New-York tribune., 1909-04-24
LUCERNE, HEART
OF SWITZERLAND
AIPINE TRAVEL CON
VERGES THERE.
Within Easy Reach Of Some OF
Natures Most Magnificent Works
-Rigi and PilatuS.

I,ucerne Is situated in the heart of Switzerland
and within striking distance of the most magnih-
cent scenery in the Alps II is a point 10 Whlch
the thousands OF travellers converge at some time
or other whether their way be north south. east
or west From Constance and Zurich Basie ana
Often three main lines OF railway bring the traV-
eller TO Constance take him from IL constance
is the northern terminus Of the St. Gothard kali
way which brings the tourists from the sunny
south Between 10000 and 3oQ.900 travellers visit
Iuoerne each year. and few of them spend
all their time amid surrounding scenic beauties
Oa one side stands the RigL on the other Piatus'
while between them lies the Lake OF the -Four Can
tons with the snowy ranges Of the Alps beyond IL
The moment The tourist steps from the station
ne sees on his left the green slopes ot the Rgt In
front the lake and the town with its picturesque
towers. and the right the rugged summit OF
Pilatus. That part OF Lucerne which fr1nges the
Iake has a modern aspect, with its hotels, villas
and country houses fnterspersed among luxuriant
gardens The quay is the fashionable promenade
AZ Lucerne with its lake view and border OF shaoe
trees There are more than seventy hotels IN
Lucerne. which give accommodation for all classes
of tourists. The wealthy find the luxury 10 Whlch
they are accustomed, and those of leaner purse
comfortable surroundings at moderate expense
On the quay is a toposcope indicating the names
Of the various peaks that are TO be seen In the
distance and Of the villages and chateaus on the
lake shore On the quay, too, are swimming baths
where plunge may be taken into the cool waters
of the lake In the Kurhaus there is a band OF
thirty performers q theatre where light comedies
are produced and where dancing may be enjoyed.
One Of the shortest railways in the world is TO
be found at L.ucerne. 1t is a cable railway lS
Yards in length but the gradient is 50 in 100 It
takes the tourist TO the top Of the Gtisch. from
which obtained superb view of the scenery sur
rounding Lucerne.
Two miles distant from Luoerne, and reached by
electric tramway, is the village OF krens, nesting
among the orchards at the foot Of Piatus. This
ezp gives delightful view Of the Rigi If one is
d golfer. he gets electric train at Kriens and
goes TO the kurhaus Sonnenberg, beneath which
are the Lucerne links and clubhouse. covering 372
acres
Rowing sailing and motor boats can be hired for
trips on the lake and one can make excursions TO
various points the Lake OF the Four Cantons-
Lucerne abounds in walks and drives amid the
handiNori of nature that is at once beautiful and
swe-inspiring. and there delightful excursions
TO De made. occupying day or a half day, as
chooses, TO the picturesque little on the right
and left banks Of the lake.
THE RIGL
The Risi one of the most famed Of switzerland's
peaks. is like island peak situated it is be-
tween three lakes A day spent the Rgi may
well mark a red letter occasion the tourists
calendar. even though he is not devotee of noun
tain climbing There number of footpaths
leading up the Rigi. for not only every steamboat
station the foot OF the mountain but all the ST
Gothard Railway stations in this district have
their particular path the heights The
shortest but steepest of these routes leads the
climber 10 the Kuhn from KJssnacht or Immensee
in three hours. All the others with the exception
Of the Vitznau path, take half hour longer. The
paths from Weggis and Goldau are the most used
easy 10 find. and kept in best Of condition
With railways at hand. however, ii is no wonder
that comparatively few tourists essay the climb
The mountain railways OF Switzerland stand among
the worlds greatest achievements in engineering
and those of the Rigi The front rank
The Vitznau-Rigi line the first OF the Swiss
mountain lines. attains elevation of 426s feet
above the lake with mean gradient of ls in 100
AS, seated in the comfortable chair the tourist
leaves chestnut groves behind. the mountains begin
10 rear their crests around him. When Rigi-Staffei
IS reached there is spread before eyes the pano-
rama OF the hill country Of Northeastern Svrtzer-
land, with its lakes. stretching northward as far
as the Jura, Black Forest and Vosges mountains
Rigi-Stanel is the centre Of the Rigi traffic with
two large hotels Here the Arth-Rigi line oins the
Nitznau line. and runs side by side with # 10 the
summit The Arth-Risi electric road starting
from Golcau. ascends the sides Of ravines plunees
into tunnels and crosses bridges and ytadpc+s
through all the grandeur Of the mountain heights
until II reaches Rigi-Stafel. stopping on the wav
az Rgi-kiosterl, where. in delightfully."- sheltered
valley tourists who intend spend sorne time on
the Rig, ind ample accommodations
The Rigi-Kuim. 6.Se5 feet above the lake is ,ba
eliminating point OF the Rigi railways Al sunrise
or sunset hundreds of travellers often gather on
the rounded, grassy top and look over two hum
oreo miles OF landscape, in which are set Ike
jewels. fourteen lakes cleaning rivers clustering
villages and grassy valleys while north and south
-sSnd. like sentines host OF towering snoy,-cs