The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-07
NORWEGIAN R. R.
SEEN BY DAKOTAN

Grand Forks Herald: The follow
ing interesting description of the new
Norwegian railroad running from
Bergen to Christiania, Norway, is con-
tanned in a letter from P. o. Bugge Of
Perth, N. D., one of the North Dakota
party who attended the big celebration
at the national capital of Norway.
Tho letter is accompanied by a
beautiful descriptive pamphlet of
scenes along the route of the road,
one of the finest pieces of work of the
engraVer's craft seen in some time and
the description of the road will be Of
special interest to Norwegians and
tourists, many Of whom have seen
some of the magnificent scenery de-
scribed and know the country through
which it travels:
Kristiania, Norway, June 21.-Edi-
tor Herald: 1 am taking the liberty
Of sending you a few pictures of the
new Norwegian railway running be-
tween Bergen, on the west coast, and
Kristiania.. l am sure these illustra- =
tions will interest you as we'll as a
short description of the railway.
The line goes through a country
which there is no eXaggeration in de-
signing as the widest that can be
seen from the car window on any
European railway. The Alps have
nothing that in this respect surpasse
the Norwegian line, which is taken
through a mountain district that is
covered with never melting snow and
ice. The technical work has had diff
culties to contend with on this line,
fully as great as on any other railway
in our continent.
Great Piece of Work.
A most imposing piece of technical
work has been accomplished. The
highest point on the line is 4,267 feet
above the sea. (The height of the
famous Mount Gents tunnel in the
Alps is 4,244 feet.1
The train has to pass through sew
eral long tunnels. The longest tunnel
Opset. This tunnel is 1884 feet long,
blasted through the hard rock Of the
steep mountain ''urhavde.'
From the train can be seen the
huge mountain rising from the ford
to q height Of more than $3.50 feet.
MyrdaI Station.
At Myrdal station Is the place that
may be considered the grandest on the
line. 1t is between two tunnels and
there is only short time to enjoy the
glorious sight, but it is marvellous be-
yond description. We look down a
sheer precipice of about 1000 feet to
the farm Of Kaardal, with It's little
patches of field, and in the background
we see the ravine of F'laamsdal, a
scenery as wild as any that the boldest
fancy could picture.
In Heart Of Mountains.
The station Finse is 4,00S feet
above the sea, in the heart of the
mountains. There are a few lakes,
ad the ice here hardly ever melts in
the summer. Huge glaciers lie
around and on them the art Of skiing
may be enjoyed all the year around, in
July as we'll as in January.
At Finse grand mountain passes
open at all sides. Soupli is the IA
nous Hardangerfjord Your CORE
spondent will visit these fjords in a
few days.
Along Lakes.
At Finsethe a railway goes along
lakes; it descends here gradually from
the wild Hardanger districts through
the Hallingdal. From now on the
line goes through populated districts
| (valleys), through large forests OF
pines, spruce trees and birch trees
| It continues along the lake Bromma
and the broad Halling river with its
big falls and rapids.
The whole length of the line is 30E
miles. The train leaves Bergen at 81
a. m. and arrives in Kristiania at 10:1s
D. m. The rate is $5.03 on first class
| .la. .fa P. o. Bugge, Perth, N. d.