The Iola register., 1902-08-08
ECCENTRIC RAILWAYS.
How the DihicuIties and Disadvnn-
tngcs of Some Routes Have Been
Overcome by Engineers.

AS the iron track is bound to force
its way into most corners of the
world, it is not surprising that some
lines of railway exist which are strik-
ing evidence of a singularly bold con-
ception carried out in the face of
obstacles which seemed almost in
surmountable, says the London
Globe. Sometimes the route of the
future line lies across desert; then
the great law of the compensation
of nature" seems to make itself felt,
for to balance the saving of time and
money due to the fact that long tun-
nels will not have TO be cut through
hills or mountains the engineers are
confronted by the total absence of
three essential elements of construc-
tion, namely, wood, iron and water,
which have to be transported along
the newIy-laid line as it stretches its
slow length across the desert. Rus
sia's Trans-Caspian railway, now
known as the Central Asian railway,
was built under these conditions;
thousands of logs of timber were
needed, and the region traversed can
not boast of single tree for more
than 700 miles. This timber was re-
quired for building the long bridge,
two miles in length, over the river
Amu-Darya. This bridge was always
the weak point in that highly-impor-
tant railway, and it has been replaced
recently by n stone bridge. Between
Merv and Charjui the line had to be
carried over shifting sands Ga feet
deep. When the work is being car
ried out in such regions the trains
become n little town on wheels.
They are composed of two-storied
wagons which contain grocers'
stores and forges. AS the Trans-Si-
berian railway grew in length it was
resolved by the authorities that the
workmen should have their own
"church car" A wagon was fitted
up accordingly as church, with
little peal of bells in the alcove
above the entrance.
The romance of mountain railways
by no means ends with their con-
struction, and travelling upon rail-
ways at n very high altitude is not n
thing to be desired The Peruvian
line running from Callao to Oroya
has n twofold claim TO distinction;
it is built at probably the greatest
altitude of an existing railway, name
1y, 1896 feet above sea level, and
it affords travellers certainly the
most unpleasant experience de voy-
age" that can be imagined As the
result of travelling at such an alti-
tude, the passengers begin by feel
ing great oppression, accompanied
by pains in the head and limbs;
these are quickly followed by bleed
ing from the nose and mouth, and
then by momentary blindness. 1t is
gratifying to know that there is a
certain variety in the effects pro-
duced upon passengers at this point.
Thus, while some persons are seized
with giddiness, others entertain
strange hallucinations and others
faint away; the last class become so
weak that any undue eXertion on
their part often proves fatal. But
this is not all that one has to under
go on the Callao & Oroya line. In
due course the skin becomes irrita-
BILE and sores break out, while the
lips swell and then crack.
On one of these trans-Andes rail
ways the passengers have to enter
the train in n most peculiar and
probably unique manner. The line
referred TO is that in the port of
Mollendo, in Peru. The line starts
from the quayside, and the traveller
can pass from the boat into the
train. Unfortunately the boat can
not be brought completely alongside
the quay. Disdaining the usual gang
way, Peruvian ingenuity hit upon a
very novel idea. Two large uprights,
with strong crossbar, were erected
on the quay, and from the crossbar
hangs an ordinary trapeze. The pas
senger wishing to land has to seize
the bar of this trapeze; n few sail
ors surround him, and when he gives
the word, they unite in hurting him
into space over the ships side. One
such "send-off" Is quite enough, for
with one swing the traveller comes
to land in the outstretched arms Of
the railway porters. 1t is only right
to add that both the sailors and the
porters evince an amount of energy,
delight and deXterity quite equal to
the nervousness of their victims.