Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-26
SOCIETY ON A SLUMP
Dull Days Strike the Followers of Dame
Grundy Very EfeCtually'
EXODUS TO EUROPE ON The lNCREhs:
sights tho Visitor to Switzerland VIII ha'o
In store Marriage of Member OF
The lee stan-Chat OF Well
known Men and Women.

Known Men and Women.
People going abroad this summer anu
travelling anywhere near Switzerlanu Will
want to see the magnificent doings when are
TO make the railway up the Jungrau
reality About fifty years ago, when France,
England and America we're already coVereu
with a network of railways, George Stepheh-
son was invited to go to Switzerland 10 give
the benefit Of tis experience in the matter oil
the construction of railways in country 80
much cut up by mountains and rivers. sew
eral companies then set about constructing
lines of railways in places which lent them-
selves the more easily to such enterprises
but 1t was never contemplated then that
day would come when even the most lnsnr-
mountable obstacles would be conquered
when the highest points would be stormeu
and carried, and the deepest chasms bridged'
Since then many climbing railways have been
constructed in the mountains OF SWltHer-
land-funicular railways and others OF tha'
now familiar type which ascend helghts py
means of cog wheels gripping center rali'
but all uniform in one respect, IN that they
utilized steam or hydraulic power. The ran
way up the Rigi, with its interlocking wheels
sufficiently demonstrated the suPei ,oii i'y VI
this SYSTEM whether regarded from
a practical point of view or IN
the light Of such purely per
sonal point of view as safety, but dis,
advantage has always been the smoke ana
dirt and the weight of the coal and water
which the engines are compelled to carry
But science now makes such rapid strides
that 1t could not in any case have been
long before a satisfactory alternative was
available, and this is now found in electricity,
lntth thAr lxyu nr
and readily conveyed to any convenient dis
tance One of the first electrical mountain
railways was constructed on Mount Saleve
in Geneva.
The concession for constructing a railway of
this description, starting from Scheidogg and
trayersng the interior OF the heights OF the
Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, at the summit OF
which II emerges into daylight by means OF
a lift was granted by the Swiss government,
after long debate, at the end CT last year.
The railway is more than eight miles long,
and rises to height of $3.50 feet, the gradient
varying from l to 26 PER cent. Ine lift in
the center of the cone of the Jungfrau has to
rise ZIG feet. With the exception OF the sta
tion at the point Of departure, all the other
stations, to the number Of six, are bored in the
solid rock. The exits communicate with path
ways, by means of which travellers alightlng
can finish the ascent of the peaks on foot
These stations are complete with every luxury
possible, containing dining rooms and minia-
ture bed rooms, like cabins on American
liners The lift to the summit OF the jung
frau consists Of an enormous tube fitted into
the vertical hole sunk in the rock. Within
this iron tube the cage ascends and descends,
worked by a dynamo, which in turn derives
its power from a hydraulic motor utilizing the
waters of Lake Luchinen in the Lauterbrun-
Within the tube is a winding staircase,
so that travellers not caring to use the lift
may reach the summit of the mountain on
foot. The tunnels, galleries, restaurants and
lift are all lighted with the electric light and
1t is even anticipated that the carriages may
be warmed by the same means. 1t is
scarcely necessary to say that the stations are
all in communication by telegraph and tele-
phone with the world below.
A recent foreign correspondent has evil
IDENTIFY not been favoraby impressed by the
charms of English ladies. Nothing could be
more ridiculous, he declares, than the fancy
portrait Of an English woman as seen in the
minds eye Of a Frenchman who knows moth
ing of England. Musset said ''as cold as an
Englishwoman," and the French picture her
a creature with enormous feet, jaw like
that of a gorilla, bony hands and fiat neck
wearing round hat, green veil, spectacles
plaid shawl and loose il-fitting stockings
drivers dress. Such an idea could only have
been produced, he declares, by hatred of Pitt
or the defeat of Waterloo. The gallant cor
resi- oldent proceeds to com are Englis hwomer
tage of the former What superficial observers
take for coldness in the Englishwoman, he
declares is really calmness. easy bearing
bold, grave, confident and unaffected man
ner, which excludes coquetTy in favor of per.
sonal dignity. The London woman, he adds
is brought up in a spirit of independence
which is wanting in French female educa
tion. She may appear little more mannish
perhaps, in consequence, but one gets used t
this, and one finds she is none the less pretty
or fair or fresh-coored, or graceful, or ten
der.
=. Last evening Senator John NJ -ThurstoI
gave a beautifully appointed dinner to a mum
ber OF his gentlemen friends. all of them hold
ing high positions in the railroad world. Tn,
table was picture the menu sklfully ar
ranged and artistically served. Over th
"walnuts and the wine" there was many
jolly story told, many bright bit of reparte
expressed, and the guests We're enthusiastic
with the perfect ensemble. Covers were lai,
Tor Messrs, S. II. II. Clark, Oliver w Mink E
Ellery Anderson, w. S. Pierce of New York
George w. Holdrege, w. II. Bancroft, S. w
Ecces. w. r. Kelly A. w. Krech, e. T
Smith and Erastus Young. General Manage
Dickinson of the Union Pacific could not b
present on account Il illness Gene al Manage
Burt of the Elkhorn sending regrets on aC
count Il the de tn of General John b. Hawley
surpr sed by Friends.
Mr.. and Mrs. l. p. Hicks, 2O23 Nortl
Twenty eighth avenue were very pleasant
surprised Tuesday evening on the occasio
of the tenth anniversary of their marriage
The Ancient Order of United Workme
band serenaded them from the front lawr
while about ninety friends entered from tn
rear and took possession OF the house. TIL
presents were numerous and beautiful.
Among those present were; Mr.. and Mrs
]. w. Alliome, Mr. and Mrs. A. f. GUNNER
Mr.. and Mrs. j. II. Gallagher, Mr.. and Mrs
]. Fioreln, Mr.. and Mrs. A. w. Faith an
daughter, Mr., and Mrs j. Brosman Nj
and Mrs. A. L. Meager. Mr.. and Mrs. ,
Nelson, DIR. and Mrs. N. J. Carriker, NJ
and Mrs. T. b. Kemp, Mr.. and Mrs. A. ,
Wade, Mr. and Mrs. II. l.. Boand, Mr.. an
Mrs. w. Heall. Mr.. and Mrs. T. S. Graz
Vile, Mr.. and Mrs. S. S. Jordan, Mr.. an
Mrs. w. Johnson, Mr., and Mrs. T. +