Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-29
TO CONNECT HENISPHERES
Harry De windt Says Gigantic Railway
Project is Feasible.
TRAVELLER TELLS or MANY HARDsHIPs
Numerous Prosperous cities which
Appear on the Map Now Com
tain but n Few Scat
tered Huta.

SEATTLE, July 2s.-After travelling for
six months across the bleak steppes and
frozen mountains Of Siberia. Harry De
Windt Of the London Daily Express is ready
to report that a railway practically connect
ing the eastern and western hemispheres
is a feasible project.
Mr.. De Windt left Paris December 16 last
and arrived in Seattle by way Of Boring
strait, the Yukon, Dawson and skagway this
afternoon on the steamer City of Topeka.
His party encountered great perlls from
hunger and cold and attribute to the pres
epce Of Americans in northern waters the
fact that they are again safe in a civilized
country. The party consists OF Mr.. De
Windt, Viscount De Cllnchamp Beliegrade,
George Harding, who has been with the
leader of the expedition on many journeys
In the last sixteen years, and Stephan Ras-
t~origyef, a Cossack. The cossack sails
at daybreak tomorrow for his native land.
The expedition, from which the party Is
returning, was undertaken at the instance
Of Alfred ]. Pearson, owner Of the London
Express, Pearson's Magazine and other pub
locations. who wished to have a representa-
tive take a trip by land from Paris to New
| York, a feat which had not before been
accomplished. Mr.. De windt asserts that
bhV ONcAAdhu JouIuoy Wds mhCh MoAO haA
ardous and dinicult than he expected and
that he would decline the trip again.
De windt left the Transsiberian railway
at Irkutsk. From there a course almost d.
rectly north was followed to the borders OF
the Arctic ocean. The trail was along the
Lena river, which Is one Of the great rivers
Of the continent of Asia.
On the Lena a great find Of gold has been
made, but none but Russians are permitted
to mine 1t. Much Of. this part Of, the trip
was made behind reindeer. Near the mouth
of the river dogs we're procured and they
hauled the four men the remainder of the
way to Cape Fast.
Prosperous Cities Extinct.
The route traversed was covered to a
depth Of several feet with snow, the road
was untraveled and rough, dangers lurked
at almost every turn. The members OF
the expedition were treated with kindness,
but in many places the natives were sui
fering from famine and disease and could
do little IL anything for their visitors. Many
prosperous cities exist on the map alone
the route which the leader Of the party
had selected. When these points were
reached nothing but a few scattered huts
and half a dozen wretched natives were all
that remained Of their greatness.
The people Of all Of the northern part
Of the continent have been attracted ia
the coast nearest America. as there they
can trade with the American whalers and
subsist more easily than In their inland
towns and villages. e
For several hundred miles directly east Of
Boring straits Mr.. De Windt found many
settlements of the natives and here ht
found food and assistance. Had he no
met the Siberians here he believes hi
could never have reached Boring straits
and so his rescue is due to American
traders. Discussing the railroad project
this evening. he said: 49,
I should say that the railway project II
feasiblei though no railway will follow tn,
route we took. 1t would 90 several hun
dred miles to the south and through a ricl
mineral country. Privately / received tn,
information that the Russians are survey
Ing such a line, but / am not at liberty Il
say exactly what course 1t will take TIL,
only difficulty which Is in the way Is II
transferring at Boring straits. The grea
distance makes a tunnel impracticable an,
the miles OF ice foe constantly moving
render navigation almost impossible. How
ever, this problem may be solved and thei
the project will be assailable and undoubt
edly such a road will be built