The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-10-03
OUR SOUTH AMERICAN LETTER.

Mr.. c. T. Tooraen, Jr., writes from
Brazil, under date of July 10, as follows:
Would certainly like to slip you
few of these cool nights, if freight
rates were not so high. The tempera-
ture, few nights ago, went down as
low as 36 degrees F., and during the
day never got as high as 70 degrees.
Yesterday we had heavy rain which
Is something unusual for this season.
1t washed out our fume, or ditch,
which brings water from the little river
to the water wheel, and we are stopped
for a few days. We have hundred
men working day and night on it and
will probably have it ready tomorrow.
This is what is called the dry season
and is the winter, so you see | am
slipping one over on you people, for
when | return | will have experienced
three consecutive winters, with no
summers between.
Am getting along better, and feel
more at home since can make few
sounds in this language. The Egyptian
also gives better service, as he can
now understand what | say. His
knowledge comes from association
with Englishmen, and Southern Amer
lean English is very difficult for him
to grasp, so l have to use broad as
and trill my RS.
Pardon my bad French, but Brazil
is hi of a country, and if l should
write my candid opinion of it's people
and its government, I'd get mobbed.
The Lamport & Hatch line is the only
mail service from the States, and, as
it is an English line, it will be forced
to discontinue on account Of the war,
so if Uncle Sam does not get busy and
come to the aid of us BraZilians we
will be in bad way for news from
the outside world. The imports amount
to as much or more than the exports,
and, as most of the imports come from
Europe, the luxury-loving upper class
of Brazilians will soon have to live on
purple beans. (Uncle Sans oppor-
tunity) The ships of all the nations
involved in the European war have
suspended sailings, and there are
many passenger vessels, now anchored
in South American ports, awaiting
further orders from their respective
countries. This is certainly hard on
the passengers, especially those of the
steerage, or third class, as they are
housed up like sardines. hope they
will be in running order by Nov LIST,
for, if am not able to catch crop in
Pernambuco, will have to try Cuba
or Porto Rico.
We are still plugging away at the
rate of about 200 tons per day. / have
more to do with the process than with
the men, hence have to say very little
to them unless things are not running
right. A great many of the men have
been with the factory ever since it
started thirty years ago. This, how
ever, is not altogether an advantage,
ip To n1H
new tricks, and when the old Doctor
finally leaves | think Mr.. Woolman
and will tie the can to some Of them
DR.. v Neartius and his brother are
the principal stockholders, and, as
they are getting old, they are anxious
to withdraw from the active manage
ment of the company. The older one
has already moved to Rio, and the
other one was supposed to move some
time ago, but it is like Mr.. Schlesin-
gers going to st. Louis. The Doctor is
such nice old fellow that l hate to
see him leave. He is one of the few
Brazilians who seem to have any
knowledge of what the rest of the
world is doing. He is we'll educated,
having studied engineering and after
ward taking up medicine. He has
never made profession of medicine,
but doctors up all the people in the
vicinity, and furnishes the medicine
besides-all gratis-and sometimes at