Morris tribune., 1905-11-11
in THE VATERLAND.
Rev. Fred Hill Writes Entertain
ingIy of Germany
Dresden, Germany,
October 18th, 1905.
Concluded from last week

exciting. The view was ever chang.
ing, now thru long tunnels, now
across high bridges, now up almost
impossible grades, thru narrow gorges
and beside the swift flowing Arve,
which takes it's source on Mt. Blanc,
One cascade was over 165 feet high,
falling sheer from the cliff. At
Sallanches we had our first aud only
view of the summit of Mt. Blanc.
Ouly for a moment did the envious
cloud lift, but that moment was a
thrilling one for fellow who had
never seen snow-capped mountain
before. The trip from Fayet up the
valley to Chamonix by electric train
was very thrilling. The power is
furnished by third rail and on the
steepest grades two rails supply the
power. One bridge over which we
passed was 165 feet above the Arve
This road was built at great expense
and is to be continued thru the Tete
Noir to Martigny. Some wonderful
feats of engineering are required to
make the road successful. From
Chamonix we walked to the glacier
Des Blossoms. Rain began to fall
soon after we started and our whole
journey of two or three hours was
continued amidst a pouring rain. 1t
is we'll that there is always humor-
Gus side to all thes4 rather trying
experiences, and this one was no
exception. While we we're waiting
for the rain to cease(all in vain) three
individuals from sunny France start
ed out from the cabin to cross the
glacier. The woman was not exactly
attired for Alpine trips. Her shoes
to be sure we're of the latest model of
French heels, her coat had the proper
cut for Paris and was most beautiful;
her hat was really remarkable cres-
ton, know enough of woman's
head dress to recognize that fact.
But there you are. To cross glacier
one half mile broad and requiring at
least trife of rough going, in such
an outfit, was most ludicrous. | will
not try to describe her appearance
further, I blush to think of it all.
Well the experience was worth a good
wetting, we crossed the glacier with
out misshap, we visited the grotto
within where the temperature was
almost like Morris in winter, and we
reached the cabin on the other side
and, wet and bedraggled, we proceed
ga to our hotel, preceded by our fair
Partisan all mounted on mule! (she
was all mounted on mule, not WEI
Two days later we drove across the
Tete Noir, pass in funny little Swiss
carriage with an Italian, driver apd
with most petite horses for power.
We had to walk up the hills and as
it was mostly hills land it is no pun
either we walked most of the way
unit, we finally reached Col de la
Forclaz at hight of 1887 feet. |
Thence down1a narrow and winding
road to Martigny in the valley of the
Rhone. We were in sight of our
destination for three hours as we
wound in and out and down the
narrow and steep incline.
Next day we went to Zermat by
way of Visp and the Rhone valley.
Here for the first time we encountered
the so called rack and pinion railroad.
It is what we call che cog wheel.
The train went up what seemed i'm
possible grades by means of the
grooved inside rail. The scenery was
grand. The Visp. river flows very
rapidly all the way and at times is
raging cascade with great plunges
and falls. Glaciers pushed their
noses down into the valley and we're
grad ually melted in the lower air,
while high above the mountains lifted I
their snowy peaks. We went thru ,
quaint Swiss villages with their +
squalid huts and very ignorant look s
ing peasants. I was much disap- +,
pointed with the Swiss. Il had ex-' t
pected to see everywhere marks of S
thrift and neatness, but the rather we i
saw filth and sluggishness. Each G
householder seemed to possess abou; y
,ne cow and that COW was almost a
sacred beast. they are valued ct f
rom two hundred dollars upward q
They wear big bells, some seemingly q
l.. III oh halle |