Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1893-08-02
ODDITIES OF BERLIN.
SOME OF THE QUEER THINGS IN
THE GERMAN CAPITAL,

Car System-No Chance Tor the sam
pie" shopper-Business Signs.
The horse cars and other public convey
rnccs in Berlin strike the American as |
somewhat peculiar. The fares in the horse /
cars vary according TO the distance, the |
lOwesc fare being 10 pfennigs, or ~ cents, |
and the highest 30 pfennigs, or ~ cents. |
4 fee of 3 pfennigs is frequently given to |
the conductor, because it is a well known
fact that their wages are 50 low that they
could not live without their fees and lady
in the evening or on a stormy day will Sc
cure from the conductor every attention
and courtesy by giving this trifing amount,
although it is by no means a necessity.
Horse cars In Berlin are allowed to carry
only specified number On each car is
distinctly marked how many seats there
are inside and how many standing places
on each platform, and when the car is filed
it will not stop again for passengers, for the
rules are strictly enforced The horse cars
do not stop at any point where they are
| signaled, but only at intervals Of about two
blocks. The stopping places are marked
! by an iron pole with q plate on top bearing
the words, Professionalism Haltestelle"
or Horse Railroad Stopping Place"
Some Of the horse cars have a double row
of seats running lengthwise on top Of them.
| Only men are allowed TO ride on top, and
the travelling American lady feels this to be
very unfair, for fine views of the busy
streets can be obtained from such an ele
! waited position. Ladies In Berlin as well as
gentlemen jump on and of the cars while
they are in notion and they become very
slillful in so doing
Running directly across the city from
east TO west is the City Elevated railroad,
and around the outside Of the city in two
large loops-a northern and q southern-is
the Circuit Elevated railroad, connecting
with the former at its eastern and western
stations. The roads are constructed ON a
( series Of fine masonry arches which from
| distance appear ut once massive and grace
full, and they cannot be said to be in any
way a Disagreement to the city. The sta
lions, of which there are some seven OF
eight within the city limits, are immense
brick structures with fine, high, glass arch
ed roofs and with broad flights of stone
steps leading up to the platforms above
As with everything else on the continent,
the Berlin elevated roads are well built and
permanent in character and present none
Of the tawdry, cheap, temporary appearance
Of similar roads in some of our American
cities. The cars used are the ordinary Euro
pean apartment cars, and most Of the trains
carry three classes-namely, second, third
and fourth, the first class being used only on
, the long runs. The fares vary with the dis
S tauce in the city. and they are as moderate
as the horse car fares.
The shop windows in Berlin are fun Of
I interest for the American. Shopping in
/ Berlin is widely different from shopping in
p any American city. To begin with, the
s shops are much smaller. There are only a
half dozen really large shops comprising
three or four floors, in Berlin. and only two
D which partalze of the character of the Bon
Marche in Paris. Except i'm the few large
shops one must be prepared to have his pur
S chase handed him done up in a newspaper
for instead Of wrapping paper German
economy compels the dealer to buy up back
?. numbers of the daily journals. In all th,
3. markets and butcher shops this is used
B, and even in fine confectionery shop you
may have your candies wrapped in a large
printed advertisement. In some of the
n largeand more fashionable shops the strings
q taken of the goods as they come in al
wholesale are tied together and used agar
to secure the parcels of the retail trade.
q Shopping as Americans know it-namely
the going about from store to store eXamin
ing and pricing until one has found exactly
# what one wishes, and at the price on
- wishes to pay-is unknown in Berlin Their
- one is not expected 20 enter IA store and ex
, anime goods unless one is prepared to bu!
> on the spot If the clerk thinks for an in
., slant that You are not pleased and may no
a buy, his manner changes at once, and Ia
, I will not show you any more. But if he /
! convinced that you really desire TO purchas
he will be exceedingly attentive. If, how
- ever, after having considerable shown you
YOU are not satisfied and leave you ma,
- expect positive rudeness on the part Of tn
clerks. whereas if you buy five pfennig
~ az cents) worth you will be politel
treated.
Is Few stores in Berlin have delivery waq
ons. Almost all employ small boys, VIII
al carry the parcels TO their destination.
le There are not many peculiar signs TO b
w. seen in such a modern city as Berlin, bu
one customary sign, evidently handed dow
from olden times. deserves notice. Wha
y was its origin have never been able TO dis
cover, but white apron tied over chail
which is hung outside butchers slWp, q
~ stood on the pavement beside the dool
'h means that boiled "frankfurter" sausage
are to be had within. One frequently see
such chair on Saturday evenings about
j. O'Clock, the German supper hour. and pc,
as pie living near by will send out a servau
Is to bring some in for the evening meal
Conspicuous by their absence" are a
kinds of large painted signs great placart
ma and colored advertisements. The law dot
he not allow the Disagreement Of the city
no painting advertisements on blank sides
houses or by the erection Of large and CO..
spicuous signboards The shops along Il
ss business streets have all the necessai
"a names and numbers on them, and in q
Ia. horse cars are panels fitted in above Il
windows bearing various kinds Of notice
oil, and some of the car windows have adve
6 tisements painted or ground on the glass.
ay All theater and opera notices and speci
no advertisements must be posted on the "a
vertising columns" which are in cOnve
lent places all over the city. They stgi
0as on the street corners and are about 10 fe
al- high and feet in diameter and serve as
directory for concerts, lectures and
kinds of amusements for each day. The
have been recently placed in the vario
open squares and on the business streets
5ty the city ornamental square columns. {
or the top Of each is clock which kee
Ter standard time, being regulated by electr