The morning call., 1894-07-18
TO JUNGFRAU'S TOP.
An Electric Road to Be Built on the
Dangerous Swiss Peak.

That electricity makes it possible and prac
ticable 10 build a raroad where the use OF
horses is gu: OF the question and the use OF
steam is impracticabIe and too costly Is shown
very well in the bold project which is reported
from Switzerland. Permission has Just been
ask ed from the Government OF that republic 70
build an electric railroad 10 the top OF the
magnificent Juugfrau, one of The grandest,
highest and most admired OF the suowclad Alps
IN the Be nese group.
Those who have never seen this mountain
may obtain an idea Of The difficulties involved
when they consider that IL Is a Jagged noun
tam, on which avalanches are so numerous
that the traveller on the opposite hills Is often
repaid by waiting to see one, Until not very
long ago the ascent Of the mountain was con-
sldrTed Impossible and number of lives were
lost III the numerous attempts, and even now
II should be attempted only by expert climbers
In company with expert guides, and requires
two days for he round trip.
TO build railroad on such mountain is a
project which only Swiss would dare TO make,
and the able and fearless engineers which that
little country has turned out leaves little doubt
that the project can be carried out success
fully, though we venture TO predict not without
the loss Of lives in the attempt Even the lower
end OF this proposed railroad, near The we'll
known and favOrite resort, the Wengern
Alp, is not very far below the eternal snow
line, so that almost the entire road will be
through the regions of the eternal snow fields {;
much OF II, II not most of ii, must therefore be
tunneled or protected from The frequent snow
d
the solid rock. An isolated rocky promin ence
200 feet below the top and free from snow is
10 form the upper terminal of the railroad the
rest OF the journey to the top being made by an
electric elevator, probably through shaft
The road Will terminate on a plateau free
from snow, almost IA, 900 feet above the level
OF the sea and about 200 feet below the ton
For this last portion there Is TO be an elevator
The t0ial length is ABOUT seven and a half miles
The power for the current Is TO be furnished
by the mountain streams. The first potion of
the road is 10 be finished in two years, and the
rest in he following TWO years. 1t is to cost
S1,500,00O neighboring water power Of
1910 horse power, 1t is thought will be SUI
fcent. More than one scheme has been pro-
posed 10 make the top of this noun
tain accessible to the numerous travellers
whose nerve, muscle and purse ara not
equal to the requirements OF the old-fashioned
way of climbing this mountain. One OF these
originating. we believe, in England, was to
tunnel horizontally into the heart of the noun.
tain. and from there up To he TOD by vertical
shaft. Electricity now makes it possible 10
adopt more feasible and less expensive plan
over much more picturesque ana attractive
route using neghbOIing waterfalls in place of
expensive coal. AS the lower end OF he route
is already accessible by rack and plnlon rail-
roads, an invalid will then be able 10 ride In
his chair from any city of the continent TO the
top of the Jungfrau.-Phiadelp Record.