The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-04-27
FIRST AMERICANS
THROUGH FINLAND

UIeaborg Northern Finland. March %.
Especial Correspondencc.)-Out OF great
forest regions of Northern Finland tonight
came the members of the Christian Her
old Finland relief expedition, intending
DR.. Louis kiopsch. of New York, and the
writer. They struck the railroad at a
town called Leninka. about an hours
ride south of Uleabore, and were welcom-
cd to this most northerly city in the world
by virtually its entire populace. At Lem
inka and at every station on the short
journey to Uleaborg the people massed
and in song and oratory and gifts OF flow
ers expressed their gratitude through
DR. klopsch for the aid sent from Amer
lea to their famine stricken people.
1t is possible that the name and exist
ence of this city lying on the edge of the
Arctic circle is wholly unknown to Amer
lean readers. Ueaborg. nevertheless, has
existed for four hundred years, and is to-
day one OF the chief cities of the Russian
empire, having a hotel as good as any in
St. Petersburg, Moscow or Helsingfors. to-
sether with all the appointments and even
luxuries of people Of education and re-
finement.
From Eleaborg the American relief par
ty wifi proceed northward to the ter
minus of the railway Ken1i, and thence
by sled to Tornea, the frontier town.
where they will enter Northern Sweden
The journey accomplished by this e%-
petition across Northern Finland is cited
by the Finnish and Swedish press as the
most remarkable i'll the history Of the
Grand Duchy first because the party in
Guided the first Americans to traverse this
section in winter, and second because OF
the heart of hope given to the Finnish
people, who sigh and sigh for political
liberty by the interest taken In their
nome troubles by free America.
The members of the relief party declare
that the trip through Santa Claus land
was like the play Of Hamlet without the
prince of Denmark, For there was the
setting-the endless reaches Of ice fields,
the reindeer and the sleds and the snow
snrouded trees. but no Santa Claus and
the abundance which the name repre-
eents In eve.y village and in every lone
" hut-aud even in farm houses-there
was everywhere evidence Of restitution
and genuine suffering from lack of the
elements of sustenance.
It would seem that the pictures Of mis-
cry presented in previous reports could
not he surpassed. But there are thou
sands of homes in Northern Finland
wherein the figure of famine has sat so
long at the family board gripping at the
very throats of parents of children that
the resulting state of suffering ts incom-
prehensible to the mind Of the prosper
Gus
The story of one s1ch home, Of the
many that we have visited, mas serve
TO Convey an idea Of the conditions eX-
listing in an IT was a rade lint called
By courtesy 4 cottage. Here We fouHa
the entire family at home The father'
am intelligent peasant who had had
schooling and could read and write anu
figure. was splitting wood The nolhe'
carrying yesr-od emilia in her arms
ana bearing also evidence of approach
ing maternity, was heating the salt wa
ter wherein to dip the black bread for me me
evening meal Parentheticaily CONCEIVE
If Won can the manner Of chtld hrousAt
into tbe world under such Conditions,
This mother had eaten nothing nQt
black bread ana frozen potatoes TOT
months For the child it might be pos
sble 10 secure little sour m!th aa 1fo', ro q
neighbor-p perhaps. y single window noe
larger than two ioavss of hunger bread
admitted Hight to this home.
on a bench by the window sat three
nondescript children ON low stoci sat
another child girl, peelng potatoes
The potatoes were frozen, their susie
nance aonc but never mind they were
something to put into the stomach. 80
the little girl peeled ami peeied, lah1"s ~
notice Of our entrance. as Il she mao
peeled ,,ess potatoes all nor lif' and would
continue pcenng potatoes for years 10
1T It was upon this girl that our. eyes
our interest our sympathy was ioc9ss
ed was she eight years old. or twelve
o.. sjXteene 1t was hard 10 say. Here
was such tiny body with such an oid
sad face She embodied in our eyes the
misery Of the entire family
have still another picture. darkesf OF
all 1t typifes the suffering of those
peasants who live far from the nigh
WAYS. in almost inaccessible hooks among
The snowclad hills. To reach one such
ncasant home required half days toll
some travel: first by horse. which, up to
his tanks in snow. dragged US to the
edge OF a frozen lake; then over this still !
softer covering of snow on skis to our
destinations
We found III this nome family Of