Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-07-29
Project to Connect Two HemS-
pheres by Railway Practicable,
JOURNEY WAS HAZARDOUS.
Party Encountered Great Periis from
40 DO Trip over Again,

Seattle Wash, July 2S.-After trav-
cling for six long months across the
bleak steppes and frozen mountains OF
Siberia, Harry DeWindt. Of the London
Daily EXPRESS, Is ready to report that
a railway practically connecting the
eastern and western hemispheres Is a
feasible project Mr.. DeWindt left
Paris Dee 10 last, and arrived in
Seattle by way OF Boring strait. the
e Yukon Dawson and Skagway, this
afternoon on the steamer city Of To-
peka, His party encountered great
perlls from hunger and cold, and at
tribute TO the presence of Americans In
northern waters the fact that they are
again safe IN u civilized country The
party consists Of Mr. DeWindt Wis
count de Ciinchamp Bellegarde George
Harding who has been with the leader
Of the expedition on many journeys in
the last fifteen years, and stephen
Rastorguyeff Cossack. The COssack
sails at daybreak tomorrow for his ma
tive land
DeWiudt asserts that the overland
journey was much more hazardous and
difficult than he had eXpect ted, and that
he would decline to make the trip
again
DeWindt left the Trans-Siberan
railway at lrkutsk. From there
course almost directly north was fol-
lowed 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 q find OF a gold find has
been made, but none but Russians are
permitted to mine. Much Of this part
Of the trip was made behind RENDERS.
Near the mouth Of the river dogs were
procured, and they hauled the four
men the remainder Of the way TO Cape
East
The country traversed was covered
TO n depth Of several feet with snow,
the road was untra Veled and rough and
dangers urked at almost every turn.
The members Of the expedition were
treated with kindness, but in many
places the natives were suffering from
famine and disease, and could do little,
II 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 scat
tered huts and half dozen Wretched
natives were all that remained Of their
greatness The people OF all the
northern part Of the continent have
been attracted TO the coast nearest
America, as there they can trade with
the American whalers and subsst
more easily than IN their inland towns
and villages.
For several hundred miles directly
east Of Berng strait Mr. DeWindt
found many settlements Of the natives,
and here he found food and assistance.
Had he not met the SiberIans here he
believes he could never have reached
Bering strait, and so his rescue Is due
to American tradeT. Discussing the
trip this evening hd said regarding his
personal experiences:
because Of the famine there the
reindeer were thin and they We're hard
ly able 10 travel, but they were far
superior In bodily condition to dogs,
which we procured later We travelled
by post stations, located at intervals,
and usually long intervals, along the
road We passed penal colonies and
little villages Of destitute natives,
whose condition was indeed pitiable, |
once thought the treatment Of the 81
berians by the Russian government
was not severe, but now that | have
seen, change my opinion Along the
shores OF the Arctic We ate frozen fish
and walrus meat. our Joy was great
at getting n little -four and molasses
near the end Of our Journey. The cold
was terrific.
81 should say that the railway project
Is feasible, though no railway viii fol-
low the route which we took. II would
go several hundred miles TO the
southwark and through rich mineral
country. Privately | received the in
that Russians are surveying
such a line, but ! am not at liberty to
cay eXactlv"What course II Will take. |
The only difficulty which is In the way
Is in transferring az Bcring strait |
The great distance makes such a road |
and the miles OF ice foe !
render navigation almost |
However this problem may |
be solved, and then the project will be |
lssailable and undoubtedly such road
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