The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-29
Explorer DeWindt and Party
Cross Siberia.
TO CONNECT TWO HEMlsPHEREs
Says Gigantic Railway Project is
Fessioie-Numerous Prosperous cia
les Which Appear on the Map Now
Contain but Few Scattered Huts,

Contain but Few Scattered Huts.
Port Townsend, Wash, July 2s.-
Harry DeWindt, the Arctic traveller,
who recently completed remarkable
journey overland throughout north
ern Siberia and across Bering sea,
arrived here on the steamship Topeka
from Skagway, accompanied by Wis
count de Clinchamp Belligarde,
George Harding and Stephen Rasto-
fuyeff. He is en- route to New York.
After travelling for six months
across the bleak steppes and frozen
mountains of Siberia, DeWindt 3
ready to report that railway prae-
tically connecting the eastern and
western hemisphere is feasible
project. DeWindt left Paris Dec. 1S
last and arrived in Seattle by way of
Bering straits, the Yukon, Dawson
and Skagway
His party encountered great perils
from hunger and cold and attribute
to the presence of Americans in north.
ern waters the fact that they are
again safe in civilized country.
The expedition from which the
party is returning was undertaken at
the instance of Alfred J. Pearson,
owner of the London Daily Express,
who wished to have a representa-
tive make trip by land from Parls
to New York, feat which had not be-
fore been accomplished. Mr.. De-
Windt asserts that the overland jour.
ney was much more hazardous and
difficult than he expected and that he
would decline the trip again.
DeWindt left the Trans-S Siberian
railway at Irkutsk. From there a
course almost directly north was fol.
lowed to the borders of the Arctic
ocean. The trail was along the Ler,
river, which is one OF the great rivers
of the continent of Asia. On the Lena
great find Of gold has been made,
but none but Russians are permitted
to mine it. Much of this part of the
trip was made behind reindeer Near
the mouth of the river dogs were pro.
cured and they hauled the four men
the remainder of the way to Cape
East.
The members of the expedition
were treated with kindness, but In
many places the natives were suffer
Ing from famine and disease and could
do little If anything for their visitors.
Many prosperous cities exist on the
map along the route which the leader
of the party had selected When these
points were reached, nothing but a
few scattered huts and half dozen
wretched natives We're all that re.
NAMED of their greatness The peo-
pie OF all OF the northern part of the
continent have been attracted to the
coast nearest America, as there they
can trade with the American whaIers
and subsist more easily than in their
inland towns and villages.
For several hundred miles directly
east Of Bering straits Mr.. DeWindt
found many settlements of the natives
and here he found food and assist
ance. Had he not met the Siberians
here he believes he could never have
reached Rering straits, and so his res
cue Is due to American traders
Discussing the trip, he said: ST
should say that the railway project
is feasible, though no railway will
follow the route we took. 1t would
go several hundred miles to the south
and through a rich mineral country.
Privately, received the information
that the Russians are surveying s,sn
line. but ] am not at liberty to say
exactly what course 1t will take. The
only difficulty which is in the way is
In transferring at Bering straits"