Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-30
A BIG UNDERTAKING
What the Simplon Tunnel
Means to Europe.
CUTS DOWN DISTANCE
A TRIP OVER THE PASS IN AN
AUTOMOBILE.
Why Horses Were Needed When the
Motor Was Working-Scenes
Of Amazing Beauty.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
PARIS, December &c. 1905.
The face of Europe is changing.
A gigantic section of the Alps has been
swept aside. A portion of the Bernese-
Overland Of Switzerland is threatening to
go. The surface Of the earth has notably
contracted between Switzerland and the
Mediterranean. The distance between Ger
many and Italy likewise promises to de-
crease. And France is asking If she must
remain as originally made or whether
sho shall say to mountains: BE removed
have only recently returned from the
present-day catacylsm Of the Alps-it is the
simplon tunnel.
The cataclysm effect is there; the only
difference Is that man has made it.
How stupendous, indeed, is that great
hole into italy can only be appreciated by
making the trip as we did. over the noun
tains by way Of the simplon pass.
Everything worked together to give us a
vivid impression of its power to annihilate
distances. regarded as immutable since the
dawn OF Europe. We had been on the
shore Of Lake Geneva in an automobile; and
to go to Italy we had taken the ancient
route OF the Roman legions. travelling round
and round and up and up. turned aside
from our straight line like ants before a
pile Of dirt by the massive roots of Mont
Blanc. and on and up over the Little st.
Bernard pass, and then down and down by
endless turns and zig-zags into the fair
valley OF Aosta. Then 1t was on up and
up again. till we stopped for moment, L
remember, to look down upon the mighty
plain OF Piedmont. In the late afternoon
that first panorama of the south side Of
glamor, while to right and left fantastic
peaks of every shade of blue had their tops
gilded by the dying sun.
An Interesting Trip,
Across the whole fiat breadth of Pied
mont we rolled to Lake Maggiore, being
once within thirty miles of Turin On the
lake. at Stressa, we bathed In the sunlight
Then we struck the heat-Italian heat in
late midsummer. Back to the hills! On
to the northl The map showed we had a
straight line to switzerland-by the Simplon
pass. and to that powerful automobile 1t
was quick work. We passed through ra-
vines and slipped round edges of great
precipices. Up and up. There was a mas
sive old italian town called Domo d'Ossola
in high-up valley surrounded by peaks
and then. before arriving at the tunnels
ltahan entrance at 1sella, We passed
through the long. one-street improvised
town of the italian laborers.
The Italian entrance to the Simplon tun-
mel Is massive arch of masonry slapped
up against the sheer monntain-foot Clouds
of steam were issuing from it-steam from
the subterranean river of hot water that
still threatens to delay the tunnels OPEN
ing to traffic. 1t looked like the entrance
gate to hell itself; and the evil faces of
those laborers-the scum of Italy and MANY
another land-looked like those of a thou
sand loafing demons.
Had we wanted to go through the tunnel
in train, we must have waited-as they
then safd-till January /, or, as they now
promise, until April l. But we were going
over the pass; and we went on and stop
ped at Condo for the night.
GondoI We shall not forget Condo. at
the bottom of its canyon, with glacier tor
rents on one side and overhanging cliffs
that make the street dark on the other
Rocks fall in the night; and when the
clouds roll down they fill the canyon and
the town.
A town full of clouds One of the party
cloud loose In our back yardp' They came
into the inn; and Condo was dark at I'm,
In dank dripping misery. How can we
start?" we said.
You can't start anyway" replied the
Swiss customs officer 1.-The Sfmplon is for
hidden to automobiles. They frighfen
horses-yery dangerous to the stage
coaches"
Novel Form Of Blackmail.
We were prepared for that peculiar form
OF Swiss blackmailing-and demanded
horses. 1T is done," the Switzer answer
ed. you can telegraph for horses to the
hotelkeeper at Simplon town." And II was
while waiting for his answer that we had
time to appreciates the true significance OF
the Eimplon pass. The signidcance Of the
tunnel broke on us later. You must 90
through these things TO realize them
We were at Condo. To ret hack to
swftserland-end France would mean 9TH