Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-08-25
IN FOREIGN PARTS
An Interesting Letter from Trip
Across Atlantic

1
DEAR GAzETTE:-The foreign cor
respondent of your valuable paper
once again sends you a. wireless
message. This probably being the
last letter 1 will write you for many
months, d. re say. l will in o
feeble way give you an account Of
my trip in detail of the many sights
and interesting features connected
with the going and returning, after
having visited all the principal cities
Of Germany. Before mentioning
just what l saw, let me for the bene.
fit of those who have no lea OF the
Immense size and capacity OF an
ocean liner, give you brief de-
scription of the steamer which car
ried me from our home land to the
foreign shore.
I left New York City July z, 1909,
on the steamer Pennsylvania" OF
the Hamburg American Line which
was established some sixty years
ago having been called into exis'
lance by the active immigration
movement which appeared among
the people of Europe in the thirties
of the last century. This vessel was
STYLED of the P class, the first being
the Pennsylvania, twin-screw
steamer having a length of 1904 m.
breadth of 1896 M. and draft OF
11.57 m, "a meter being 3feet3in
The eng ne, of 5000 horse power,
propels the ship at speed OF 13t
knots per hour. burning $50 tons OF
coal every "a hours. The gross
tonnage is Is 1888 and the vessel can
carry a cargo Of $4,000 tons. To
transport the cargo of this ship by
rail % trains of so double trucks
each are necessary. These noun
tains of goods disappear on board
through nine loading holes.
All the passenger arrangements
lies on the two promenade decks
above the main deck. Besides its
vast cargo, 5000 passengers can be
Accommodated and for the transporta-
ton of fresh meat there are ice
chambers having capacity OF
Sc, 900 cubic feet. After IL days of
lovely weather I arrived Monday
a. IN. q o clock at Cuxhaven, "a seaport
town on the German coast two
hours ride by rail from Hamburg
where l began my sight seeing.
For the benefit OF many who know
nothing of Germany I think a few
words explaining the origination of
German empire will be of interest,
even if not instructive. The con-
fines OF Germany have varied con-
siderably at different periods. At
one time they included all countries
inhabited by the people speaking
the German tongue whether high or
low Germans. The lands which
we're under their domination
we're also included in the German
empire, then called "Das Romisch
Deutsche Reich" The conflict
known as the Franco-Prussian war
sprang nominally out OF a disagree
ment with regard to the Spanish
succession. 1t was on the 18th OF
July, 1870, that the rupture of d.
plomatic relations occurred while
the declaration of war took place on
the 10Th of the same month. The
decisive battle was fought at Sedan
on the 1st of September, Napoleon
Bird surrendering next day, Seven
teen days later the seige of Paris
began and lasted through a very
severe winter till January %. 1871,
Peace was not concluded till the
treaty was signed at the congress
OF Frankfort on May 10, 1871. The
present city of Hamburg contains a
population of about $4,000 and for
it's numerous visitors possesses
several magnificent hotels and
many fine streets and squares, its
beauty being also greatly enhanced
by the outer and inner alster. Two
lakes formed by the expansion OF a
tributary of the Elb. These twin
sheets of water joined by the hand
some Lonbards bridge and ami
mated by numerous boats and
troupes of elegant swans present
a strikingly beautiful aspect. st.
Catharines with a spire nearly 400
feet high and a former altar piece
Christ blessing the little chi dren
is we'll worth seeing. .--- i
St. Jacobs. The body of this edi-
fee is in Gothic style and dates
from the 18th century but the tow
ers are new. Behind the town hall
stands the Bourse,a building which |
was erected in 1889 escaped the
great fire and was enlarged in 1880.
1t is one of the busiest exchanges in
Germany. Here assemble mer-
chants, ship owners and brokers,
the only absentees being such as
cannot meet their liabilities. He is
not on the bourse, meaning he is
In financial difficulties is the answer
given when one is asked for and
cannot be found.
A remarkable monument to Bis
mark was erected in the year 1909.
It represents the Iron Chancellor as
Roland and is massive structure
Of Black Forrest granite, the figure
being mounted on an enormous Pc
1estal. costing 100000 marks. In
The same neighborhood there is also
4 celebrated concert house known
as Ludwigs.
A railroad ride Of four hours and
reach Berlin. the largest and most
beautiful city in all Germany with
population OF 2,035, 900. This city's
independence was crushed in 1442
by Frederick II of the Hohenstau-
len dynasty, became in 1848 the res
dence of the Hohenzollerns. At the