The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-07-26
QUEER THINGS IN BERLIN.
Some Of the Oddities That Exist in
the Great Capital or
Germany.
Tho Methods OF the People In
Many Respects Superior
to Ours.
Good Features Of the street Car SystcM-
No Chance for the Sample
Shoppcr-Signa

The horse cars and other public convey
Ances in Berlin strike the American as
somewhat peculiar. The fares in the horse
cars vary according to the distance, the
lowest fare being 10 ~pfennigs, or 23@ cents,
and the highest so %pfenniss, or ~ cents
A fee of 5 pfcnnigs is frequently given to
the conductor, because it is II well known
fact thai their wages are so low that they
could not live without their fees, and lady
IN the evening or on II stormy day will Sc
cure from the conductor every attention
and courtesy by giving this tritling amount,
although it is by no means n necessity.
Horse cars in Berlin are allowed to carry
only a, 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 filled
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, "Pferde-isenbahn 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 off the cars while
they are in motion, and they become very
.skillful in so doing.
Running directly across the city from
enst to west is the City Elevated railroad,
and around the outside of the city in two
large loops-a northern and a southern-ls
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 a
distance appear at 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 or
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 we'll built and
permanent in character and present none
ofthe tawdry, cheap, temporary appearance
of similar roads in some of our American
cities. The cars used are the ordinary Euro
pcan apartment cars. and most of the trains
carry three c~lasses-namely, second, third
and fourth, the first class being used only on
the long runs. The fares vary with the dis
tance in the city, and they are as moderate
as the horse car fares.
The shop windows in Berlin are full of
interest for the American. Shopping in
Berlin is widely different from shopping in
any American city. To begin with, the
shops are much smaller. There are only a
half dozen really large shops, comprising
three or four floors, in Berlin, and only two
which partake of the character Of the Bon
Marche In Paris. Except in the few large
shops one must be prepared to have his pur-
chase handed him done up in a newspaper,
for instead of wrapping paper German
economy compels the dealer o buy up back
numbers of the daily journals. In all the
markets and butcher shops this Is used,
and even in a fine confectionery shop you
may have your candies wrapped in a large
printed advertisement. In some of the
largeand more fashionable shops the strings
taken off the goods as they come in at
to secure the parcels Of the retail trade.
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 one
wishes to pay-is unknown in Berlin: There
one is not expected to enter q store and eX-
anime goods unless one is prepared to buy
on the spot. If the clerk thinks for an in
slant that you are not pleased and may not
buy. his manner changes at once, and he
will not show you any more. But if he is
convinced that you really desire to purchase
he will be exceedingly attentive. If, how
ever, after having considerable shown YOU.
you are not satisfied and leave, you may
expect positive rudeness on the part of the
clerks, whereas if you buy five pfennigs
w cents) worth you will be politely
treated.
Few stores in Berlin have delivery wag-
ons. Almost all employ small boys, who
carry the parcels to their destination.
There are not many peculiar signs to be
seen in such a modern city as Berlin, but
one customary sign, evidently handed down
from olden times, deserves notice. What
was it's origin have never been able to dis
cover, but a white apron tied over a chair,
which is hung outside a butchers slw,p, or
stood on the pavement beside the door.
means that boiled ''frankfurter" sausayes
are to be had within. One frequently sees
such a chair on Saturday evenings about
WYNN, II supper uOuF, anu peO-
pie living near by will send out a servant
to bring some in for the evening meal.
Conspicuous by their absence" are all
kinds Of large painted signs, great placards
and colored advertisements. The law does
not allow the Disagreement of the city by
painting advertisements on blank sides of
houses or by the erection of large and con
spicuous signboards. The shops along the
business streets nave all the necessary
names and numbers or them, and in the
horse cars are panels fitted in above the
windows bearing various kinds Of notices.
and some of the car windows nave adycr-
tisements painted or ground on the glass.
All theater and opera notices and special
advertisements must be posted on the lad
vertlslng columns" which are in couyen-
lent places all over the city. They stand
On the street corners and are about 10 feet
high and 4 feet in diameter and serve as n
directory for concerts, lectures and all
kinds of amusements for each day. There
have been recently placed in the various
open squares and on the business streets of
the city ornamental square columns On
the top of each is a clock which keens
standard time, being regulated by electric
ity from the city observatory. A recording
thermometer and barometer are also on
each column. and in the center a revolving