The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-12-15

level, rails were used as on ordinary
American railroads, but when heavy
grades were struck it was necessary
to use the cogs to keep the engine on
the rails.
we lunched about $500 feet above
the sea level.
The ascent looked dangerous all the
way, the grade being 20 to 80 per cent.
Electricity was used for motive power.
After lunch, we took the car and
passed through a four-mile tunnel to
see a glacier said to be 1000 feet long
and 60 feet deep. Many OF the party
ventured out ON the field Of ice but
we were not supposed to take chances.
AT many places through the tunnel
holes had been bored to admit the
light and keep the air pure.
The day was clear and we had an
excellent prospect OF the Alps. Large
crevices ia the ice, from 200 to 300 feet
deep. were easily observable and one
was pointed out to US where two tour
lists had fallen to their death about
three months before. Their bodies
were never removed.
When this tunnel it, completed to
the top of the mountain, it will be
eight miles long.
or in the distance we could see
German farms, where women were
driving four oxen each, hitched to
plows.
The farmers live In villages for So
cial advantages; not on their farms
as in America.
4 In another direction we beheld the
great Swiss pastures with flocks OF
the shepherds here and there.
The Jungfrau has a height Of 4,166
metres there being about 80 inches in
a metre.
The motors used In hauling cars up
the mountain side are OF 300 horse
power each.
we spent the oath ia the Interlaken
shops, the Kersaul and other inter.
esting places.
| Interlaken is a famous summer re
sort and has from 1000 to 5000 visi-
tors within it's borders all summer
long
August Is we left for Lucerne. We
Travelled b. boa, across the lake to
the railroad station where a cog rail-
road took us over the mountain and
through Brunics Pass. The grade
was heavy and progress slow. but the
scenery was magnificent.
We arrived In hucerne at D. TO-.
and stopped at the DuLac hotel.
/; The city has a population of 49,
600 and is visited by great numbers
OF tourists the year around. There
were about $4,000 strangers in tie
city at the time we were there. The
town was lively and the beautiful and
handsomely appointed hotels and we'll
kept streets, made it pleasant place
to be.
We left Sunday for Rigi, famous for
its outlook on ten lakes and snow
capped mountains in every direction.
The water in these lakes is so clear
that one may see to a depth of ten
feet. Though they are fed by melt
ing snow, they have no apparent out
let. Their waters being sweet IS evil
dence that they have subterranean
outlets somewhere.
In the evening we visited the Ker-
saul the gambling place, always OPP
en- and where one cannot tell from
the conduct of the attaches or WISH
tors when Sunday comes. Saloons
and bars in Lucerne are open the
year around, night and day seven days
week. Orchestras and bands oi
other sorts are employed to attract
, the people Sundays.
August 30 we left Lucerne for Mil
an over the famous st. Gothard rail
way. The route Is over mountain ar
ter mountain and through tunnel ar
ter tunnel.
We counted 80 tunnels and zoo
bridges. One tunnel is nine miles
long. On the Swiss side of the sum-
init, the railroad makes q perfect
spiral. It requires three rounds for
the ascent. The descent on the Ital-
ian side Is BY another spiral.
Tedious as was the journey and
thrilling as was our experience like all
Journeys it had it's end.
| The first view one gets OF Italy is
wonderful panorama OF vineyards
and fruit trees. When we got down
from the mountains, we passed
through beautiful level country, the
railroad not having a bend for miles.
We reached Milan at D. 10.