Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-30


United States None OF the 1900 hotels !
have referred to charge less than 81 day,
and the ordinary traveller finds that his ex-
penses run up to over S.. You pay so much
for your room, and then, like as not some
thing more for light and attendance. II
you breakfast in your bed room an extra
charge is made, and the best table d'holc
dinner now costs dollar and upward.
Everything extra must be paid for, and
some of the hosts are little more than high
way robbers whose victims are travelling
foreigners
do not know that the railroads of Swift
zerland could be acquired by any trust, but
they are certainly profitable. In 1900 they
paid net profit of over $ll,OOO OOO and
their travel is increasing every year. Only
four years ago the government decided to
buy them, and the transfer of the lines
from private parties to the state is now
undCr way. The roads, including the tram
way have a length of about $500 miles,
and there are so many rack and cable lines
running up the sides of the mountains TO
give access to the beautiful views that
Mark Twain says, Every Alp has now a
ladder up its back like a pair of suspend
ers."
One of the incest things of the govern.
ment railway system is its general season
tickets or passes which include all Switz-
erland The railroad companies will sell
YOU a ticket for two weeks, month,
quarter or a year which you can use for
that time on all the railroads and steam
boats of Switzerland. These tickets are
sold at fixed prices, and they have to be
ordered at least two hours before leaving
time You must furnish unmounted
photograph of yourself, which Is pasted on
the ticket.
A two weeks ticket over all the Swiss
roads costs, according to class, from $3.50
to $l2 and a monthly ticket from $40 TO $2O
II you travel third class the price is $40;
second class, $14, or first-class, $40. For
three months the rates are $24, $34 and $4S,
and for the year, $50, $S4 and $12O This
means that for 1920 you could start in on
January and keep travelling day and night
on Swiss trains and steamboats,, with the
= very best accommodations until December
81, without extra charge. Such tickets are
sold to anyone who asks for them.
I like the Swiss railroads. The cars arc
about the same as ours. There is pass
ageway through the center with doors al
each end. The seats of the second class
are upholstered in velvet; they are clean
and comfortable. The windows are in
brass frames and they can be dropped
down out of sight when you wish to look
out The express trains have dining cars,
called wagon restaurants and the dln-
ing car porter comes through and calls out
that dinner is ready in French, English
and German. The Swiss roads are well
ballasted and well kept. The tracks are
watched for avalanches and landslides, ana
at every crossing stands a bareheaded girl
with red flag, to warn all that the tram
is coming At every station you find from
NJ pOrtprS.
|, livery, each bearing ;he name of his hotel
on his cap.
, These notes are written at Lucerne, under
> the shadow of the Pilatus and the Rigi.
went across the lake to Vitznau the othe"
day and took a ride to the top of Mount
: Rigi on one of the first of Switzerland's
I mountain lines. 1t is built on the same
e principle as that up Pixies Peak. The cars
ere open, and they are pushed by little
$ engine behind.
= The views are magnificent. There are
e no sides to the cars and you rise slowly
5 above Lake Lucerne, which flows in and
out like a mighty river through the noun
s tains you climbing. Now the view Is
@ hidden by trees, tall, lean naples wall the
d sides OF the tracks and the banks are COW
i cred with dandelions, daisies and red
! clover.
d Higher up the lake view widens, noun
;. famous islands rise out Of the water like
70 green monsters rearing their heads. Mount
Is Piatus comes into view. Its sides are gray
II and hoary and the snow in its crevice'
'r marks the wrinkles in its withered old
'r face You crawl along ravines with preci-
: pices hundreds of feet below you.
J. The snowy range of the Alps broadens as
Ie you go upward and at last you reach the
It top, with one OF the most beautiful views
le OF the world spread out before you. Just
n below is the Lake of the Four Cantons,
ir with a score of Swiss cities and villages
l. dotting It's shaded shores, and all about
l. you, waling the horizon are the mighty
m -, ,,,i, 80, n ,,io,, % mountain