New-York tribune., 1902-08-26
PARIS TO NEW YORK BY RAIL.
DE WINDT HERE. SUGGESTS ROUTE BY
BEHRING TUNNEL.
MADE JOURNEY ALMOST ENTIRELY BY
LAND FROM FRENCH CAPITAL IN 2.s
DAYS-ROUGH EXPERIENCES

Il believe absolutely in an all rail route from
Paris to New-York.'' said Harry De Windt. the
explorer, who reached this city early yesterday
morning having made the trip from Paris by
all land route except for Behring Strait. in
24S days. He is at the Imperial That railroad
plan is absolutely feasible. The chief difficulty
will be at Behring Strait. but this be over
come with comparative by the building of
a tunnel lot of fools over in France have
been talking about a bridge, but this is ridicu-
lous for the ice moves four miles hour. and
it would never hold such a structure I've just
been there and 1 know. If the money is forth
coming for this road. and l believe the funds
will be secured then it will be completed in
twelve years. In another years the line
will pay for ITSELF
Mr.. De Windt. who is apparently in perfect
health his face bronzed and his step buOyant.
said he would not repeat the trip for anything
one fearful experience of his previous trip. in
1S96-his forty-seven day visit with the
Tchuktchees-he said he avoided this time by
going three hundred miles to the north of that
tribe. In 1896" he said. they stole all my
tins and instruments, and they kept me eating
raw seal meat while the regaled themselves
with my provisions"
With the explorer on his trip were g. Hard
ing, his servant and VisCOmte de Clainchamp
Belle Garde. The latter went along as pay
ing guest and took photographs He only
reached Seattle and then left for France. He
had frozen his feet badly.
The Journey was perilous throughout. Start
ing from Paris December ~. the party
first made their way by rail to St. Petersburg
and thence to Irkutsk, the Siberian Railway
Reaching that city in January, they undertook
the dangerous part of the trip Ihey
travelled 1000 miles of the distance to Behrlng
Straits with horses 1000 with reindeer and
2,OOO with dogs Mr. De Windt said he saw
number of Russian political prisoners, and that
their condition sad in the extreme Their
life a hell upon EARTH he said: the express
sion is literally true" The Siberian trip
made with the temperature far below zero most
of the time The Russian officials warned them
repeatedly. but they continued. though IL cost
them much hardship. In Alaska danger and
discomfort were again met WITH Out at'eT they
had passed through Alaska they were able 10
take advantage of the American railroads The
American as well the European roads Mr.
De Windt said. franked him over the entire dis
tanCe.
Most of my frien Is" he said. never expected
me to do 1t. You see, 1 really had failed twice
In 1896 the Tchuktchees made me go BACK;
have already told you about that Ihen III 1'oo
the Russian Government wouldn't let me go
through on account of the troubles in emma
So this time my friends were doubtful In fact
simply on long shots. Had 1 lost, L wouidn
have lost more than so Mr. Pearson OF
"Pearson's Magazine wired me AT DAWSON
City Alaska: "A thousand CONGRATULATIONS L
never expected you.
Mr De Windt will go to Newport to-day TO be
the guest over night of Shaw Safe at MS cot
for Paris on the Kaiser Friedrich In addition
to writing for his London paper, The DalH
Express" he will write for "Harpers Masa-
zine'' about his trip He has also made ar
raneements with Major Pond to lecture and
will appear in this city in November and then
lecture in other cities, including San Francisco