Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-04
Preliminary steps Already Taken In an En-
terprise of Vast Magnitude.

terprise of Vast Magnitude.
Before long the project of m all-rail
route between America and Europe,
thus virtually connecting the two hemi-
spheres, will receive the attention OF
minds given TO the promotion of great
enterprises. Preliminary steps in this
direction have. according to the Pitts
burg Dispatch, already been taken in
procuring expert opinions on the route.
1t is not believed that the engineering
difficulties are at all insurmOuntable,
the main question being a financial one
rather than otherwise. Leaving the
United States at some point on the
northwestern boundary of the state OF
Washington the proposed line would be
located some distance inland from but
parallel with the Pacific coast, travers-
ing northward through British Column
bia, then leaving the Dominion. enter
Alaska. cross tho Yukon river and
touch Boring strait at Cape Prince OF
Wales.
This strip of water that divides east
ern Asia from Alaska, aud is the link
that unites the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, is only thirty-six mile, wide and
i~nterspersed with islands. between
which are considerable expanses of in-
%tervening water, but which seldom ex-
coed n depth Of ninety felt. Govern
ment soundings have been taken across
the strait and the ocean floor found to
be of substantial rock. Once across the
strait, Siberian Russia is encountered,
and. passing the coast of the Gulf Of
Anadir, the road would touch the Arctic
circle, defect southwestward, crossing
the Lena river. then on. continuing in
a diagonal direction through h Rus
sian empire into the orient. y branch
road of less than 1900 miles may diverge
from the main line, go southwark be-
yond the domains OF the car, swing
round the great desert OF OBJ. penetrate
into the dense populations OF china and
her southern satellites, and thus
connect with the great network of celes-
tial railway systems which the loud
neighing of the international iron steed
shall call into existence. The scheme,
when fully matured, may embrace the
commercial control of Hindoostan. AT
ghanis:an and Persia sweep the entire
Levsnt, and. leaving the home of the
Euroclydon. would then be ready to
penetrate eastern Europe, and, following
the setting sun, Join the rails of our
kinsmen on the western side of the con
tinent.
The strong point for the people of the
United States in the construction of this
road is the rail connections with our
SAlhShdh pUoStSsluliS dllu III opening VI
of what bids fair to prove imp ecedented
mineral and other wealth. We are also
brought to the long chain of Aleu-.
tian islands. that we acquired with the
purchase of Alaska. which chain *
tends 50 far westward beyond Asia that,
when the evening shadows lengthen or
our most western land. the morning
rays already strike ~Passamaquoddy
bay, gliding the headlands on the
eastern coast of Maine. Some OF
these islands have an area as large
as Pennsylvania, and being tempered
with favoring isothermal lines, abound
with the finest grazing. The road once
built, the nov disciplined disciples o
agriculture from the older autonomy
can retire to these islands, which are
peculiarly adapted to wool growing
where they can engage in producing thii
invaluable commodity and mediate OF
progress.
To our Canadian cousins this stupen
dous project can also be presented il
most glowing colors. 1t will give then
communication with and market TO
vast areas of the finest timber. give
them access to their great ~fur-bearinl
ountry and will apply the ax of settle
ment to their great northern wilder
ness. On the Siberian side of the strait
in addition to the immense deposits O
ivory and bones, the remains Of myriad
of the colossal creatures of the pre-gla
cial world, there are the i~neXhaustibl
mines worked by the Siberian exile:
and this entire region, while cold an
inhospitable. is literally a magazine O
wealth, a cold storage of the measure
less product of a former and more gen
erous age.
a PiucKy Orderly.
On the evening Of the 9th of Nav