Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-12-30
dMi5tellaneous 2eadina.
SIMON MOELLER AT HOME.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM A YORK
COUNTY GERMAN.

OH the Steamer-Ouaint Customs of the
Old World.
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
HEREFORD, Westphalia, December
ITO all the readers of THE ENQUI
RER, aud especially my friends aud
neighbors, greeting:
In giving, or attempting to give, a
brief relation about my journey, con-
slider it best to commence at the sta
ton from Yorkville on November l3.
That l was on said day naturalized,
or in other words, admitted as cillzen
of the United States, you already
know through The ENQUIRER. then
left on the evening train of the Three
C's railroad for Blacksburg to meet
the vestibule of the Southern railroad.
AS far as l know, there is no better,
and hardly faster train in The world,
for having left Blacksburg at Z p. M,
| reached Washington already at half
past 6 a. 10. The first strange thing
that l noticed was that in North Car
olina and Virginia the cars were crowd
ed with Negroes. Hardly any pale
faces could be discovered among these
dark masses of sleeping Negroes.
At Washington City | stopped from
$50 a. IN. till 2 p. N. had pass
port issued, and then visited the Unit
States capitol, treasury, marine build
ing, White House, Washington monu'
ment, national museum, Smithsonian
institute, agricultural museum, etc.
At the White House, l was received III
the state room; but the president was
not present. Afterward, / met him on
the street. Saluting him, l said
II beg your pardon, sir are you the
president ?"
Eyes, sir" he replied.
81 have yesterday, become a citizen
of this country" told him.
He gave me his hand and said, 81
congratulate you, sir. am glad 10
have met you"
On the 18th of November the Dres-
den, of the North German Lloyd, left
Baltimore at 7 p. N. The ride on the
Chesapeake bay took till next morning
at 4 o'clock. Until then we had beau
liful weather and on both sides an
interesting panorama. Now, after en-
tering the ocean at Cape Henry, the
wind blew strongly from the northeast
for three days, and the waves swept
over the first deck almost continually.
On the second day nearly everybody
took sick. This sickness has only u
duration of several days. Only about
Is passengers were on board. From
Bremen to Baltimore, the Dresden had
carried 600 passengers.
Now at the moment of stepping on
the ship, I entered the jurisdiction Of
the German law, and | should soon
find that out. One day, after dejeun-
er, thought 1 would 90 down at once
to the engine room, etc., which, at.
terwald learned, is against the navl-
CATION law. So the chief engineer, by
making out the navigation report, had
wrote in his book "Simon Moeller
entered machine room without per
mission. l motion for punishment" :"
This l learned through the barber,
who had seen that report. What was
to do? Under the circumstances, |
would probably have landed under
arrest, and at the navigation court
at Bremen, have been fined ten
marks. Now l told the barber that
was not acquainted with the naviga.
ton laws, and requested him to ex-
plain the matter to the chief engineer
if he should come 10 be shaved. And
so it was O. K.
At Bremen we landed after IA days.
1t must be remembered that between
New York and European ports voy-
age takes about Z days. In Bremen,
bought a new outfit of clothing in
American style. In the coast cities
foreign styles can be had. Though
clothing is in American much cheaper
than it used to be, yet one eau buy
here at just half as much.
After ride of about six hours on
rail, 1 arrived at Herford, in West
phalia. Two miles from this city lives
my sister, Mrs. Uphoff. l had never
been there and did not know Mr.. Up.
haff. When l got there I played
stranger. 1t took nearly an hour be-
fore my sister recognized me. During
this time l inquired about the brother
in-law which Mr.. Uphotf told me he
had in South Carolina, (myself) This
| did so l could have the exact opin.
ion they had formed about me. AT
last Mr.. Uphof asked me where !
came from. "From Bremen" | told
him. Then my sister left the room
and motioued Mr.. Uphoff out. Out
side she said, "What is the object of
talking about? That is my brother !"
Great joy followed.
Last Sunday we went to church.
On the way l saw my old home at
distance of five miles. Today is Thurs
day, and | have not been home yet ;
but remain with my relations, all about
six miles from fathers. have kept
my arrival secret. No crime | have
committed, yet around my home go
like cat around the hot soup. A
sermon in the German language had
not heard for five years. About 800
people present. Touching were the
words of the text, "Open far ye gates
of the world, that the King of Honor
may enter. Who is the King of Honor"
etc? BY listening to the preacher one
could at once guess that he had stud
led from 7 TO 25 years of his age in
three or four world famed universities,
such as Heidelberg, Bonn, Berlin, Jena,