The Washington times., 1906-04-01
Monks Needing Funds
Grim ReSCUcrS OF ST. Ber-
ndrd WOntHelp tCDrOSe-
cute Their Work.

7 ARDLY disposed as yet TO max.
H a public acknowledgment Of III.
Il i fact the monks who guard tha
Grand St. Bernard Pass IN thaI-
Alpine retreat are sadly in need %
funds. writes foreign corresnondan. ~
the New York Times Their expenditure.
IN making use of modern fnn,o1-e-,.-,..
ior the protection OF life have NOT MAJ
with corresponding returns. Ths vaI,,e
OF their estate has rapidly declined. and
travellers are becoming mora and r,o-a
prone 10 take their aid as & matter OF
course -
How intelligently the monks have an
Piled science to their vocation is illus
trated by the following story: A trav-
eler was recently Overtaken by & snow
storm, and sought refuge in one of the
nuts established by the monks in the
most dangerous places There he found
FOOD and drink and a couch TO sleep
on, and he gave himself up to the
romantic idea that he would presently
be rescued by huge cowled figure, led
thither by one Of the famous dogs.
Nothing happened. however. In the
morning, the weather in the meantime
having cleared. he ventured forth, and
happening to meet a monk near by de-
manded why he had not been rescued.
But why didn't you telephone2" asked
the monk. as he led the way back into
the hut and showed the apparatus be-
hind the door Either through mis- as
tonisment. or for some other reason, the
traveller failed to pay the good monks
for his nights lodging.
Each hut throughout the pass has now
its telephone number. and the dogs have
been trained TO run 10 any hut the num-
Der of which is called out by the monk
on duty. Care of these dogs has great
ly increased of late, for attempts are
frequently made to steal them, since
they md ready purchasers Besides the
telephone plant the monks have had
constructed in Geneva a number Of au-
tomObiles especially fashioned TO climb
the steep gradients. These motor cars
Will be employed next summer 10 trans
port provisions and wood from the
Aosta TO the hospices of Grand II Ber-
nard and Simplon, and the monks them
selves in cowIs will act as charn surs-
Later OF lighter cars viii be built 'or
the transport of tourists, and 1t is hops d
that these tourists viii be more gen
erous than some travellers who have
owed their lives to the vigilance CT the
monks. their dogs, and their telephone
service
AS Il is now. and as 1t has been for
nearly 1000 years since 81 Bernard oe
Mention first established the hosplce,
every stick and every loaf OF bread has
10 he transported from AoSta up 10 the
hospice in sledges at enormous cost
The expenditure of the hoSpice IS De-
tween 5000 and S10.0o0 a year, and the
revenue from travellers rarely amounts
10 more than $2.O00 per annum- At the
lcwest estimate $3.50 persons stay at the
hospice on an average Of one day III the
course of the year, and scarcely 1000 or
these nav anything toward their board
and lodging on their departure
At an Alpine hotel the altitude OF St-
Eernard's at least = francs. or =, 8
day would certainly be charged. and ic
the monks depart through their inaoil-
ity 10 make both ends meet, a hote! VIII
surely arise There is even now Talk OF
an Italian syndicate being formed tot
the purpose, and overrures nave cen
made to the monks 10 allow a hotel for
wealthy tourists to be run IL connecS-
Iions with the famous Alpine hospio&