Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-13
Special Correspondence

NESSiaL NoIltS kbAtleuCe'
IrollhattaD, Sweden, Aug. 19.-WhiIe
IN Glasgow, recently, the writer was
much interested in a visit to the pa
Iatlal city buildings and in loking up
the subject Of municipal ownership of
the utilities, such as electric lighting.
gas, water tramway systems. garbage
disposals, etc. Glasgow is a signal
success and widely quoted as a shining
example Of the advantages accruing
from municipal ownership of all the
urban utilities above mentioned, and
my belief is that the facts fully JUS
tify the most sanguine claims of the
partisans Of municipal ownership. The
city Of Gothenburg (Sweden) has gone
step further than Glasgow, as many
will recall, and manages it's public
houses (salOOns), on business princi-
pies not unlike that of any depart
ment of a large city, and with, l am In
formed, gratifying results. Your cor
respondent was glad of an opportunity
to examine the famous Gothenburg
system at close range. Briefly stated,
the city of Gothenburg, having a popu-
lation of 1880, has some Is public
houses where not only spurious and
malt liquors, but coffee, soup, light
lunches, etc, are sold at extremely
modest prices, all under the control
and subject to the regular inspection
by the municipal officials. The man
ager OF the larger dispensaries gets
the liberal salary of 5000 kronor, or
about $1,000 per annum. The liquors
are analysed and of pronounced purity,
the food of the very best quality if not
OF great variety, the coffee, sugar and
cream above criticism, while the sa-
looms are scrupulOusly clean, light,
large and airy and we'll supplied with
chairs, tables, marble Washbowls and
ample and clean towels, etc. They
are popular and well patronized. I was
unable to ascertain what was the net
amount realized by the city from these
many places, but understand it to be
about per cent. "-probably on the
investment. | am to have the exact
amOuntsent TO my London address, and
feel sure your readers will be curious
body appears to be- satisfied, however,
since the city of Stockholm and many
other Swedish cities have adopted the
Gothenburg system. 1t will occur to
the thoughtful person that, since the
manager and his attendants are paid a
fixed salary whether much or little be
sold, and since, therefore, profits are
of secondary Importance, and that the
liquors are pure, that no intOXicants
are sold to minors nor those affected
with mania and, finally, since every
thing is "Wide open''-no screens, etc
and that they are frequently inspected,
the places are always orderly.
Their managers are men of charac-
| ter, who have to be highly recommend
ed and endorsed, their tenure of office
being contingent upon good steward
ship and general repute. The profits
are used for schools, for hospitals and
| Gu the streets and, I believe (but Of
that [ am not certain) fol other city
purposes. Gothenburg is said to be
the cIeanest city in the world, and 1
think properly So Doubtless there are
small places quite as tidy but here is a
lusty commercial giant, with immense
intramuraI traffic, whose thorough
fares generally are as clean as a park
boulevard. GOeteborg, as it is spelled
here, believes, unlike some idealiSts,
that large cities must have saloons.
Madison, on similar ratios, would have
$50 saloons with its now population.
She limits the number, takes them out
Of politics, and requires those who
| (and that is the majority Of people in
Europe) take something" to assist
in paying the cost Of first-class munich
pal housekeeping. Myself and friend
ordered: / kopp cafe Cream ana
sugar., 1 sup, 2 glas dirk. The Dirk
was intensely fiery Swedish white
brandy (kuemmeD that, it seemed to
me- would burn hole through an
inch board. The bill was 26 uere-
the kronor equals 28c and there are 100
ure in a kronor,-therefore about 7
cents.
Another Swedish innovation is the
railway restaurant where everybody
helps himself from generously loaded
tables, from soup to pastry,-eVery-
thing ne wants, and till he is satisfied,
at the uniform price Of 2 krOnor. We
like Sweden. The Falls Of TrOllhattan,
where We now are resting, are beauti-
full.
Copenhagen, Denmark, where we
had an enjoyable visit with the new
American consul, Prof. ]. C.. Freeman
of Madison, and his accomplished
daughters, was a treat. We vastly en-
joyed Amsterdam, Bremen and Ham
burg, and We row are en- route via
Christiania, Stockholm, and Helsing-
fors, Finland, to st. Petersburg, Mos
cow, ETC. W. W. Warner.