Switzerland, its scenery, history, and literary associations . theRhone; on the west the Susten Pass leadsto the Bernese Oberland, and on the east,the Klausen Pass leads to Glarus. So, onthe southern slope, the great Rha?tian passesmeet the St. Gotthard as this approaches theItalian Plains. To-day, however, few people make use ofthe St. Gotthard except the tourist journey-ing on foot, in quest of exercise and health;for the famous St. Gotthard railroad makesthe passage from Switzerland to Italy in afew minutes. This tunnel was looked uponin its time as one of the triumphs of railroadengineerin
Switzerland, its scenery, history, and literary associations . theRhone; on the west the Susten Pass leadsto the Bernese Oberland, and on the east,the Klausen Pass leads to Glarus. So, onthe southern slope, the great Rha?tian passesmeet the St. Gotthard as this approaches theItalian Plains. To-day, however, few people make use ofthe St. Gotthard except the tourist journey-ing on foot, in quest of exercise and health;for the famous St. Gotthard railroad makesthe passage from Switzerland to Italy in afew minutes. This tunnel was looked uponin its time as one of the triumphs of railroadengineering. It was begun in 1872. finishedin 1880, and cost over $10,0()0.()()0. It isnine and a quarter miles in length, and as-cends from Goschenen to its highest point,3,786 feet above the sea level, and thendescends again to Airolo on the Italian can be traversed by express train in lessthan a quarter of an hour. It is a strangesensation that comes over us as we leaveGoschenen, and see a little dark hole in theside of the mountain before us, into which170. MOUNTAIN PASSES, RAILROADS, TUNNELS we plunge; then after a short period of dark-ness, lighted by lanterns, we issue out on theother side. The change is indeed striking, wehave passed from north to south, the air iswarmer, the sky is blue, the Swiss chaletsare replaced by the white stucco or stonehouses of the Italians. We might return to Switzerland by thesame route, but it will be an instructive jour-ney to return by the newer and longer tunnelof the Simplon, and at the same time we canhave at least a glimpse of the exceedinglybeautiful Italian lakes, which after all belongin part at least to Switzerland. We shallhave time, however, only for a fleeting trip. Instead then of leaving the train at Airolo,we go on to Locarno, beautifully situated onLake Maggiore; a town which belongs toSwitzerland, although in architecture, sceneryand character of the people it is typicallyItalian. Locarno is a pleasant place to stay in, wit
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidswitzerlandi, bookyear1910
