The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-18
RAILWAYS AMONG SWISS ALPS.
Peaks Now Made Generally Accessi-
bile by Them.

From the New York Observer.
Is the constant encroachment of
modern railways upon the privacy of
the Alps vulgarizing and demeaning
them? Now that their glorious soli-
tude, hitherto inaccessible save to en-
thusiasts, are being each year more
and more thrown open to the invasion
of the cheap trippers. is there not a
corresponding loss in their dignity and
sublimity? Nowadays the hasty and
superficial traveller is whisked into
great clam valleys, once so far re-
moved from the busy world, over dill
cult passes, where once only the infre-
quent pedestrian or the numbering dill
gence were known, and up to submits
that pielded themselves only TO the
skilled mountaineer, to the mountain
lovers who reverently and with rare
toll won their Businesses in order to
commune with nature in her sublimest
moods, and to feel the inspiration of
intimate communion with these snowy
Alpine nights.
few years ago the summit of the
Matterhorn was gained only by the
most daring and expert climbers, the
conquerer of Mont Blanc was consider
ed a hero. and the Jongfrau was the
holy of HOLES, whose mysteries were
revealed only to the high priests of
mountaineering. A little bride path
found it's tortuous way over the Wen
germ Alp, and the Brunig knew nothing
more modern than the art of Maca-
dam and the government diligence.
Nowadays the ardors of the Matter
horn and of the Mont Blanc ascent are
lessened by steps cut in the rocks, by
stapled ropes and hand-rails; an up
start little steam engine coughs its way
from the Lauterbrunnen valley to the
Wengern Alp, carrying hordes of tour
lists behind 1t, and modern electric
railway is hurting defiance at the jung
frau itself. Already there are railway
stations built upon the glaciers of the
Eiger, and during the summer season
frequent trains daily wind their way
across the Brunig.
Then and nowi Then traveller
penetrated with reverence and respect
those quiet Alpine valleys listened to
the herders' yodel, and sitting beside
some gushing stream. had leisure to
drink in the poetry and the beauty of
those Alpine solitudes. Now, throngs
of tourists, personally conducted and
otherwise, are whisked from one hotel
to another, through hamlet, vale and
tunnelled hill so quickly that they
scarcely see the passing scenes. Then
the climber with hardened muscles
scaled the mountains and felt repaid
for his efforts. Now, the tourists buy
railway tickets to the SUBMITS, be-
cause it is the thing to do" and be-
cause their itineraries call for the trip.
Which is the better, to open up these
Swiss privacies to the multitude or to
leave them undisturbed, save by those
who were willing to make an effort to
explore them? Is not the bloom of
Swiss beauty, the essence of her charm,
the purity of her grace rudely brushed
away? Is she not losing something of
modesty, mystery and her inspirational
quality by thus being exposed to the
curious and unawed gaze of the phili-
slime? Some there are who feel that
the modern spirit is not an appropriate
one to be introduced here, and that
Switzerland is being cheapened and
marred by her new popularity. Yet
there is much to be said in favor of
making easily accessible her glories
The railway stock is so tiny In COM
parison with a great mountain side,
that it is scarcely visible to the eve
and the scenery is in no way being mu-
tilated. The cheap tripper is not al
ways a philistine, and while of neces-
sity a superficial traveller he is not, on
that account, unappreciative. On the
contrary, there are many travellers who
may now enjoy some of the pure de-
lights of the Alps who formerly had no
opportunity Modern railways open up
fascinating trips and give pleasure and
benefit to thousands. And those who,
in former times. enjoyed the privacies
of this land of delight. who are her
loyal lovers and who have reverently
worshiped at her shrine. so that they
truly felt the emotion, the benediction
| and the inspiration of her lofty peaks,
could not begrudge a spreading of this
influence. In Switzerland is a great
| store of beauty and calm grace, and 1t
would be selfish to wish to limit her
influences so that only the favored few
| could feel it.