The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1907-09-19
MISSIONARY LETTER
sernIng. Aug 22.19O2.

Dnar Mr. Editor OF Inc ll09''
The other day received a bundle Oh
Presses from home and after reau ms,
tbem decided that perhaps an memo
from Belgium might be interesting. l
have been here about two mohths'
snent four in Switzerland ana was
one month on the way, | am happy
and enjoying good health. All ! nav
10 do is work and you know now cas-!
that is. Seriously, 1t Is hhe "o'h.
No man can engage in a greater. II
IL blessing that any man snoulu We
thankful for and that all should strive
10 receive. have crossed the united
states. England, France, switzerland,
Germany, Holland and Belgium, ana
trust never had my eyes smut an 'ne
time. Some one asks: Whlcn Is
the most beautiful place you nave
SEEM" You can all view that spot
90 IN to the mouth of Spanish FORK
canyon about the middle 'of May
gaze over the valley below ana theh
The majestic mountain on either slde
of YOU. In that one view you get the
river. the lake, the mountains the
farms. the villages and all things tnat
testify of Gods goodness. or course
Won could take spot here, one there
and so on and put them together ana
form a more interesting picture, out
even then II would lack the h..TD0..y
we see in the view there. Switzerland
comes nearest to Utah in point of beau
ty and thousands of people visit there
every season.
The people of Europe are vastly
different from Americans. Here IN
Belgium, with only one seventh the
area. there are nearly eight times
as many people as there are in Utah.
The climate Is wet and cold during
winter and this summer there has been
very little warm weather. The chief
Industries are farming, coal mining
and manufacturing AS you know, 1t
is noted for the manufacture of Bruss-
els carpets and lace Throughout the
country are large coal mines and
here at Seraing there are about a
half dozen. Coal is about the same
price as at home. In one iron factory
here are employed 10000 men and in
this factory were made the rails used
in the construction of the San Pedro
railroad. Here also are made the
Browning guns.
The worst thing have noticed here
is women and child labor. The wom-
EN- work at manual labor the same as
men, nearly all work being done by
hand. Where we have one man and
team they employ about II men. 1t is
a pleasure to travel on their roads.
They are all made of crushed rock,
pressed and cemented just like pave
ment What is done is done well.
Every spot of land is cultivated.
There at least eight different lang
uages spoken here, l. e., three lang
uages and the rest dialects Most
people talk two or three and then
they can travel an hour on the train
and have need of an interpreter. They
are trying to pass law now that will
establish one language, the Flemish"
as the official language. You will, per-
haps, be interested to know | am
talking French pretty we'll now. 1t is
splendid language and / like it fine.
Railroads here are owned by the
government. They pay the expenses
and receive the profit. Accident are
unknown and trains always on time.
Transportation is about one-half the
cost at home and freight rates lower.
They have post parcel system here
and in connection with the postoffice
they maintain a postal savings bank
the same as number of our congress
es have tried to pass.
The stores have one price unless you
are English or American. They can
always tell an American by his shoes
Everybody looks at your shoes as you
pass down the street.
The people here are very far be
hind in many of their ways of doing
things For example, in many places
they sprinkle their streets with hose
When excavation is made for build
ing it is all done by men with pick
and shovel. The dirt is hauled away
In carts
The most needed thing here is edu
cation. The party that will educate
the masses is the party of the future
And yet some of them tell me / live
in that state where we are all slaves
to priest-craft; where women are fig
ure heads and children just grown
up. These are stories they get here
and where they go uninterrupted are
believed. Yet | thank God ! live il
that state. A man neednt be Nor
mon to know we are better than the
world and that we are better is due
to our religion But hush! I'm no
going to preach, enjoy reading the
Press and trust you are all as happy
as your fellow-townsman in Belgium.
GEO IL nITROIS