Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-16
VIEWS OF EUROPE.
Two Weeks Through sweden. .
:

\ Two Weeks Through sweden. /
Observation-Disclosures !-s..
Especial Correspondence Times-Repub-
lican.1
One who has seen Sweden can readily
understand the strong, sturdy and
hardy nature of the Scandinavian which
makes him one of the most desirable of
European emigrants to America. 1 will
always recall Sweden as the land OF
rocks. From the time entered the coun-
try at Nalnio, on the southwest coast,
until Stockholm, the capital city. re-
coded from view in the almost daylight
brightness of northern night | was
continually in sight of rock Much of
the land is so thickly scattered over
with boulders that cultivation is diff
cult. Other great areas present a sur
face of solid rock on which is no vege-
tation save moss. Wherever are hills
are Lodges of granite and Stockholm
might well be called the city founded
upon a rock, for 80 1t is. A chief at
traction of the city to us was the rugged
and wild appearance given by masses
of rock rising in the midst of houses and
building blocks along the principal
streets. Such an environment must
produce a strong and hardy people.
The peninsula of which Sweden forms
the eastern part is more than LOO miles
in length from north to south. The
northern half, the Norland, is a sterile
waste. almost uninhabited except for
occasional settlements, and terminating
in Lapland. The better part of the
country, central and south Sweden, is
but thinly settled. On several days l
rode for sixty miles. in that distance
passing through but two or three small
Villages Large towns are few, COM
lparatively small proportion of the pop
ulaticn living in cities. Agriculture is
the occupation of one-half of the popu-
lation, but the red cottages of the farm
ers seem far apart. Forty-four per cent
OF the country Is covered with forests of
| pine and fir. There has been in recent
wears an increased activity in the lum-
Der industry and the forest area is be-
| ing decreased, but the soil of the tim
bered country can not he cultivated.
There is but one country which has
more lakes than Sweden. the exception
being Finland. The lakes are every
where and though usually of small size
are so numerous as to occupy one
! twelfth of the surface area. Lake
Wettern, in central Sweden. beauti-
| full body of water eighty miles long and
from twelve to twenty wide, is one Of
1.-The cearest and deepest lakes of the
world. Bright objects may be seen
Through 100 feet of water and in places
/ the depth is more than 400 feet
i spent part of two days in the charm
| III, TSra Of
moon L. wheeled into the village the
mayor was giving a feast in honor of
the twenty-fifth anniversary of his
wedding and about the whole popula-
l.tion was on the streets in their Sum
days best on their way to the festiyi-
tiles. gentleman in black dress suit,
polished boots and white tie to whom /
| applied for direction was in too much
| of a hurry TO be among the first of the
| ARRIVALS TO tell me the location of the
hole. | found it without his aid, but
| the hostess had received an invitation
and as the servant was devoid of UNDER
standing i was obliged to wait for my
dinner until the mayors celebration
/ was over.
The atmosphere of Sweden is very
lelear and the view from the window
Twenty miles across the lake TO the far
1ther shore was of such peculiar beauty
as TO absorb my attention and make me
forget the mayor feast and my lack OF
one.
The general store of the western
Icountry town is found in Sweden under
| the name of Diverse Handel. The stock
lis certainly diverse in the lines of goods
Represented, but the assortment is very
incomplete. These stores do a small
i business amounting with some to less
4 than dollar during a day. The signs
fused by different establishments formed
an interesting subject of observation
4 The butchers window bears the wore
i s.Schlatermeister The druggist is ar
4 apoteket and his stock is advertised as
medika merit lador, While If he sells
Eight drinks this is indicated by tbs
word Observation-Disclosures Tit
shoemaker is a skomaker and his stores
skoaffar. The jeweler is an urmakel
Land his store has the sign urmakeri
The village inn i a gastgifveri and tn
word .'matseryerins denotes a restau
rant. Rum far resande means tina
lodgings are to be had.
The railway service of Sweden is in
lfeiior TO that 10 which an American !
accustomed. Many Of the lines hav
narrow guage tracks. The trains ar
usually a combination of passenger an
|. freight cars. Stops are made al ever.
station. which while the engine i
switching allow the passengers to max
excursions on the platform or through
the village, gaining rest from the tire
some wooden seats In my limited us
of the railway service ! found the train
usually behind a schedule. which re
quired speed of twenty miles an hour
ON one journey the actual rate wa
, twelve miles The process of starting
train is peculiar A bell hung withou
the depot is tapped Twice or three time
at intervals. The conductor some tim
after blows tin whistle. The engi
neer at his convenience sounds III
steam whistle. and by this time the pas
senger should start for the door of In
coach. AT the smaller stations wome
! wearing shaws tied about their head
are employed as agents. The railwa
service is almost exclusively govern
!, mental.
American agricultural implements al
being used in Sweden by the large
farmers and in nearly every town {
Q any size visited noticed a Deerin
magasin or an Osborne or McCormic
Agentur. Agricultural methods in ger