The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-09-18

and as many hours By railway, we ar
rived st Warberg. This is a small
town &c about ), 700, but is much visit
ed in the summer for bathing the
/ papers report e23 registered bathers
this season, though the number is
usually much higher The only place
i here OF Interest is an old castle or
fortress, erected in the 18th century,
| which Is now used only as house Of
! correction for soldiers who have COM
mitted misdemeanors, and taken here
20 work out their time in the ex-
tensiye granite carries owned and OPP
Grated by the government. Large
quantities OF granite blocks for street
| paving are constantly being loaded on
vessels and exported TO Germany and
/ other countries. Besides the export
alton 10 Europe of wood used in the
manufacture Of pulp and pit-prOps,
the chief industry is fishing, at which
a good share of the population-men.
boys and women-are engaged. Fish
is consequently cheap, &c per pound,
and even less when the catch has been
good, buys the best. The herring
fisheries, upon which the poorer pe0-
/ pie are dependent, commenced week
ago. but the catch so far has
been unusually small, and unless
| it improves soon, much suffering is
| looked for during the coming winter.
Though Warberg is a small town it
could put a more pretentious city IN
Minnesota that [ have in mind TO
shame, as FAR as the cleanliness Of its
streets and alleys is concerned Every
| foot OF street here is paved with stone
| and are sprinkled and swept daily.
The Americans may consider the
| Scandinayians a slow and easy going
/ people. but those who live in the cities
at least do not allow ''the grass TO
grow under their feet, for as soon as
| any appear on the streets il is inn
mediately rooted up By the street
sweepers who carry acrooked iron tool
| for this purpose. 1t is a part OF the
duties or the police force which by the
way is composed Of eighteen men, TO
| look after the sanitary condition Of
the town and the regulations being
strictly enforced. no dirt or filth is
allowed anywhere within the city
| limits. a sewer system extends
through al the streets and every pro-
perty owner is compelled TO have his
/ premises connected with the sewer.
When at home and used TO our
streets. their condition did not seem
so bad as it does when at this dist
ance. and I am convinced that the
existing state of affairs is injurious TO
the interests of our city. That Man
katO. which boasts Of being the me-
tr0p0liS Of Southern Minnesota, should
allow the weeds TO grow in its streets
until the local press is compelled TO
repea tedly ask that they be cut down
seems inexcusable. Should this be
noticed by strangers who are DESTROYS
OF locating in some ride awake west
eTn town. they would very likely form
an adverse opinion and 60 elsewhere.
| You may think that the above re-
marks are inappropriate. and | admit
the corn, but can offer as an excuse
| that have just been reading the
home papers.
The people here as well as in Ger
many are naturally very much alarmed
and surprised over the Russian pT0hi-
| bition OF expectation of rye and rye
-four. and the papers are trying in vain
10 solve the problem Of where TO get
the shortage thus caused and by the
crop failures, supplied. The price Of
-four and bread is daily advancing. A
German paper says that prices on
necessities are higher now than dur
ing 1915 and 1919 when there was
much suffering.
Families who have heretofore never
known want are now already suffering
from want Of food. The meals are be-
coming scantier and are SO poor that
they can hardly give the lab0ring
class Of our population strength 70
work.
Fully s. per cent. of the German
grain imports have heretofore been
| Supplied BIZ Russia. Now that Ger
many alone needs 1900. 600 quarters,
Sweden. Norway and Holland 2, 800, 900
more it is certain that the Farmers Of
| the Northwest viii at last be able to-
obtain good prices for their wheat.
| think it would surprise you 10 see
what a great number Of articles or
| American manufacture have found
/ their way out TO this remote corner OF
the world. Besides farm machinery
and agricultural implements Of all
/ kinds. barbed wire, carpenters tools
/ and hardware. cl0theS-WringerS and
WashbOards, clocks and watches. can
ned fruits and meats. and cigarettes
and tobacco OF American make are
| sold here. Walter A. Woods and Nc
Cormick self-binders sell here at 800
| krOnOr-S243.
I shall leave here on Aug. 81 and after
a few DAYS visit my former home viii
wend my way toward free and prac-
teal America. and shall be truly
thankful when I set my foot on her
soil once more.
Yours Truly,
L. a. LTSDER.