Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
A SPICY INTERVIEW.
The American Consul in Belgium
Chats About the Little Place
THAT DOTS THE MAP OF EUROPE.
Her Workmen Are Easily Satisfied and q
Contented Set of Men.
A BIG SEA WALL TO KEEP BACK THE SEA

Colonel John Stewart, United States Con-
sui at Antwerp, is visiting in this city. The
Colonel has come to America on business
and pleasure. He is psyingW w. K. Wood
well, of Dallas, visit before he reports at
Washington.
In an interview q DISPATCH reporter
had with him last night he said: "Antwerp,
where am stationed since 1880, is very
Wonderful port and very grand city. The
port is the largest in Europe. The shipping
tonnage for last year was in, excess of
5000, 900. The situation of Antwerp is
favorable as transit port for Southern
Germany, Switzerland, Northern France
and Austria. From all these countries
there is an immense carrying trade with the
outside world, both in imports and exports.
The maritime: e:authoritie a few years ago
made vast improvements on the irregular
condition of the docks, which made ship
ping extremely difficult The uneven
places were filed and solid wall of
masonry was built, mile in length, at a
cost of 500, ,000, 900, which backed the sea up.
At present the largest vessel afioat can sail
down the Antwerpen river to be loaded or
dischargediat the quay.
A SUPERIOR PORT.
''The natural advantages of this port
make it superior to any other in the world.
Many English, German. and, am sorry to
say, few American vessels enter the port.
Antwerp is a favorite stopping place for
passenger steamers There is very extern
sive commerce between this country and
Belgium, and it is growing daily. have
an enormous amount of miscellaneous cor
respondence from America. People gener-
ally seek information and recommends
tions to some reliable Belgian firm, where
a direct trade can be opened up without the
Intervention of middle man. \
Belgium does its largest trade with the
Argentine Republic, South America; pos
sibly the wool trade which is carried on be-
tween the two countries is the largest in
Europe. The Antwerp Bourse is one of the
most prominent on the continent for pro-
ducts such as grain, wheat, barley, corn,
lard, petroleum and WOOL Very large sales
are completed daily.
It may be noted that there is very little
emigration from Belgium to this country.
The people like living at home. They are
contented and prosperous. Occasionally
there are large strikes, but these happen in
the best regulated countries. The wages a
skilled or an ordinary laborer receives is not
to be compared in money value to what
man gets in America.
THE BELGIANS NEED LITTLE.
1t must, however, be taken into consider
alton that a Belgian can buy all the actual
necessities of life much cheaper than we can
over here. They do not live like the average
American. He does not want three meals
day, and at each of them meat Often he
is contented to take glass of beer and a
crust and cheese. The workman here would
not do that
The education in Antwerp is very
good. There is the public school system
and the Roman Catholic. The public school
is based upon similar principles to our own.
The education the children receive is very
excellent. Every parent is obliged to send
his child to school until he reaches 13 years
of age. They are taught three languages,
German, French and Flemish.
''The struggle between the Liberal party
and the Catholics is very bitter. At pres
ent the Catholic party is IN the ascendancy,
The majority of the country is Catholic, be-
cause they like following the King, who, 1
may say, is thinking man, with progress
i've ideas as to commerce.