Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-09-10
The Bu1garians.
From the Chicago News.

The Bulgarians.
From the Chicago News.
! "It never seemed to me that Bulgaria
! was much OF a country to make such
fuss over" said DR.. Linthicum, a
kentuckian, who returned from Eu-
rope within the past month, and who
is at present in Chicago. He was
surgeon in the Servian army during
the Servo-Bulgarian war Of last year
and had wide range of experience
with both nationalities.
THE country is about as large as
the State OF Indiana and is nearly as
densely populated, having about two
million inhabitants. The principalin
dustry, and indeed about the only one
; OF any Importance, is stock raising.
There is some mineral wealth in Bulga-
ria: and it is claimed that Servia also
possesses considerable, but it has never
been developed, although the former
American consul, a Mr.. Grant, lost his
entire fortune in gold and coal min
ing. This Mr.. Grant was the only
American consul I ever heard OF
there. He was appointed by either
President Garfield Or Arthur and died
before his term expired. Talking about
the consul, when I WAS there was
looking for an American representa- g.
tive, and, failing to tind one, was
much grati1ied at tine treatment I
received from the British consul, VINO
could not do enough for me, and who
said that he was as willing to serve
any American as he would be to as
sist q British subject. I have forgot
ten his name but he was one Of the
finest gentlemen ever met.
"The Bulgarians are a simple, light
| hearted people, and remind me more
OF the Italians than any other nation
ality. They are not very we'll educat-
ed, although schools are being estab-
lished all over the country. They are
Slavs, from which race the Russians
are also descended, and speak Il dia-
lect OF the Russian language. They be-
long to the Greek church, which is the
| Russian religion, and are altogether
closely affiliated with that nation.
The Greek church is very similar to
the Roman catholic, except that it's
followers do not recognize the su-
premecy Of the Pope AS It's head, but
call the Gar the little christ and
reverence him as the Romans do the
Pope. The priests are allowed to
marry. None OF the churches has any
seats, and the congregation O. even
the largest cathedrals are Obliged to
stand through the service. The people
are not as sober as they might be-.
They drink beer, are very fond OF wine
and revel in whisky made OF prunes,
which they call 'bodke.' 1t is the
most Intoxicating drink | ever tasted,
and will lay man out quicker than
the vilest whisky sold in Chicago.
"The climate OF Bul garia is most
severe one. II is extremely cold in
winter and in summer the thermonle-
ter climbs away up around 100 dc.
grees in the shade There are few
! Americans there AID the people are
almost ignorant OF the existence OF
our country They have two
railroads which run entirely through
| the country The capital is Sofia and
the largest city is Widin, which is on
the Danube river and is n very well
! fortified place, being provided with the
best guns and ammunition known in
! modern warfare. The Bulgarians are
born soldiers and would rather fight
| than eat. That is how they whipped
; the Scrvians, who had a much larger
army under arms but who proved to
De towards.
/ II was in Vienna when the Servian
consul there engaged me to take a po-
sition on the surgical staff Of the Ser
Wan army. went direct to Belgrade
and arrived there just after the bat
tie in the Dragoman pass, when the
! Servians were SO badly beaten The
sight there was terrible one. Kong
Milan was so sure OF being victorious
that he had provided no hospitals for
the wounded, and they were lying in
the railroad cars and depots and in
private houses. There was only one
Institution which could be called %
hospital, and that was the 'Boyossch-
Iowa. or theological seminary (the lit
; eral translation OF the big word being
Gods school'). / never saw such q
pitiful sight. On all sides rose he cry,
! 'Bolc:' 'Bole" (pain, paiD. Out Of
| 800 wounded fully two hundred were
suffering from gunshot wounds
; in the left hand, which were
! undoubtedly inflicted by themselves 80
, as to incapacitate them from further
service. One day orders came for six
! ty OF them to be taken to military
headquarters and half an hour later
they We're shot. Justice is prompv
over there, not ony in military, but
in civil circles II the anarchists had
thrown their bomb over there they
would not have been alive now to ask
! for a. new trial.
! The recent revolution was brought
, about by the church people, who, rec
ognzing the car as their head, are
very loyal TO him and Cletcst the sui
tan under whose nominal rule they
have been. At the ]'urco- Russian
war Bulgaria was made Il province of
Turkey and ever since has had to
pay tribute to the sultan. Russia
i was unwilling to lose control of Bull
garia and ever since has been working
to regain possession. Prince Alexan-
dcr's idea was to make his country in
deIendent, but this he could not do
without other aid. Russia would not
support hin, unless he would consent to
make Bulgaria a Russian province,
! and ne wished to gain the assistance
OF either Austria, Germany Or Great
, Britain. The former countries had
little interest in Bulgaria and Great
Britain was satisfied as long as it was
, a Turkish province. Will she allow
the annexation to Russia? It does
not seem as though she would submit
to it, as it brings Russia a step nearer
to ConstantinopIe, which the Cars
for ages have wished to possess. Eng
land has great interest there and
any move which threat eng its losa Mill