New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
AP MONT BLANC BY ELEVATOR
THE DARING PROPOSITION OF A
FRENCH ENGINEER
4 VERTICAL ASCENT OF MORE THAN MILE
AND a HALF-TIIE BOTTOM OF THE
SHAFT REACHED BY \ TUNNEL
THREE AND a HALF
MILES LONG.

MILES LONG.
From The extreme western part OF Switzer-
land Lake Geneva and n strip Of adjacent ter
ritory 3raject like the caves OF a house. Under
meath. and reaching eastward. lies the pict
urcsQue province Of iIaute Savoe, in which
arc found the famous valley and village Cha
mount. and the lofticst uplift in Europe. Mont
Elanc. The monarch Of the Alps has jus. been
brought afrcsh TO the attention OF tourists by
The startling proposition OF a French engineer.
NJ. Paul Issartier. Of Marsees
There was a time when Mount Washington
and Pixies Peak were assembled with the utmost
difficulty. part OF the way on the backs Of
horses Dr. mules. but much Of the distance on
foot. Now may 60 To their very SUBMITS
by rail Mont Blanc is not only much higher.
but more difficult OF ascent than either OF these
Any project for enabling the ordinary tourist
70 Stand on it's top without preliminary exer-
ton Is auIacious in the extreme. At any rate.
n. Issartiers suggestion so appears at first.
but it would be premature to pronounce it i'm
practicable. In view Of the probable cost OF
TIE work. it is excusabe to doubt whether the
enterprise would pay for itself Some engineer
ing problems are raised which cannot be salts
facturily answered offhand. And one cannot
help asking how far mountain Sickness -
OF high attitudes. would probably be expert
enccd by tourists who should undergo change
OF level amounting to over two miles within As
many hours
on the other hand. there can he no question
es 10 the desirability Of extending the delights
OF the view from the summit OF Mont Blanc to
thousands Of apprecaiye people whose health.
strength and pluck are not equal TO those Of
Bamat and Garrett =. Serviss.
From Geneva "A railroad already extends in a
southeastcrly direction. up the valley Of the
Arye. through Ciuscs 20 st. Gcrvnis. a distance
Of about thirty-fve miles. This line is nO"
being carried on 10 ChamOun. dozen miles
further. NJ. Issartier has IN contemplation
three other schemes tor the benefit OF tourists.
The first is to a great extent independent u
the remaining two and is likely 10 h" carried
into immediate execution.
II Is proposed TO build "funicular road"
from Les touches. a staiion on the line just
mentioned and up the slopins side ~ Mont
Blanc. to "A plateau commanding magnificent
view Of the valley. The starting point Is about
three miles from ChAmouni aud the road VIII
be 1885, feet long considerably over mile.
The grade viii br steep. Les liouchrs ~ only
about 3 400 feet above sea level. and the other
terminus II the "funicular" road is To have an
altitude # 6SeS feet. The term "funculIr" IL
usually applied To roads operated by cable.
but this particular one is 10 resemble that
which climbs Mount Washington. where a huge
gear wheel the locomotive fits into rack
boltcd to the ties The engine on Mont Blanc.
though. will be driven by electric power. and
not by steam. Of The waterfalls OF the
upper Arve being utilized for that purpose
NJ. Issartier's other plans are to run tun-
mel into he side Of the mountain. starting from
the plateau on which his funicular road ends
and reaching inward to point directly under
the summit. and then to cut vertical elevator
shaft to the top. The tunnel would be very
nearly horizontal rising only about ak hundred
feet in a distance Of three and a half miles
1S S;i feet 10 be exact This part Of the work
would present no novel features. and could be
performed easily
But the elevator shaft is a very different
matter The summit of Mont Blanc. allowing
for the removal Of over one hundred feet Of
snow is II. 700 feet above sea level Tn" tun-
mel is expected to terminate 7 800 feet above the
sea The vertical shaft which NJ. IssartIcr has
in view. therefore. would have a length u
$500 feet or more than 4 mile and half The
operation Of an elevator IN such "A shaft would
he a tremendous Undertaking. IL is by no
means certain that il could be- done Entirely
aside from that question. however. the engineers
would be compelled 10 spive other and more
serious problems Hundreds Of perpendicular
shafts have been sunk. for mining and other
purposes IL the past ard even though this
one were to De considerably deeper. iis con
structiOn would be easy enough but for one fact.
All OF the others were dug from the top. NJ.