The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-05-10
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTERS FROM GERMANY.
Interesting Gossip OF Young Baltimore
County Physician Who Has Been
Studying Abroad About
q Year.
NrRNRFRG. Anril It'll i

NURNBFRG, April 18th 1902
AS / wrote you last had just arrived in Ores
den and Title was to come down the next day
He arrived o. K. but about eight hours earlier
than l expected him. He went to the hotel we
had decided upon, but | was not there, but by
going to the police they told him where | was
stopping and he found me all right. | was
around to the hospital TO see Dr. Leopold oper-
ate but as he did not do so therefore saw only
the hospital.
We, Tilie and myself. then proceeded to see
the city and suburbs We first took steamer
and went up the River Elbe. 1t is very swift
and it was quite interesting to watch the differ
ent methods employed to go up against the cur
rent. We saw one big tug towing lot of barges
and going along at very fare rate of speed. but
on closer examination found it worked some
thing like cable car. There was chain laid at
the bottom of the river and the boat pulled
itself up the river by this means the chain COM
ing over the bow and out again over the stern
On both sides of the river are very high hills and
they are all covered with pretty houses and cas-
ties. We went up as far as Pilwitz and saw the
summer castle of King Albert of Saxony. He,
people think far more of him than the Kaiser
picture.
On the way down the river we had very good
view OF the city and on arriving at Blasewtz got
on the boat again and went to the top of a big
hill on the hanging railroad. | sent you postal
OF this railroad and you can see how ticklish it
was riding on such machine.
Later we again took the boat back to the city
and that night went to the Central Theatre to
variety show. The program was very good and
there were quite number of Americans on the
Oil. The next day we visited the Picture CAL
Iery, which is considered the best in Germany.
l don't know very much about pictures but was
greatly pleased with some of them, especially
the animal pictures The Castle and Frauen
Church we also visited. These are very pretty
and were built by Italians early in the eleventh
century. Later in the day we saw the guard
concert. We then walked the whole city over
and saw about everything in it. The park here,
although not SO large as the one in Berlin. is
much prettier and has many small lakes and
pretty buildings.
At night we went to the Opera House to hear
Tannhauser. This Opera House is very fine,
much finer than in Berlin, and the opera was
very well given, with most beautiful scenery
and good music from an orchestra of about sixty
men. 1t was much better than the other Wag-
ner operas have heard and l enjoyed it very
much. Nearly every one there was English or
American people and English was spoken on all
sides. We also saw great many English speak
ing people on the streets, in the galleries, etc.
Saturday morning, at S.S5 O'Clock, we left Dres-
den for this city and arrived about $50 p. NJ. the
same day, after very slow but rather interes-
ting journey. We had to change trains twice
and stopped quite long at some stations. so we
were able to learn good deal of geography.
Nurnberg is very old city, being built about
the ninth century, and many of the houses are
the same now as then. The Castle is situated on
what is known as Kings Mountain and is very
ancient indeed. We went through it and saw
old beds, stoves, pictures, chairs, etc, made hun
dreds of years ago. Near the Castle is a well $40
feet deep, dug through solid rock. At the bot
tom is a passage said to have been used by the
kings to reach the centre of the city. This we'll
years old. We then went into the tower where
they have instruments of torture. The chief
attraction here was an iron figure of a woman,
called the Iron Virgin" The front opened like
two doors and the doors contained iron spikes
The victim was put inside and the doors closed
until the spikes touched him. Then slow pres
sure was put on and the spikes very slowly push
ed through him. Two spikes entered the eyes,
in each breast and about 10 in the abdomen.
Another instrument of torture was a cradle
lined with iron spikes and the victim was put
into it naked and rocked to sleep! We also saw
a sword used by the old timers to cut off heads
This sword was handed down from father to son
and is said to have deprived 800 persons of their
top pieces. There were many other machines of
torture which may describe later.
This city has changed very little and the old
Notifications, with their round and square watch
towers are still to be seen. There is also moat,
b yards wide and 40 feet Deep which is also part
of the Notifications. They showed us two hoof-
to have escaped by jumping his horse over the
moat. All can say about this story is that
horses must have been good jumpers in those
days.
Sunday afternoon we went to the Museum,
which is the best / have seen in Germany. 1t
used to be an old monastery and is very pretty
yet with its stained windows It contained al
most everything one can think of-pictures,
models, medical papers, drugs, instruments,
stones, flags. cannon, armor, etc. We were
there nearly the entire day and enjoyed it very
much.
We went to see a big Catholic Church this
morning and while there saw German marriage
The church is very large and is held up by mar
bic pillars. The windows are beautiful. as are
also the statues of the Virgin Mary, Christ and
others The altar is also very pretty and is COW
cred with silver and gold ornaments. We were
very lucky to see it when it was lit up. The
bridal party looked very cold, and the priest,
who was exceedingly long winded, nearly froze
the crowd out.
The shops here are filled with pretty toys, ETC..
and l wish could get some home without break
ing them. Tomorrow morning early we go to
Munich, where Allen is.