Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-10
Weidensall Letter
Continued from First Page.)

slty, museum, picture galleries, the
cathedrals, churches, hotels and a
multitude Of handsome private build
ings. 1t has fine parks boulevards
and squares, lakeside and riverside
attractive resorts 1t has climate
that makes it a favorite resort in the
summer season. when all of its hotels are
crowded to overlooking; also a most de-
sirable winter resort for others, when the
best pensions or higher classed boarding
hotels are full of the best kind of people
1t is a most convenient place for confer
ences and conventions of national. CONT
mental and worldwide interests.
Basic is a very busy meeting place Of
great express railroad lines that go to
and fro through all of Switzerland. 1t is
one of the busiest railroad functions in
Switzerland Its great growth in railroad
traffic has compelled the railroads to erect
a mammoth railroad station. 1t has a
population of 12O,s97 inhabitants. 1t is sit
uated very picturesquely on the upper
Rhine river. The river, with its magnif-
cent bridges and well built up shores, pre-
sents a charming view. Basic has some
noted buildngs-its cathedral, an old but
very imposing building high up on the
bank of the river In Its rear Is a much
frequented resort with a stone wall or
balustrade all around 1t, standing up in
bold relief above the river. From this re-
sort one can view the river far below 1t
and look down upon its splendid bridges
and see far up and down the river and the
opposite city shores. The cathedral has
most remarkable cloister, a regular pan
theon. The large public hospital, with Its
great buildings and wonderful park en-
closed, Is superior to many hospitals in
much larger cities. 1t has famous
mission building In the city, well endowed
and finely managed always full OF young
men preparing for mission fields every
where in the world. The celebrated st.
Chrishona mission school is about two
hours ride from the city and can be plainly
seen on the hill top. This is an intensely
spiritual school and has sent missionaries
to all parts of the earth. These and other
institutions in different lines of Christian
effort are of long standing. There are one
or more committees who have stood by
these enterprises for years as business men
would their business All this work has
grown up strong because of their faithful
and intelligent supervision and manage
ment. There is scarcely another large city
whose Christian benevolent interests have
been so carefully directed and provides for.
There is a general headquarters where all
of these institutions are more or less rep
resented and provided for. Other cities may
boast greater material things but Basle
stands or a high plain in spiritual things
Switzerland is a country peculiar to it.
self 1t occupies the summit of Europe
with its great snowy Alpine range of noun
tain peaks we'll known to the whole intelli-
gent world as Mount Blanc, the highest
point in Europe, 1900 feet, the Yung Frau,
the Matterhorn, etc, and includes valleys
of unsurpassing scenery as the Rhone and
Martigny valleys lakes Geneva and
Lucerne, etc, equal to the grandest'
glaciers large and small, splendid cities, as
Lucerne, Zurich, Berne Lausanne, Basic
Geneva, etc, and multitudes of smaller
towns and villages nestled in the valleys
and mountains, everywhere affording de-
lightful resorts for all that come from all
nations Its noted mountain passes are yet
the delight of the more venturesome tour
lists BY innumerable marvellous feats OF
engineering in the construction of bridges
curved grades and tunnels, railroads have
been made to pass through all parts OF
Switzerland. At every turn of the trains
or when they emerge from the tunnels
new and enhancing pictures are in full
view of the passengers. Switzerland has a
strong and intelligent people, who have
maintained a republic in the midst OF
monarches. 1t is a nation of reformers
and is possessed Of a strong evangelical
faith. ROBERT WElDENsALL'