Evening star., 1912-11-10

go to climb the Dent du Geant and, IN
fact. nearly all the aiguilles in proximity
TO this vast basin. IL has been proposed
that winter sports in August may be
popular here Tourists. too, once on tho
Col. could easily do the remaining 1.0Oo
feet of the Aiguille du Midi with the as
sistance OF good guides.
The view from the Col is one of tho
grandest in the world. On one side lies
the whole route up Mont Blanc by the
Grands Mulets. while on the other
nothing but miles OF snow. ice and
granite peaks may be seen. This Is the
basin of the Glacier du Geant. which
ends in the ice Niagara. which DIR. John
Tyndall called one Of the grandest ice
cascades in the Alps.
Ingenuity has not been spared to
make this freak railroad absolutely
safe. During the first part of the voy
age the cars will run on double cables
sixtyfour millimeters in diameter, so
that in case one breaks the other will
he sufficient to stand the strain. In
case the traction cable breaks the cars
automatically stop by gripping second
cable. called a cable frein or cable for
braking purposes. This brake cable. II
the traction cable breaks. by the turn
ing of switch at the power station
can be run over the revolving drums
thus acting as the traction cable.
-
On the second part of the journey
lighter cars are run over single span
of cable which. being firmly anchored
and examined minutely each day to see
that 1t is not wearing, presents no dan
ger. Tourists, therefore may have an
attack of alpine vertigo. and even IL
there are no friends to keep them from
jumping overheard they would find 1t
difficult to get out of the windows be-
fore the arrival of the guard.
Travelling as the writer did the other
day however, is different There We're
several easy ways of committing sui
eide He was watching the car arrive
from the power station. when some one
touched him on the arm.
IF YOU are interested in seeing how
the line works., said Mr. Braegger,
you had better get on the car and go
up. 1t Is strictly forbidden but
In a moment the writer was seated on
a flat car about the size of dining room
table and was told to pay attention To
the pylones in passing. as there was dan
ger of getting a cracked skull. he braceo
himself sardined with some workmen,
and the foreman called out that he was
going to signal to start. Touching an
electric button, he gave the signal to the
power station above and they began to
glide upward.
The riding was as smooth that OF
a boat on a placid lake Teere was
slight side-swinging motion, and the sem
sation of climbing by electricity to Pierre
Pointue. on the route up Mont Blanc,
without any effort. was delightful.
AS thhey rolled toward the first pylone
the car moved slower and the traction
cable frightened until the pylone was
reached; then there was "A click, click,
the pylone was passed, and they swooped
down rapidly until the operation was re-
peated, and again the traction cable took
up its slack. Up and down, twenty-seven
times, gradually climbing higher, until
they arrived at the power station as
gently as a gondola touching its wharf.
Here then is something new for the
iaded American traveller. There is moth
ing like it anywhere else in the world.
Your experiences rave been incomplete
unless you have tasted the joys of shoot
ing the chutes.
Copyright. 1912. by Curtis Browu.)