. II was a surprising
thing to learn that more than one hun
dred thousand tourists now visit this
northern land every summer. The |
country possesses comparatively few |
miles of railway. Consequently all
routes Of travel are practically by high |
ways and waterways. More than a |
quarter of a century since it was seen
that tourists, and particularly European |
tourists, in search of scenic marvels,
were firing of Switzerland; were turning |
their faces towards the midnight sun;
and were even penetrating to the most
remote fields and glacier. fields. Nor
way Immediately set about making
travel within her rugged boundaries
not only possible to all by expensive
bodybuilding, but systematic and
reliable as between all carriers and
landlords and the tourist public.
This road building involved enormous
expense and many splendid feats of en-
cheering.
The grand Norwegian roads, while
they are more numerous and expen-
sively built in proportion to population,
than those of any other European coun-
try, have not that peculiar sentimental
interest attaching to the highways of
many other European regions, and to
be found in all the Latin countries.
They possess no roadside shrines; nor
are lowly pilgrim bands ever seen upon
them The pilgrimages here are all to
natures mighty shrines. Three exam
pies will indicate their stupendous char
acter and added impressiveness from
winding along, or within some of the
NEST beautiful and majestic scenery all
Europe affords.
The Drammens Vel Tor DRAINS Way,
because built for the revenues from
liquor licenses), of Bergen, is one of the
finest roadways in the world. 1t is cut
ont of the sides of the mighty Floifjeld
rising above the city. Five tremendous
bends are required to reach the summit.
For its entire distance, where not blasted
from the solid rock, the bed consists
first of heavy boulders, then huge slabs
of granite, and finally a thick covering
of cement and gravel. The escarped
sides are of solid masonry, often 90 30
and so feet high along their facades, to
secure sufficient roadbed above; and the
outer edges of nearly the entire Vel are
protected by huge pointed rocks set up
right at regular intervals. The outlook
from any of its bends, comprising the
red-roofed city, the frozen heights to the
north, the bay, the seaward countless
islands and the thunderous ocean be.
yond, is not surpassed in Europe.
Near Bierkager, in the Trondhjem
district is another wonderful roadway
For its entire length of several miles II
has been blasted from solid rock. The
necessary dislodgements were often sc
.xt, u ,n &c
mighty conyulsion of nature. The steep
mountain slope rises thousands of fee
above you to the one side while below
you, at the other, is tremendous gorge
nearly thousand feet in depth, with {
wild torrent raving and bowling on ii
way to the distant ford. At the outei
bends of the road overlooking the gorg,
and torrent, the scenery is indescribably
somber and grand. Huge upright masse
of rock are set in masonry along tn
M outer edge. And it is along such grue
some ways as these that the little MOI
Il wegian ponies clatter at break.necl
speed, as you breathlessly cling TO you
rickety carriole.
Descending from the upland ride
from Vossevangen, through the famou
N@rodal to Gudvangen, the last fey
miles of your journey will bring you
still greater combined marvel Of roa
building and magnificent scenery. Til
head of the valley is walled by mour
Tain masses about 1900 feet high. Fror
This altitude mountain tops of 5000 an
900 feet high are reached by gentle
slopes. The great cliff or klev, Gale
here the Stalheim, is the head Of III
chasm or valley gorge which final
M opens out upon Gudyangen and til
# N@rofjord, the famous somber branc
of the Sogne. The lower level of tn
chasm is reached by splendid feat {
engineering. The road is carried g
echelle down the face of the cliff from
height of 1900 feet in 26 zig-zag angle
of wide and easy sweep at the angles
return. AS each corner of this road
rounded, there is alternate view n,
only of this grand deiile and snoy
capped mountains behind and abov
but of those famous waterfalls, II
6talheimfos and the Sivlefos; the form
falling without break for over 10
feet, and the latter for a tumble
nearly the same distance. When "
have reached the bottom OF the Sta
helm gorge, an enormous cone of gr'
felspar, the phantom-like Jordalsnv
lifts it cowled head 1900 feet into Il
cloud-mists above.
The universal mode of travel alo
these Norwegian roads is by carrie
in all my own excursions on foot ii
the interior districts, never saw tour
or native walking upon the highwa
as you will see them in England
Switzerland. The only exception "
where groups of peasants were maxi
their way from one gard or far
house, or field or saeter, to anoth
Travellers never walk; and the bender
farmer, and nearly all the peasant fl
do most OF their necessary travelling
the carriole or stoll-cart. Both are N
wegian institutions dlstinctively.
particle is something like combinat
OF the American "sulky" and the Ri
lish trap--perhaps more like "t
horse shay" It is two-wheeled, k
and its long shafts, terminating
back Of the axle, form springs for
l seat which is in front of the axle.
seat is low; you are compelled
straighten out your legs, as though
were sitting upon the floor; and y
feet thus Just reach a stout little da
board This has the advantage of la
Ing you upon your feet, in case o
breakdown, instead Of upon your he
ps when dog-cart or trap goes to pie
The vehicle is nicely balanced and
but one seat. Consequently you n
be passenger and driver in one; tho
little projection behind the axle sci
for O place upon which to strap y
III luggage, if 1t be as modest as q \
HI Rcgan travellers should be, and also
h perch for the sunhy-faced, garrul
lad tba Nslr uduutb pr f,oet. bOV who