Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-21
ADMIRES SW EDEN
Ralph Mahon Writes interestingly
About Northern Europe.
HAS VISITED NORWAY CITIES ALSO
Young Tar Who Halls From ottumwa
IN Letter to Father, A. w. Mahon,
Tells Much That Will Interest His
Friends In This City.

a. w. Mahon, who resides on North
JEFFERSON street In this city, has receiv-
cd from his son, Ralph, who is on
BOARD the United States Ship Albany
IN european waters, two most inter-
esting letters descriptive of places
ana customs in Norway and Sweden,
Where the Albany stopped last month.
Inc young tar's letters, always breezy
and full of information that is interest
ing are read with eagerness by his
many friends in Ottumwa, where he
spent his boyhood. These have in
them much that is not known general
~ about the lands of northern Eu-
rope. They are as follows:
U. s. S. Albany, Christiania, Norway.
July Is, 1902.
Dear Father:-We left Cherbourg,
France, on July 4, at 4 O'Clock in the
morning and arrived at Southampton,
England about o'clock in the after
noon. We lay there until July II, then
ran up here, arriving at our destina-
tlon July 10. The run up here was a
very nice trip. Several vessels made
the cruise with us, the Chicago, which
was with us at Southampton, and the
San Francisco, and battleship Illinois
which we met at the mouth Of the
Thames. Christiania is on the Chris
tiania Ford, which is narrow strip
OF water about twenty-five miles long,
very much resembling river. The
country is this vicinity is only moder-
ately billy but the regions to the north
and west are very mountainous and
rough. The sides of the mountains
are covered with dense forests and
consequently numbering is an import
ant industry here. The city itself is
very similar to our American cities
and there is no noticeable difference
In the people except as to the Ian
guage. The unit of money is the sill
yer kron, which is worth about 81
cents in American money. There are
also one-half krona, and ores, one hun
dred of which make kron. A labor
ing man receives from two to seven
krona per day and fair meal can be
bought for one and one-half krona.
The sun sets here, at this time of
the year, at $50 o'clock and rises at
two in the morning so that there is
very little night. We are just about so
degrees north of the equator about on
parallel with Sitka, Alaska. The
weather at this time of the year is very
fine, but l suppose in the winter it is
cold enough to freeze the knob off the
back door. The winters are about
nine months long, and in January the
sun onlys,ssh9Is itself for from three
to five hours during the day.
When we were coming in here the
Illinois had quite a serious accident,
and as a result will have to go to Eng
land for repairs. Just before we reach
ed the city her steering gear broke
and. swinging around in the channel,
She struck a rock, tearing two big
jagged holes in her bottom.
We expect to leave here July
% for Stockholm, Sweden, and | will
write you again from that place. Good
bye. Your son, Ralph.
U. S. Ship Albany, Stockholm, Swed-
en-, July 81, 1902.
Dear Father: We arrived here July
%. find it to be one of the liveliest
cities we have yet visited. A great
many Of the inhabitants speak English
and it Is very smooth sailing for a
"Yank."
The location and plan of the city it.
self, makes it very attractive. 1t is
built on seven islands, all connected
by bridges and ferries. There are
parks without number and more places
Of amusement than l ever saw in any
other one city that have visited. To
add to the merriment there are from
one to three bands in every park (all
tor our benefit, of course). Most of the
music they play consists of American
6tunes. One of these islands is entire.
iy given over to amusement, something
IN the order Of Coney Island Here
here is anything from Punch and
Judy show to four dollar cock fight.
There are also first class theater and
a large geological parden. These gol-
den-haired Swedish ladies are simply
immense.
The hotels here are conducted on
the same plan as at home and first
class meals are served. The first meal
] had ashore cost me three and one.
half krona at the Grand Central hotel,
which is the best in the city.
After dinner l went out by street
car to the park where the 200" is 10.
Gated and took in things pretty gen
orally. l spent the evening at the
play. l have ridden over nearly all
the city on a wheel and find it beauti-
LUZ lIOll OllS Gnu u Inc OlQer. AIL6r
looking over this beautiful city the on
ly thing that puzzles me is why so
many Swedes immigrate to America,
unless it is on account of the climate,
or that they can make more money
elsewhere.
The weather here at this time of
year is just cool enough to make per-
son feel lively and a light overcoat is
very comfortable. However, the win
tiers are very long and severe, lasting
from eight to nine months.
Living here is pretty expensive and
wages are small. A working man gets
something like three krona day. An
engineer on the railroad gets about
three cents per mile, that is, a Swed-
ish mile, which is equal to six Amer,
lean miles. In America he gets from
three and a half to four cents per mile.
Eggs are sold here by the gross or
score and are worth one krona (27
cents) per score. Other food articles
are sold in proportion.
The trip from Christiana here was
the finest that we have had on the
cruise and is said to be one of the
most dangerous routes vessels travel