Evening star., 1915-06-27

\E\r was proba bly, no other city
" " in the Rhone valley which
gained more Importance through this
feat than Brig, quaint community at
the junction of the Simplon and Furka
post routes. In the summer of 1913
second gigantic undertaking the Lotsch-
berg railway, opened another new era
for this district. and where IL formerly
required long railway journey via
MontreuX and Spiez to reach Inter
laken. or a diligence drive via Gletsch
to Meiringen, followed by train and
boat trip TO Interlakeu, this Alpine
road makes a short cut through the
Bernese Alps to Kandersteg, Spiez,
Bern and Interlaken.
The new railway forms the interna-
tional highway from the Lake of &C.
neya and the Rhone valley to Italy, and
the Litschberg line, connecting with
the Simplon route a. Brig. has brought
the Rhone valley and the Bernese Ober-
land in direct communication There
remained now one other Alpine pass
the Furka, which had no train service,
and which. IN a distance of forty-two
and a half miles. runs from Brig to
.Andermatt. at the foot of the Obcralp
pass. From Anderrpatt, which will
shortly be connected with Goschenen,
the Gothard line. by a two-and "a
half- mi IeS-lOuS electric railway, running
close TO the road through the Schoi-
Ieneu, the Oberalp pass. practically a
continuation of the Furka road, leads
to Dlsentis, an ancient nonastic VIII
lage with recently discovered radio
active mineral springs distance Of
eighteen miles. From Diseutis the
Rhaetian railway affords direct com
munication with the Grlsons resorts.
To cover this entire distance of sixty
and one-half miles requires diligence
journey Of one day between Brig and
Andermatt and four and one-half hours
between AHdeFHlatt and Disentis, :. fas-
cinating drive for the tourist who is
fortunate enough to be able to travel
with leisure but often out of the ques-
tion for those who are somewhat
rushed for time.
The construction of a railway which
would form the connecting link be-
tween Brig and Disenris came there
fore up for discussion number of
years ago and the line was started in
1911 June 30, 1913, the inauguration
of the nrst section BRIG -Gletsrh took
place, but four weeks later. when the
railroad was actually ready for rcgu-
lar trafc, the European war brol" out
and in view OF the completely reversed
conditions IL was decided that the line
would only be opened for the summer
Brig TO GletsCh takes two hours.
The railway is narrow gauge llHe
with rack and pinlon sections and pos
sessss Il number Of interesting features
In al engineering point Of view. There
are over hfty yladucts. bridges and gal
Iertes, seven tunnels and i've loop tuu-
neis. The maximum gradient Is no
per cent and the total length of the
rack and pInlon sectious is 1892 miles.
II IS estimated that the cost OF con
struct!on Tor the line Brig -Glejsch-
DisentIs is over s7.6DU.0OO.
Those who take delight in explor-
ing districts situated on the beaten
path are enchanted with the trip along
the Rhone from Brig To Gletsch for
II traverses Z part OF the country which
may well he termed Unknown Switz-
erland"
ON leaving Brig. situated ~ an aIti-
tude of 2.2l5 feet, the railway first
crosses bridge over the Khone and
almost Immediately reaches the pie
turesque village OF Matters a consider
able part Of which is at present occu-
pied by Italian tunnel workers The
Simplon trains 90 through the worlds
longest tunnel While the Immediate
ighborhood above Brig still distin-
guishes itself by particularly fertile
Vegetation. the higher situated dis
trfcts are less fortunate in that respect.
The first stopping place for express
trains is Morel, typical mountain viii
lage with an attractive church and