Evening star., 1902-04-12
LAPLANO IN WINTER
A Journey Well Beyond the
Arctic Circle.
A NEW WAY NORTH
TRAVELLING ACCOMMODATIONS
QUITE COSY.
Beauties of the Scenery and Pictur-
esqueness of the Co.'S
tunes Seen.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

HELS1NGFUS, Finland March I, 1902
"Iapland in winter.'' argued my friends
when L proposed the trip, why don't you
strike out for the north pole and done with
1t 2" But their sympathy was wasted, for
to visit the arctic zone in winter is now a
very easy and comfortable journey for
those who do not mind long hours of rail-
way travel and spice of adventure.
My work was finished in Stockholm and
a very cordial welcome I had found in the
churches for the principles and practices
of the Christian Endeavor societies. My
next appointments were in Norway, and,
instead of going by the usual route that
runs more or less due west from Stockholm
to Christiana. resolved to take the great
northern loop by way Of Trondjeim and
besides that to take a detour of four days
which would land me at Gellivare, fifty
miles beyond the arctic circle. Besides
duty conceded with inclination, for there
are Christian Endeavor societies in some
OF these arctics towns, and good prospect
of many more Straight north with few
un1mportant defections the railway runs
from Sweden's beautiful capital on the Bal
tic to kiruna, an unfrozen arctic port in
Norway, in the land of the midnight sun
and the midday moon.
1t Is possible to get through to the Arctic
ocean on construction trains even now,
with very few miles of sledge travel and
by next September the road will be COM
pleted and accepted by the Swedish gov
ernment that Is building it.
1t was bright, crisp evening In the mid
die of February that started from Stock
holm, such day as is so common in the
late winter in this charming land. 1t is not
warm enough to melt or cold enough to
tlngle, but the perfection of bright, spark
ling winter weather. For days at time
the thermometer will register perhaps
20 degrees below the freezing point In the
of md hoy
drop to 10 or 10 or 20 below at night again.
1t Is weather to be depended upon; no
blowing hot or blowing cold; no sloppy,
slushy days and bitter nights; no winds
that search your joints and marrow, but
steady going, honest, reliable winter
weather
AS said left Stockholm in the evening
for this forty-five hour journey due north,
Which was to take me well beyond the
arctic circle. The compartment in the cor
ridor car which was to be my home for the
next two days and nights was a cozy little
room fitted up with all the necessities
which an old traveller needs and even some
of the luxuries7 which he could dispense
with.
Upholstered from the floor to the ceiling
with solf-fgured plush in which blues and
browns predominate (none of your staring
reds), lighted with two gas jets which
could screen at my pleasure with a blue
silk curtain that just fits the globe;
warmed, at my discretion. by pulling
heat from the engine or shut 1t off: with
plenty Of soft cushions and four racks over
ny mead for my belongings, and little
who couldn't be happy in such little house
of his own on wheels?
Just Like Home
My limited knowledge of Swedish even
enabled me to read at least one Of the
notices in my compartment in blue letters
on white enamel. which ran:
"Spottning Pa Golfret AR Forbidden"
Surmsing that "golfret' meant carpet,
and exercising a very little Yankee wit to
translate the other words, L recognized
them as reproductions of a similar wise
prohibition which of late years is becoming
common in our cars at home
Outside my compartment along the whole
length of the car, ran corridor giving &C
cess to windows on the other side, through
which l could see by means of the glass
doors that shut one in, when l wished to be
exclusive,
The compartment was meant for two peo-
pie, but travel being light at this time of
year, 1 was tolerably certain of having it
all to myself throughout the long journey.
And yet this roomy luxury was only
second-class carriage. and for it I had to
pay but thrty-one crowns, or less than
$3.50 for distance of nearly 750 miles.
The sleeping car accommodations, for this
was sleeping as well as a day coach, cost
80 cents more each night, and If l wished
to indulge in the luxury of sheets and pill
low cases and blankets 1 must pay yet u
cents more.
However, 1t must be said that 1 had a.
Combination ticket" which brought me
back through Norway to Stockholm again,
and which reduced by at least one-eighth
the cost of each section of the journey 1t
must be further said that in other parts OF
Sweden the cost is proportionately more
the rates to the far north being put low
doubtless to encourage travel. These very
low rates can be afforded since the gov
ernment depends for it's revenue not on the
passenger traffic, but on the freight of iron
ore from the great iron mountains of Gelu-
ware.
The advocates Of government control of
our own railways would get much encour-
agement should they examine the Swedish
system. This system is not only the larg-
est of any country in the world in proper
ton to the population, but 1t pays good
dividends, is almost absolutely safe for
life and limb Of passengers and employees,
and the trains have the remarkable habit
of being quite invariably on time. For two
weeks 1 have travelled almost contin-
uously on the Swedish government rail-
ways, and scarcely has the train come to a
single station a minute behind time By
consulting my watch and the time table 1
could always tell where l was before l saw
the name Of the station.
Two hours after leaving Stockholm the
train passed through the famous university
town Of Upsala. with its great cathedral,
lis university OIL I,SpO StuuentS and its IL
brary of 250OOO volumes.
But we are bound for Lapland, and for
the present cannot be beguiled by even
such academic attractions.
Early the next morning the train stops at
Bracke for breakfast! some 800 miles north
of Stockholm, and the daylight delights of
arctic travel begin. But first good break
fast fortifies us for the pleasures of the
day. and a very substantial beakfast it is
No cup Of coffee and dry roll satisfies your
sturdy Goth in the morning, as such pro-
visions do his Latin neighbors in the south.
You must have good stark {strons)
breakfast" said Swedish friend to me
"since you have SO much to do" and he
carried out his Instructions in practice.
A Substantial Menu.
My fellow-passengers sauntered into the
breakfast room at Bracke, and first at
tackled with vfgor the ''bread and butter
table," which was spread with a bewilder-
ing variety of cold meats. picked fish,
cheese and bread and butter: then when
their appetites were well whetted, they set
lied down to the more substantial ham and
eggs, beefsteak fish and coffee, for all of
which they paid about As cents each After