The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-02
THE PASSING THRONG.

1dE PASSlNG THkONG.
Mr.. and Mra Otto Ranke. who have been trav-
70 he city yesterday. M Ranke is one OF the
most popular and successful men of Seattle, and
he was warmly welcomed back. He and his
wife left here January &c, his chief purpose be-
ing to consult some German specialist in regard
TO throat trouble. Immediately upon his ar
rival In Berlin an operation was performed, re-
moving tumor from his throat Mr.. Ranke
passed the ordeal well and recovered rapidly.
Inc time since then has been passed In travel
Ing in the principal cities Of Germany and Aus
tria- They visited Hamburg, KieI, Leipsic.
Prague, Stuttgart, Vienna and other places of
interest Mr.. Ranke went bacx to his German
birthplace, Postok, which he had not seen for
twenty-eight years. His mother is still living
there at the age OF IS yesrs, and a number of
uncles and cousins there. Mr.. and Mrs
Eanke reached America July ., and have
made leisurely tip across the continent.
The heat and the travel were fatiguing, but
IN spite OF that Mr. Rsnke Is looking better than
when be went away. His throat fs entirely
we'll, except that he hiss not yet the full use of
his voice eat Berlin" said he last evening,
1--WE met number of Seattle people-Mrs- 7. T.
Minor, Miss Chamberlin, Miss Mabe, FiiKins,
MSS Brownie Blown and Miss Collins. After
my experience with German physicians and
German hospitals, have come to the conclusion
that If man stay In the United States, he cen
as rule at the principal cities, find doctors as
skillful and hospitals good az there 1t is
becoming quite the thing for Americans to
hoek to the German health resorts, but we have
In this country springs as good a. those of Ger
many. sensible young doctor told me that II
Americans at home would submit to the
same diet and mode of life that are
prescribed at Carlsbad. the result would
be practically the same. But will say this fSr
the Germans. they have learned TO get the best
and the highest enjoyment ont of LIE. Their
music, their theaters, their schools, their art
galleries and their museums are 80 much ahead
of what We have. The children are brought up
to enjoy good music, good plays and good pic
lures You would be surprised to go into the
art galleries on the children's days and see the
crowds of little ones looking with interest at the
beautiful paintings and statues That is an edu-
cation of which we have far too little here There
too, the parks are thing you can never forget,
and As locked at those green breathing places
in the crowded cities, Thought OF Seattle again.
In Germany the cities are every now and then
buying back few blocks, tearing down the
buildings and turning the spot into q park: and
these little parks are getting very numerous.
In them are great piles Of clear white sand,
whore the children play all day. You
will see them coming in the morning with their
pals and shovels in their hands, and at night
they go back tired and ready to sleep In the
afternoons there 10 fine music in the parks, and
the women bring their knitting and sewing and
sit out under the trees. But IN New York il the
crowded quarters We saw children and babies
out on the aag-stones till nearly midnight try.
ing to get the fresh air that German children
get during the day in the parks. Yes. Seattle
and every American city should have more
parks. We have plenty Of land here. and the
city should get proper pieces of IL az often as
possible. Ishould be willing to pay Q special
tax for parks, and I'm going to plant trees On
my property wherever can"
Among the guests at the Rainier are Mr.. and
Mrs. &. Blankenburg, of Philadelphia, who are
now on their way home from Alaska. Mr..
Blankenburg. who 10 a native OF Germany, has
been for many years q resident of Philadelphia,
where he is engaged in manufacturing. Though
he is not an ohiceholder, and has declared his
purpose never 10 accept an Office, he has been
active in the movements for the reform Of the
city government of Philadelphia He WAS one
OF the well-knowu COMMITTEE OF One Hun.
dred, whose action broke up the corrupt ring
at one time dominant in Philadelphia. About
two months ago Mr.. Blsnkenburg returned from
Russia, TO which country he had been sent to
assist in distributing the food given by Phila-
delphis. 'Our city, he said. yesterday, "dis-
patched two vessels, the Conemaugh and the
the famine-stricken thousands in Russia We
also raised 81, 900 In addition. These supplies
helped to distribute through a district as
lsrge as that part OF the United States
lying east of the Mississippi river.
The accounts of the sufferings there have not
been exaggerated. Indeed Dickens, . Dumas
and Victor Hugo could not begin to describe
the misery. The failure OF the crops left the
psople without food; and their only supplies
come from the public soup kitchens established
and maintained by the generosity OF people in
Europe and America There once q day black
bread, which We would not feed to dogs, was
6olsd out, and q thin soup, which some would
make yet thinner with water in the effort TO in
crease the quantity of something which re-
sembled food. l visited Count Tolssoi and his
family, and found that they were main tanning
10 OF these soup kitchens TO supply this food,
which-bad as Ii wss-wss the best obtsinahie.
We went through many houses and in none OF
them could We find single scrap of anything TO
eat, not crumo of bread nor Q shred of meat.
Horses, cattle, dogs and other domestic animals
died by thousands While a comparatively
small number OF men persisted from
actual starvation, still everybody was
so weakened that deaths from other causes
made up the full count Thousands were car
ried away from hunger typhus," q fever
which attacks the insuficiently led. During
five weeks in Russia We visited the parts of
tow, one OF these cities. Is the dirtiest have
ever ever seen. Since arriving In Seattle hayo
received letters forwarded to me from Pbia-
deiphia They are from prominent Russian D
who say that the seed corn from America is
planted and doing well. While there will be no
wheat for export. there will probably be enough
10 feed the people at home"
A large party, which came down from Alaska
on the Queen, arrived st the Rainier hotel yes.
terday morning. They remained over night,
but they leave today for Portland and the East
Coolidge Barnard, OF Boston, and George r.
Simonds, of South Acton, are the Raymond
agents II charge of the excursion The mem
eers of the party are; A. B. Barrett OF Henaer-
son, Ky; Ms, john V. Beam. s., William 7.
BlodgeIf, Miss Pauline A. Chaplin, Hon. II. n.
lockwood and Howard C Smith, of New York
city; Mr. end Mrs. K Blankenburg, Mr. and
Mrs W. Doughten, Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas c.
Else, Miss " NJ Fleming. G.. stewart Harris.
Miss julia A Myers, Miss H. C Raphun, Mr.
and Mrs Joseph Z smsitz. Mss LAKE, T.
sm<z and Mrs. Walter J. Wilson. OF Philadel-
phia; l. d. Chamberlin and William p
Hill, OF Boston; Mrs. NJ. A. Cutler and
Miss Cora " Cutler. of Albany, y. Y;
Mr.. and Mrs William 5. Downs. OF
Birmingham, Coma: Miss II. A Earle.
o. Providence; Mrs. C. B. Gardner and Rosy z
Gardner, OF Natertown. Mass; Miss Annie C..
Hitchcock, OF Riverside. Cal Mrs.. l. K. Holder,
James A Holder ana Miss l. W. Holder. Of
Lynni Ars. J. y. Hutchinson and Mrs l. A.
Parker, of Iowa City; Mrs. J. J. Irvine, of Well
lesley, Mass; Miss Mary Z. McCeney. OF " ash
ingson City; John Fl. Morgan and George P.