Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-14
ALETTER FROM j. c. BROWN.

n LIZ lex ROW v. VI. DnOVtS
MIR. Editor: We sailed from New
York on March 8, at 4 p. m, with SZ'
delegates on board the North Lloyd
German steamer "Grosser kurfurst,
bound for the worlds fourth Sunday
school convention in Jerusalem Apri
1S, ~ and 30 and many other Mediter
ranean ports. The cosmopolitan
feature OF New York City
was forcibly Illustrated by more
than a thousand of friends
who waved us good bye and God speed
from the pier as we moved away
When we consider that not more than
score were on board from the city
While the delegates were from every
state and territory of the unlte4
States including Canada and Mexico
yet we seem as one family.
The eight days sail to the Madeira
Islands was an enjoyable one as the
ocean was comparatively calm. only
a few squalls one day. that dashed tbs
sea into pillows, to exhibit its gran
deur. OF course there was more OF
less sea sickness, but even this un-
pleasant feature of ocean travel WAS
at the minimum, and those afflicted
bore it with Christian fortitude. These
experiences have their funny sides. A
group Of victims Were discussing theii
lack of appetite, when one remarked
that he enjoyed six meals day-thrar
down and three up. The writer and
Mrs. Brown were immunes.
Our ship Is veritable floating pail
ace in all it's appointments if we ext
,oi1
state rooms which is true of all sea
going vessels. We give the following
statement of facts concerning the
"Grosser Kurfurst:" Gross Tonnage
1882, length $50 feet, width 60 feet
draft "a feet crew 265. horse power
9,700. Supplies taken on at New York
are given in even thousand pounds II
not designated otherwise; meat. 81;
poultry. %; flour, 90; potatoes, i45.
sugar, %; coffee, 4: fish. IS; vegetables,
So: butter, 81; dried fruits, o; fresh
fruits, 1S: ice 135 tons; coal, 1906
tons: oranges, 40.250: citrons. $3.50:
milk, 5000 gallons; eggs. $1,000; tea.
T35 pounds: mineral water, 50,2S8 bot
ties and minor supplies.
Never before has such a party IS
ours crossed the ocean on any mis-
sion, and when we contemplate the
object of this cruise composed of lead
ing Sunday school workers Of North
America of all denominations uniting
in one grand effort for the Master, we'll
may the whole world rejoice. One has
only to attend a few of the daily pre-
liminary meetings OF the earnest lab
crers of love to realize what power
there is in spiritual unity. We are
truly one great family Of brothers AMI
sisters and children of the Heavenly
Father.
Every day on ship board has its work
and enjoyments. AT a. M, the bugler,
the most popular and appreciated man
of the crew, sounds a musical call to
the slumberers, but which receives
faint approval. while his many other
calls preparatory, and last to the two
sittings Of each meal are heard with
great delight. An excellent brass
band discourses charming music on the
deck every forenoon and when landing
or leaving ports. A fine orchestra
plays during lunch in the aft dining
room and during dinner in the main,
forward dining room. The cuisine
could not be excelled. A game called
shuttle board is played in several
places on the lower decks. The play
ers use long handled paddles and by
round blocks to diagram markell
with plus and minus numbers. The
captain, a jolly Dutchman, makes this
rounds of the ship every day, saluting
every one with hearty good morn
ing" and he will stand moment for
the kodakers.
At 10 a. M, March Is, the eighth Gay,
out VIE sighted the first land, Madeira
island belonging to Portugal, and at IL
noon we anchored in front of as beau
tiful a panorama as eyes ever looked
upon. In the front was the quaint old
city and capital, Funchal, of $4,000 In
habitants, the suburbs of which Is built
upon terraces in the mountain side.
The island is mountain rising to a
height Of 5000 feet, thirty miles long
and seventeen wide. The climate is
similar to Florida. and the soil is very
fertile. To the height of 1000 feet ev-
cry foot of ground is cultivated, though
most of it has to be terraced. In some
places the perpendicular wall Is as ex-
tensive as the patch of ground 1t pro-
tects The city is Spanish in all its
features, streets mostly twelve to
twenty feet wide with narrow side
walks only on the widest ones, and all
paved with pebbles and cobble stones
the size of almonds to goose eggs and
in many places artisticaily laid Bull
lock cars for passengers and rude sheds
for carriage are used entirely for trans
portation excepting short horse ear
line and cog road to a resort part way
up the mountain. Stores and houses
are compact and two to four stories
high. The parks and gardens are beau
fiful beyond any possible description.
If we were to combine the best of Cali