The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-03
rams 10 NEW YORK BY TRAIN.
Mr. IOicU DE IObei Tells Of Ills Trans.
tiask a.Siberian Railroad.

Mr. Loicq de Iobel was introduced to a
arge meeting Of the Sociit6 de Topo-
| graphic in France a few weeks ago a. the
| originator and promoter of the scheme to
| build railroad across Alaska, Boring
/ strait and northern Asia. 80 as 10 connect
! New York city and Paris by a railroad
I circhng through the north polar region
! Americans have heard something about
! this project. but IL will be intert sting to
know what Mr. de Iol 81, who il very en-
thusllstic over his idea, hat 10 say about il.
Whatever the value Of this project may
be, il il not entirely theoretical Mr.. de
Lobel has lived long in Alaska and has
travelled a great deal 10th in that region
/ and in Asia
He told hi- audience much about Alaska,
It's forests, gold mines, climatic conditions
and people. He expressed the greatest
faith that a brilliant future il before that
region
He said the country is not only going TO
bc one Of the largest sources Of gold in
the future, but that il will also supply a
great deal of the worlds copper and coal.
He THINKS the development Of the country
will he greatly accelerated 10y the luilding
Of this road, which he calls the Trans
Alaska-Sihe rian Railroad.
He predicted that the road will be built
within the next six or seven years and told
his audience, with perfectly straight face,
that IN few wears travellers will go all
the way from Paris to New York on the
same train.
The roue hr proposes il TO NJ iize Ameri-
can iire- from New York TO Seattle and
Vancouver. The line then starts from Van
couver northward through the valleys of
British Columbia straight 20 Dawson, on to
Circle City and down the Yukon TO Nulata
whence il s'rii,es n raight through the wide
Western peninsula of Alaska to Cape Prince
Of Wales on B"h"ing Strait, whore il crosses
to Asia
Thence the line goes south Of the Arctic
{ rclc, strikes 'tc Lena River AZ lakutsk
and follows the Lena Valley to Irkutek.
where IL meets the Siberian Railroad.
He has printed a map showing the line
crossing two great continents and Circling
the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans for
many thousands Of miles. II looks attrac-
tive on napgr.
The enthusiastic promoter Of tho great
scheme saws hat the building Of the railroad
will cau~. cit cS To rice where now there are
nothing but mining camps, and that n vast
region, scarcely known to-day. will in a
few years be the cent re- Of impOrtan traffic,
whose advari ges for Russian trade will
he fully equal 10 those that the United
States will enjoy.
The road will cross Pehring Strait by n
tunnel
AT first view" said the speaker, this
proi"c' would seem to be somewhat diff
cult it j. perfectly pract cable. however,
and studies hat are being made on this
matter will give Us important information
concerning II
He says that travellers have greatly
exaggerated the difficulties and dangers Of
crossing Siberia between Irkutsk and
- hiring Strait. The journey il certainly
long and is not enjoyable: neither Is the
route through Alaska exactly a holiday
rip, but uo danger is 20 b. encountered
either in Alaska or North Asia.
The men who were assigned to the task
of making a preliminary survey Of the
route found no trouble whatever in going
over 'he entire route to be followed by the
proposed railroad Americans who know
what benefits this railroad will confer
upon their country are very enthusiastic
over the pre- iart and they are Offering In
its support something more than mere
encouragement.
Mr. de Lobel concluded by saying that
a committee had been organized in France
10 secure from Russia such support as had
already been promised by the Government
of the United States for carrying out the
project. The interesting particulars con-
corning this promised cooperation have
not yet been PROMULGATED from Washington.