The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-08-31
AROUND THE WORLD BY RAIL.

When Kansas was first settled few
see a railway constructed across the
plains TO the Rocky Mountains Fewer
still believed that any railroad would
ever be built through the mountains in
which the explorer Fremont not only
got lost but suffered. The early miners
Of California Gulch, now Leadville,
railway should reach Denver Now
railways run everywhere through the
Rocky Mountains. Leadville, located
on the backbone of the continent, itself,
has two roads, as has Cripple Greek.
which five years ago was considered al
most inaccessible. The San Juan coun-
were lost and perished, has had its rail
road for years. 1t won't be long before
the countries of all South America will
be connected with all points of the
United States by rail. SO all this talk
that no railroad can ever be built TO the
klOndyke is childish talk. Railroads
will be built through Alaska in many
directions should the country prove to
be valuable in gold or other minerals
1t is not impossible that the future
roads of Alaska will be the links in a
line that shall reach Europe by rail- The
route that has been talked of by rail
way engineers and contemplated by
promoters is across Bering Strait, then
by bridge across 10 Little Diomede
Island. Big Diomede Island, thence 10
Cape Nuniamo, thence west and south
To connect with the Trans Siberian rail-
way, now being constructed by Russia.
Promoters of this railroad scheme talk
of it as if it were simply To build a
short gap between the western ter
minus of the Northern Pacific and the
eastern terminus of the Trans Siberian
railroad. a few facts in regard to this
gap may be interesting 10 people who
have never investigated the subject.
From Seattle TO the Southeasternmost
land Of Alaska there is a stretch of |
about 90 miles through British territory.
The railroad through Alaska would ira |
verse distance Of some !. 400 miles be-
fore the east side of Bering strait was
reached. This would be across the |
Alaskan mountains and through the |
Yukon country, as difficult and no more |
OF engineering as the most difficult en- |
gineering problems solved when Ameri- |
cas- uans-continentaI lines were built.
The strait is some forty-five or fifty |
miles wide and the water is not very
deep. so that a bridge constructed on |
the plan Of the twenty Queen
and Crescent bridge across Lake Pont- |
chartrain would not be impossible.
But the gap would not he overcome
by several furlongs after the eastern
most cape Of Asia was reached by
bridge. The eastern terminus of Rms
sia's Trans-Siberian railroad is 10 be
at Port Arthur, and then there is 10 be
another terminus at Nladivostok. From
Fort Arthur, as the crow flies. is about
GOO miles From Vladivoslok. by the
shortest possible route that could be
out with rule and pencil on 4
map that describes the land between
Y Nladivosrok and Bering strait. o,7o0
miles are measured. The engineering
necessary for railroad between The
eastern terminus of the Siberian rail
way and Bering strait would be lust as
as that through the difficult
Yukon country.
Thus II will be seen that the little gan
that the engineers are 10 construct be |
tween tne western terminus of the
Northern Pacific and eastern terminus
or the ns-Siberian railroad, in order
to carry passengers overland 10 Europe.
only amounts TO about 1. 200 miles. or TO
Port Arthur 10 $500 miles.