Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-06
THE ARCTIC RAILWAY
Only Line That Extends Beyond
 the Polar Circle. @.
ConstEucsed by the Governments of Norway and Sweden to Tap Rich
 Iron Country-POlnts of
 Interest.

Which is the northernmost railway in the world? Itis not the line of track that struggles up from Skagway over. the bleak White pass, nor is it even that less famous Wild Goose line, which is the pride of the Cape Nome mining camp, for both of these roads lie wholly within the north temperate gone, says Youths Companion. In Scandinavia there is solidly built well-equipped modern railroad, the most northern station of which IS 13O miles above the polar circle, while more than 200 miles of track lie within the north frigid zone.
 Appropriately named the Arctic ra1E way, it runs from the Swedish town Of Lulea, near the head of the Gulf of Bothnia, to the newly built port of Victoria, Haven, on the Ofoten Fiord in Norway. Like the Alaskan roads, it owes it's existence to important mines mines of iron, however, and not of gold. ..s
 The iron deposits of Swedish Lap land are among the largest and most valuab ble in the world. Their ore is par ticularly useful in the making of steel, and the great German and English blast-furnaces depend almost wholly upon them. For some years railroad has been in operation between the mines at Gellivara and the port of Lulea; but as, the shallow Gulf of Both mia is frozen over during half the year, the shipment of ore has been carried on at great disadvantage.
 With the extension of the road across the mountains,into Norway, all this is changed Ofoten Fiord is very deep, and perfectly free from ice all the year round.
 Fine large docks have been built at [ Victoria Haven, from which steamers may sail in winter as well as in sum- mer.
 About 30 miles north of the bustling mining town of Gellivara, the new rail- road passes, at Kirunavara, remark able mountain of iron, sure to become a famous source of supply. It is TOO feet high and. seven miles in length, and is solidly composed of mag netic iron ore. Engineers estimate that it contains 2,50o,ooo tons of it, which it will take at least century to remove. Mining has not yet begun, but the site of the future town which is to spring up out of the wilderness 1s already determined.
 Although the iron mines are the commercial Justification for the Arc tic railroad, it is expected that no small part of it's receipts, in summer at least, will be derived from tourists. 1topens a new region, rich in interesting seen cry, in the land of the midnight sun.
 A station has been built exactly at the point where the arctic circle is crossed. and trains will be stopped there, that touristsmay, if they please, amuse thems elves by embracing the unusual opportunity of standing with one foot in the north temperate zone and the other in the north frigid.
 The road was built by the govern ments of Norway and Sweden, and the iron company which operates it is to repay in installments the cost of construction In these days of clever civil engineering it was not hard road to build, although several tunnels were necessary in crossing the noun tains.
 The winters on the western side of the Scandinavian divide are compara- lively mild in spite of the high latitude, but on the Swedish side all exposed portions of the track, among the mountains at least. have to be protect ed by sn owsheds. Lapland winters are very severe, and the snow problem is as serious there as it is along the railroad lines in the Canadia Selkirks or in our own Rocky mountains.