The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-18
AT THE HOTELS.

ana comfort that our cuStOm-houses are,
compared 10 those in many foreign couu-
tries where customs official spells on
ciousness and incompetency." said Lewis
Anderson. of New York. at the Raleigh
last night. Mr. Anderson is a hardware
salesman connected with a large New
York firm. and his business frequently car
ries him to the capitals and most OF ths
other large cities in Europe
Russia is particularly trying 10 trav-
elers In this respect" continued Mr.. An
derson, and the ordeal that the average
citizen passes through IS terrible. A score
Of officials and twice as many special por-
ters systematically go through every piece
Of luggage, large or small. Of every pas
senger. From each package something is
carried off in triumph and placed on the
large table Of the assessor because It
either Is or looks new The traveller IN
the meantime Is In no happy state OF
mind, and after he is scTutiniZed as q
criminal for some minutes and the prop
erty has been subjected to a careful in
spection, II is handed back TO him and
he receives it palpitatingly without hav-
ing to pay a cent. He is then allowed TO
pack his disordered trunks and go his
way. The officials appear 10 go through
this process regularly. and with as little
remuneration 70 the government each
time IN my opinion it is done merely
10 instill in foreigners righteous fear
OF them. In other countries it is equally
bad, and It is a great relief to reach the
good-mannered customs officials Of this
country
Il understand that Secretary COrtelyou
contemplates making some changes in
our service and ordering some new reg
ulations as TO the methods OF eXamin-
ing baggage. II he does 50 America viii
have the best conducted system in the
world"
The transition that has taken place in
Alaska in the last ten years IS the most
wonderful example Of the rapid deyel-
opment OF a country in history" said
&c. CASTOR. of Nome, at the Willard.
last night. Mr.. Castor has been in the
United States for several months on
business tour and will return 70 his home
this week. IL is a retired prospsct0r.
having made q fortune in the gold fields.
Until 1898 be was employed as assistant
United States attorney in the Patent
Office. but was seized with the gold fever
and went of to Alaska
Ten years. ago there were not twenty
white men in Alaska. The few that were
there were hopeless wanderers striking
about for gold without any prospects OF
seeing any. The gold appeared. and since
then the whole territory has been over
run with seekers. Even now there is a
dearth Of workers, and any one can get
employment and high wages in that coun-
Try. Il would be hard 20 estimate just
how much gold has been taken out Of the
mines there but il has proved one OF
the richest sections in the world, and
there's lots more Of IT, although just 1t
present the yield is not startling.
Nome has taken on the aspect Of any
other large American city. From a city Of
boards and cots It has grown Into city
Of hotels and theaters. Large residences
can be seen on every street. while bust
ness houses and Office buildings are COM
mon spectaCles. Many people like Nome.
and have chosen II as their home. but the
majority merely look on It as place
70 make money after which they will re-
,urn 70 the states.
The greatest demand in Alaska Is for
books. Whenever new book arrives In
town the reading public knows it, and
then follows a scene like the little boys
at the pump when they say Monday
Tuesday. OF next on YOU. There is
one library, however. and it is one OF the
most popular resorts in town. The way
the people devour the month-old papers
and the current magazines is a revelation.
There Is a great competition every year
20 determine just what papers VIII be
subscribed for by the library on the lin
tied income that is allowed
Instead Of the cry 60 West which
seems TO have misied many into rushing
to the overpopulated Coast States,
should advise going 20 Nome, where, even
If a gold strike is not made, there IS al
ways the certainty Of employment and
decent wages
From Hronow. Bohemia, Phillip Ober-
lander came to Washington last night 10
secure a game permit for hunting in the
United States. He discussed his own
country at the Willard Hotel He char
acterizes himself as a sportsman, and
the United States this summer and fall.
.'Bohemia-it was a revelation to ne TO
be told By some Americans whom I met
coming over in the steamer that Bohemia
and Bohemian in this country means the
casting aside Of conventions to "a certa
extent. the giving OF full play 10 the
artistic temperament. or being recherche
L
Quarter is mentioned IN your American
stories. the word bohemian is sure 10
follow it closely. and in many other ways,
both here and in England. that name sig
mites a lack OF dignity. 70 say the least.
Just how that meaning originated it
is hard for NE 10 guess. and have not
yet met an American who can explain ii
to me I cannot believe that II is taken
from my country, because that country IS
as staid and as dignifed as any on the
globe. The conventions there are observed
20 the closet degree. and there are some
strange and perplexing conventions. II
the throwing aside of conventions were
properly named after a city, that state OF
life should be termed Partisan, for the
Parisians have less regard for the set
modes of living than any people in tbs
world"
According 10 reports, il has cost the
United States over 100000 to retain
Cuba for nine months said A. G. Dray-
ton, a prominent Florida lawyer, at the
Arlington. last night of course. that
money VIII be refunded out Of the Cuban
treasury. and instead Of dunniag the
island. now that she is in sad plight
we are more than paying our own way
that is to say, Cuba can well afford to
keep the American protection, even
though it comes high.
I'm my opinion, it is the Cuban public