Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-02-10


After two days of uneventful run
ming, on December 29th we are near
ing the coast of Japan. AT eleven a.
M, it started to rain and rained quite
hard all day and night. We passed a
few islands and the coast line, which
were quite mountainous. At 2:l5 we
pass into the outer harbor and anchor
for a WHILE then pass further in and
anchor close to Nagasaki. We found
two of our cruisers lying here, the
MARYLAND and Colorado. They gave
us quite a reception. We were met by
a committee of Japs, in boats, bring
ing flowers and cheering loudly. They
were accompanied by boat send
ing up daylight fireworks, of the
most beautiful kind The Japanese
and the u S. Flags would float out to-
gether as they had bursted and sailed
in the air. One contained Il man and
a woman who danced and bowed TO
each other as they sailed through the
air. Amid cheers md fireworks we
proceeded TO land and as we get off at
the wharf committee, and others,
stood in line and welcomed us by cheer
ing and bowing, as We passed through
to the waiting Rickshaws, hundreds in
number, in which we started off to see
the town. The men, women and
children were all cheering and wearing
the Japanese and U. S. flags. Every
thing was decorated and even piles of
vegetables, made in mounds to repre-
sent the flag. Everybody looked
happy and pleasant as if each one of
US were personal friend, who came
on visit. They kept it up all day;
wherever we stopped tea and cakes
were waiting for us, with dainty little
japanese girls and ladies to wait on us.
At one place we entered store and we
were asked to ''step in here please"
We did and there we found FIVE or
six of the dantiest little girls, about
nine or ten years of age. They brought
us cap of tea and cake and when we
had finished they made US present of
the cup and saucer. We put in the
whole of next day visiting around and
in the evening they bad an immense
Japanese lantern parade, with the band
playing American music | should
have stated that the first evening they
opened one of their best theatres, for
US, all and free. 1t was raining and we
did not go, but many did and pro-
nounced it fine affair. l should have
said more about the flowers. They
were placed in baskets, each basket
being at laast three feet across. There
must have been at least a bushel of
flowers of various kinds in each basket,
also a rose and fan for each one Well,
all good things must end and yesterday
the 31st, at two p. M, amid the cheer
ing and playing of bands we slip out
of the harbor and start on our to Kobe.
A great many stayed up to see the year
1910 start in proper shape. About 1890
a. M, we heard the anchor go out and
we laid by till morning. We had got
ten among so many islands that it was
not safe to 60 on. We were up early
next morning and found four other
vessels also waiting. We did start un-
til nine O'Clock and then we could see
the beautiful scenery we were passing.
Islands everywhere, all looking green
and fertile, very fine view. AS it is
near dinner time will say good bye for
this time, with best wishes to all for a
happy New Year.
Yours Respectfully,
Mr.. and MRS. GEO. J. LABAR
P. SIN writing my letter one thing
that impressed me very much, / for
got to mention, was the coaling of the
ship. Fifteen hundred men, women
and children put on by hand in fifteen
hours, five thousand tons of coal, from
little barges. They put up steps to the
deck, about thirty feet, and placed
themselves in rows about two feet
apart, up the steps and across the ship
to the middle, where it could be thrown
down into the hold. The coal was
shoveled into baskets holding about q
peck and passed from one to the other
making perfect stream, which went
on incessantly, from five a. M, unit
about eight p. M, apparently without
break, the empty baskets going back
by another line. When they did theii
eating know not, or whether they
had anything to eat at all. 1t was SC
interesting to me | watched them by
the hour, when not ashore. Another
thing, as we passed in and out of the
harbor, we were shown a small island