Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-09-18

o'clock twelve, noon, at AuguSta) we
were slowly towcd in at the dock.
Eleven days and two hours of actual
time had been consumed in the journey.
while on the calendar we had lost six
hours more by the change of meridian.
/! Many of us now obtained our FIRST
view of the German police and our first
glimpse of German administration. Tn"
great Eahnhof railrOad station) stood
. we'll back from the waterfront, ana
| hone in huge letters the interesting
word Marketable (hall of waiting,
| waiting -ruom). The large paved area
on the river side of the building was
kent nearly clear, although spectators
were present in great numbers. The
! front of their serricd ranks was held
! strictly to certain lines diverging from
: the entrance. The few policemen on
duty had light task in effecting this.
for the people seemed to recognize not
alone the foolishness of transgression
| but the wisdom of the arrangements.
! The first taste we had of the work
: Jugs of the German administration
came from the postal department. The
! gangwayS were effectively guarded to
prevent landing until all letters in hand
/ fer passengers had been delivered. This
| occupied considerable time, but the de-
! lay was not without compensation to
| strangers who welcomed an oppOrtuni-
| ~ of observing the people on shore.
! When the guard was removed we left
| the ship. most of us being preceded or
| followed by stewards who assisted with
| tie handgepaeck, or light luggage. Up
on landing. each one received a ticket
! for passage from Brcmerhaven to Bre-
| men on the Lloyd train. When they
| arrived in the great room devoted to
| the business Of customs inspection the
| stewards rclinquished their burdens
| and in few wcll-choSen German
! phrases gave their patrons to I'M
| dcrstand that there were others whom
| they must serve at once-thiS as hint
that the usual tip Of anywhere from
two to ten marks would now be ac-
| ceptable-the sooner the better. The
| money of Germany is a decimal cur
| rency on Il gold basis. Its unit is the
| mark-a close equivalent of twenty
| four cents in American money. The
! mark is sub-dvidcd into one hundred
equal parts. called pfennige. The rela-
| tive value of the German mark and the
/ American dollar varies in daily quota
| tions. From these quotations banks of
| course take d few pfennige for ex-
| change. My first exchange in Han
| mover was made at the rate Of four
marks, fifteen pfennige to the dollar.
| subsequently, at the same bank | re-
ceivcd Your sixteen; and in the latter
| case | noticed that the days printed
| quotation of American notes was
four marks twenty and fourth
| ptcnniSc to the dollar. This shows the
rate of deduction and upon this basis
each reader can see for himself inst
what Il stewards "tip' or ANYTHING
else really costs, reckoned in dollars
| and cents.
The delay and annoyance at the GUS
TOMS inspection in Bremcrhavcn were
much less than the writer has some.
times seen at HobOken Probably this
Is que IN the main to the fact that
| trade conditions offer more termination
TO smuGgle from Germany into the
| ohltcd states than to smuggle from the
United States into Germany; though
| orderly arrangements at Bremerhayen
are not without an influence.
| At the completion of this ceremony
we left the hall. the guards checkine
our advance just long enough to seq
| that everything we carried bore the
GH!cial stamps "Revidirt." and "Rre.
| mlsches HauptZOlamt" We were then
SHOWN to an apartment bearing above
its entrance the sign "WartehalIe Frs
| ter klasse." (First-cIass WAITING.
roomo The lofty hall was beautifulIv
decorated and handsomely furnished
IL was leased by the government to
| Hahnhofsrestaurateur who conduct
ed mere a first-class restaurant. Moth
| ing could be more grateful than the
restful quiet of this place after days of
more or less vibration on the trans
atlantic steamer. Here it was not nec-
eSsary to place guard-rails and parti
tiGns on the tables to prevent dishes
bottles. and glasses from being thrown
together or sent crashing to the floor
me longest table. which ran down tho
center of the hall. was being set nv
young men, who laid plates. knives
FORKS. etc. with Il mathematical aeon
facy and regularity of movement which
was very suggestive of military disci-
PINE inc corner of the room oDposita
our station was occupied by several
passengers. A near table at our loft
was already set; and after time sew
cral customs officers came hither il, tho
grandeur of fine uniforms and trailing
swords. Their arduous labors were
ended and they sat down to rest and
refresh themselves. Ere long each face
gloWed with genial good-feIlowshin
while the pleasant chat progressed owe,
the tops of foaming beer-glasses. At
This moment, through the door at the
further end of the hall advanced the
athletic figure of the young German
soldier who. in the first letter of this
series was referred to as having made
astronomical observations during the
voyage. While the passengers had
awaited the opportunity to go ashore
postal official had approached the
rail, summoned the young soldier and
accompanied him into the Bahnbof. Thu
young man now approached us with
elastic step and seated himself al orr
table. Turning to the Kelner he or.
dered Elm glas helles" Cone glass light
colOred beer). Then he explained tn ne
that his sudden summons from among
the passengers was due to the influence |
of friends from Denver, Colorado who
had already arrived in GERMANY b.d