Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-07
RAILWAY TRIUMPHS ABOVE THE
CLOUDS

No branch of engineering has prob
ably made such rapid strides within
the last quarter of century as the
constr uction If mountain railways. In
deed. many Of them could bc described
Is new wonders Of the world.
The railway build over the famous
White Pass. the gateway to the kluI.-
dixie, during the summer Of 1888, was
i marvel Of engineering skill. 1t is
known as the White Pass ANA Yukon
Railway. ana commences at SkaEuay.
There is a railway journey of twenty
miles till the summit Of the pass Is
reached. over $50 feet above tn. IrVcI
of the sea. An interesting fact about
this unique railway was the quick time
in which it was built. During the lat
ter part If the summer Of 1898 TWO
shifts of men We're employed on tho line
ana on February 20. 1899. the first pas
Scnger train steamed into the little sta
ton at the summit. which was almost
buried i'll snow. The track for twenty
miles is h"wn- ont Of the solid rock.
The cost Of this short line is estimated
To have been about est. 900. \ few
weeks ago sensation was caused in
miner who rode down the railway on
one of the buffers of the engine.
The railway constructed up the ia
NOUS Pixies Peak in Colorado, L. s. y.
is another marvellous engineering feat
The railway itself reaches a height Of
A.f3i feet. ON the top of this noun
tain unique paper is brought out Ivy
journalist and his wife during the sum
n"r months. 1t is called The Pixies
Peak Daily" and is nothing more or
less than a record of the number of
visitors who ascend the mountain by
the railway. together with their names
and addresses. The editorial office is
in the open air 1t is undoubtedly the
highest newspaper office in the world
being over 1900 feet above the sea.
There is a unique rope railway in
Hong Kong which virtually carries
passengers through the air. Tho ropes
are carried NJ 4 mountain by tall
trcstlcs set a great distance apart.
The carriages which are suspended
from the wire ropes. carry six men.
At one place this unique railway passes
lver a reservoir. The object Of the line
i to transfer European workmcn at
the cnd Of their DAYS work to a slni-
forum. ut d high level above the sea
to escape fever. The speed obtained i
light miles an hour. Tho line has been
in use for several years and has given
complete satisfaction. There is another
marvellous aerial rope railway in Spain.
lsed for transporting building material
ana workmen up mountain. The in
cline is exceeding steep. being one and
ono and a half. ana the longest span
is 100 feet. 1t is Il novel sight to watch
he cars on these rope railways. run
ming M the sides of Il mountain. Sus-
pended from an unseen wire or rope.
The recent construction Of a railway
from Mullendo. Il port IN In" Pacific
side of South America. to Puno, on
Lake TiticaCa. is regarded as most
wonderful engineering feat. Lake
Titicaca is the highest known navi-
gable lake in the world. being about
II. 900 feet above the level of the sea,
among the stupendous Andes, in Peru.
From geological point of view it is
the most marvellous lake yet discov-
cred.
The line. known as the Southern
Railway of Peru. is carried in most
wonderful manner among preciplCes,
,hasms. valleys. etc. The viaducts are
magnificent constructions, and the
heavy cuttings are considered to be
great achievements Of engineering
skill. AT one place the track. which is
| single one winds across Il dreary
sandy plain. From the railway pas
5engers can see the great burning
mountain. Misti, 1850 feet high. 1t is
here that the highest point by the
modern locomotives is attained. viz,
At Galeria. 15,635 feet above the level
If the sea. a steamer built by firm
of shiphulders in Scotland. Of over
800 tonnage. was recently transported
in parts over this remarkable line and
successfully rebuilt and launched on
the highest navigable lake in the
world.
For novel attractions and scenery
Mount Lowe Railway in southern