The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-01-10
|LETTER FROM EUROPE.
a. Mankato Traveller Writes Interest
.inuIy of What He Has Observed.
Vienna. Dec. 81, 1901.

Editor Free Press: BEFORE departing
from Mankato I ''promised that 1
would drop you few lines occasion
ally. Now the few lines have accumu-
lated to few columns. However, /
shall aim to express myself as short
as possible, and also to give some items
of general interest.
We had an elegant trip, accom-
panied by the most beautiful weather,
excepting few days on the ocean.
No rain until our arrival at Vienna,
Oct. 4th, an entire month Such for
tunate weather greatly enhances the
pleasures of trip. .s4
Our first stopping place was Rock
ford, ILL.,, where have many relatives
and where I once lived number of
wears. Rockford has about 80, 900 in
habitants and is one Of our most beau
tiful cities. However, few, if any,
towns of the size of Mankato have a
park of the scope Of our Sibley park,
of which we may justly feel proud.
Through Rockford flows the Rock
river, which in the center of the city
is at least block wide, and has a
depth so that excursion steamers can
go up stream for several miles. This
body of water adds great deal to the
appearance and pleasures of the town.
But these considerations we're not the
prime object in the construction of the
dam, upon which this quantity of
water depends. Rockford owes the
establishment of many of it's present
and nearly all of it's former indus
tries to the water power thus OBJ
tanned.
am mentioning this matter in de-
tail, because the construction of dam
in Mankato for improving the appear
ance of the river bed and also to afford
a body of water for pleasure and other
purposes was talked of last fall. 1t is
certain that such a dam could, with
precautionary measures against high
water, be easily constructed at mod
crate cost, and would without question
be valuable improvement to our city.
We spent several days at Chicago
and Buffalo. At the latter city we
visited the exposition and were we'll
pleased with it. The grounds, land
scape, arrangement of buildings, il
Illumination, electrical display, etc.,
were features often creditably men
toned. y At the time great sorrow and
feeling of pronounced uncertainty
lowered over the city as result of the
shocking tragedy which took place
there two days before.
Sept 10th we sailed from New York
on board the "Kaiserin Maria Their
esia, )" one of the best and fastest
steamers of the North German Lloyd
Co. No matter how comfortable the
accommodations or pleasant the
weather, one is always glad when land
is sighted. We had rather changeable
weather, put no loolgnt CASTE. of sea-
sickness. At Cherbourg ION board) we
heard the sad news of the death of our
late president. A general feeling of
sympathy and sorrow prevailed the
flag was placed at half mast.
We reached Bremen Sept. 18th, and
remained there one day looking over
the city. I was at. Bremen ten years
ago and could now note many i'm
provements. 1t is one of the richest
cities of Germany and Mrs. Schmauss
was very agreeabIy surprised at the
prevailing cleanliness, the pureness of
the atmosphere, the rosy cheeks OF the
people, the many nice buildings, the
beautiful park, the pretty residence
streets, etc. jOf architectural and his
torial value, Bremen possesses the city
hall (14O5) and the dome (1O43.)
Travelling through Germany, we
were at once impressed by the fresh,
green appearance ., of the fields and
meadows, as we then had still in mind
the parched appearance of our pas
lures, ETC., as result of the drouth.
The effects were much more apparent
in Illinois, Indiana :, and Ohio than in
Minnesota. Railroad travel here is
much more comfortable now than ten
years ago. The coaches are larger and
better equipped and the arrangement
approaches more the American style.
The trains make better time and are
very punctual. Late trains are the ex-
ception and not the rule. Travelling
in Germany would undoubtedly be
very disappointing to a prohi bitionist,
since it is. much more difficult to OBJ
tain a fresh drink of water than a
good glass of beer. They furnish
drinking water, but no ice water, on
the trains.
On the occasion of the assassination
and death of our late President Nc
Kinley, public sentiment in Ger many
was decidedly with us, deep sympathy
and regret being expressed every
where. Thislfact is of more than of
casual significance, in as much as Nc
Kinley especially the Mckinley tariff
and later the Dipgley tariff was re-
garded as the biggest foe of German
manufacturing interests 1t again
demonstrated the true friendship
which exists between the two nations.
For some time past, marked bust
ness depression has been prevailing
throughout Germany and our protec-
tive tariff in particular is held respon-
sible for this condition. Nevertheless
one will not find any unfriendly feel
ing against US anywhere, because it is