Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-04-12
A Vienna Letter.

Hook Of Holland route, crossing the
tail OF the North sea. y@5s i. ~.
The night was calm and beautitul
and the sea being smooth AZ glass,
old Neptune was this time cheated
OF his tribute. We arrived on the
Hook, in a dense fog, lay at anchor
several hours. then landed and pro-
ceeded to Amsterdam by rail. Should
have said that before landing
steamed through miles Of spiles
driven into tho bottom 0f the ocean
I'll new set of levees or dunes, the
Hollanders are now putting In, to
steal more land from the sea.
Wonderfully enterprising and ILL.,
dustrious are the Dutch, their entire
possession being reclaimed In this
manner, from the sea. Put in day
at Amsterdam viewing it's art
galleries, streets, ETC.. and felt great
Nv repaid for it. Across the country
next enroute to Berlin, saw very in
teresting scenery. so faithfully and
often painted, no description Is not
necessary. (mostly dikes. bitches and
dunes) arriving next morning IN
Berlin, was impressed with the ex-
cellence CT the rolling stock and
road bed.
Berlin ia a large and beautiful city
about the size of Chicago, and grow
ing rapidly. Nowhere in Europe,
have 1 seen as many new buildings
and buildings in course Uf erection
as in Berlin. Here staid three days
and two nights and saw a great
deal to remember and profit by.
shall always remember it's beauti-
fnl streets, parks, palaces and
museums. Saw the Kaiser and
military. The German government
is a very strong one, you are aware,
and the people, a very sturdy,
powerful race, and the. military,
needless to say, perfection iteelf. One
sees IL great deal of the soldier In
Germany. he is every where. Every
adult male. If physically able. must
be u soldier, and the result is pleasing
as it is a great training for green
country boys and city clerks, who
but for that would grow up round
shoulderetl or knock kneed. perhaps.
The. military takes hold OF them
educates and turns them out In very
good form.
, The Germans take more time for
pleasure and recreation than most
of us think for. the city Astounding
in decent places III amusement and
instruction, magnificent art galleries
and museums free to the public and
many great parks right in the center
Of the city. It really is extraordinary
when one thinks Of what Germany
has actually accomplished In our
own times. Two score years ago,
or SO, there was no Germania-
being only a number of scattered
states loosely bound together, with
no common purpose and no great
wealth or power. Today 1t IL the
marvel Of Europe, rich. powerful,
progressive, united and, allied as they
are to England bv ties OF blood,
presenting a most important and
formidable front. 1t is impossible to
imagine stronger monarchy
with it's more than half a
million trained men under arms, and
several millions more, who have had
equally good training to be sum-
mon ed at a moments notice. Every
man has his number. On call to
war, he PUSHES to his nearest arsenal
where his gun, uniform, etc, are al
ways kept and it is said that in six
hours after declaration of war the
empire may be one vast army,
ready for service. Every street car
and dray horse has it's number, also
and may he put into service as
quickly as his driver. Provisions.
plans of campaigns are always on
hand and terrible indeed will be the
onset of this supremely organized
force, in event of war. Then too,
when one reflects that Austria is a
blood relative and apt to make COM
mon cause with Germany, it means
much more. for while Ihave not seen
as much Of their army am told it is
excellent. The TeutOnic raceis war
like ana If it is overcome in battle,
twill be spectacle never before
witnessed, and not likely tObe under
present conditions. We at home
have no idea of the thoroughness of
this military training or of the. size
of their armies. In Vienna today
are more soldiers than in the entire
United States army. They are
quartered in simply enormous bar
racks, great stone and brick forts
we would cali them, and SO vast are
they that only three or four are
needed. The Austrian cavalry is
noted throughout the, world as the