Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-11-30
TIE IOWA VOTER.
A. F. sperry Editor.
letters frGrs Germany.
No. 3.

we found our way into the first
class saloon, the other being filled up
with passengers who arrived there
before we did; aud it was not long
before every one there was drunk, as
was evident by the noise they made.
/ know, from personal observation,
that most of them got outside Of any
quantity Of lager in a very few
minutes.
! am not able to give you de-
scription of Bremerhaven, fer my
stay there was for only = few hours.
Here we took the cars for Bremen,
about thirty miles inland, to which
our tickets, from "New York 10 Bre-
men," entitled US and our baggage
to free transportation. Bremen is on
the line between the free and en-
pire States.
We were some three or four hours
making the journey to Bremen, and
got very tired, being imprisoned
in the cars without any look -out ex-
cept the small window. The rail
road coaches here are fashio<ed and
conducted on q different plan from
ours. They are divided into boxes
running cross-wise, each box con-
tanning about ten persons. When
the passengers are all in, the con-
ductor closes and fastens the door,
and here they are compelled to re-
main to the end of their journey.
The conductor does not pass through
the coach to collect fare, as with us,
but walks on a board about eight
inches wide, extending the length
of the ear on either side, and take,
the fare at the windows. The brake
man sits on the top of the coach, IN
a box apparently just the size to 81
him, and always rides backward.
The brake is applied with a screw;
consequently the process Of putting
on brakes is so slow that they havr
! to commence screwing up half an
! hour before they stop. Was arstlsttl
at the first whistle l heard from 4
. German locomotive. 1t sounded
like boy blowing on a goose quill.
AtBremen we were nottroubled BY
hotel runners. There were no car.
riages or omnibuses to carry Us to
any part of the city. When we were
landed we had to "take up our beG
and walk" We put up at the first
"Beer Halle and Resturation" thai
we came to. / thought it was rather
an improper place to take family,
but have learned since that it isquite
the style. The bar-room is deemed
as respectable place for ladies as the
parIor. In this instance it served Az
sitting and dining room for both
sexes. Everything appeared to be
neat and clean, and the food was
prepared in pretty good order, in
comparison with ship fare.
As soon as | got into the house j
was accosted by a small boy, with a
request that /, Of course, could moi
quite understand. But, by the aid
of an Interpreter i was soon made to
comprehend that he wanted to shave
me. | looked around to see where
his chair and other barber flxings
were; but being unable to discover
any, was informed that the little
fellow was an itinerant shaver. AT
first | was doubtful about trusting
him with my face; but, being told
that all the BARRIERS here were OF this
style, / concluded to give him trial.
So seated myself on a small box, in
order to get low enough for him.
But | soon repented Of my rashness.
| don't think his razor had been
sharpened since he had been in the
business. BY the time he was done
with me / found he had taken SKIN
and all in several places. Then he
left me with my face covered with
SOAP. and l had to go to the kitchen
for water. You may suppose was
not in very amiablcmood just then,
and formed Il rather unfavorabic
opinion OF the shaving fraternity
here, as represented by that boy.
] shall not be able to give you a
full description of Bremen, for saw
only small portion Of 1t. What l
did see was very clean, the streets
being paved with stone, SO that no
mud is seen in them. But they are
so crooked that a stranger passing
through could scarcely know what
direction he is going. In some piac'
es they are so narrow that fooimah
meeting a wagon has to back up
against house to get out Of the way.
IL.