The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-13
.HENR|CO SCHOOL TEACHER
RETURNS FROM WAR ZONE
Miss Myrtle Rea, Member of Party
of American Tourists. just Back
From Europe.
TELLS or HER EXPERIENCES
Took Three Days and Nights to Go
From Lucerne 10 Paris i'm Poorly
Equipped Local Train, With Ere
Uuent Stops.


Miss Myrtle Rea. superintendent Of
/ rural schools in Henrico County, was Is
member Of "A party OF American tourists
! which has just returned from III. war
zone OF Europe. after am adventurous
journey Miss Rca's party left I.u-
/ cernc. Switzerland. August "a. ~ way
! Of Paris. the tourists went TO Glasgow.
4 scotland. where they took passage on
the steamship Scandinavia. for Mon
! treal The vessel flew AN English nag.
and anchored safely AT the Canadian
port
There are hundreds Of Americans in
/ Europe right now" said Miss Rca last
! might. who are anxious 10 come home.
and are doing all in their power t. get
out OF Europe" Miss Kea said those
/ who are familiar with actual conditions
! abroad are amused at one theory, which
! some Of the newspapers have advanced
/ regarding the exodus of tourists from
Europe The theory in effect Is that
/ All tourists in Europe who really want
I I" com" nome can do so now with little
/ trouble" and with perfect safety. ana
1 that those vino are remaining are doing
50 merely for love of adventure. The
I theory is stoutly denied by tourists
/ who are returning with thrilling stories
of the many hardships they have en-
/ Countered on the return trip.
riIRT:f: DAYS FROM
I.ICt:RSE TO PARIS
"ordfnaiily. Lucerne is only fifteen
! hours from Paris said Miss l,ea, but
( 1T took our party three days and
( nights 10 make the trip, and We were
/ then afforded only the poorest accom-
/ modations. After waiting for two
weeks in Switzerland for a favorable
7 opportunity to leave. finally left
( l.ucernc for Paris on poorly equipped
/ local train. which was forced TO make
4 numerous stops. The coaches In the
/ train were third class. and there were
I no siceperS or dining ears. Provisions
/ were scarce, ana we were Obliged 10
{ sleep sitting UP. The train was so
I crowded that many were forced to
! stand. for every one seemed anxious
TO get away. Guards were continually
coming through. and several Of the
| passengers wer" arrested az spies. All
! baggage was carefully searched.
we were in Switzerland when the
| war broke out, but IL WAS impossible
/ TO tell just what the conditions were.
| LuCern. was cut OFF from outsids com
! nunicatlon. and It was Impossible to
/ get kilograms, cabiegrams or letters
( from the outside. Newspapers in
/ Switzerland contained meagre details
of war happenings and while the
| militia was engaged in protecting from
] invasion portion Of the country which
was being threatened, it appeared i'm
possible 10 get accurate accounts OF
the fighting In Switzerland the gov
"rnment owns and operates the rail-
| roads, and az trains were engaged in
( handling troops. ii was almost irnpos-
f, siblc for tourists To secure passage
STRANDED TOURISTS
START OUT on FOOT
Before We left Luccrne. several
stranded tourists were so determined To
get away that they LEFT on foot
tent travellers, Miss Rea said she didn't
know. for" she said, they never
came back TO tell the story" Until
gold was sent from the United States
10 alleviate conditions. the tourists
found that checks We're no good In
! Switzerland, and. consequently, many
! were absolutely stranded
Although at one time in SwitZer-
! land we were without funds" said Miss
( Rea. stranded tourists were treated
! with the greatest courtesy by every
Paris was the deadest city | ever
saw while were there. Nearly all
1 OF the stores and many Of the hotels
/ were closed. and none OF the theatres
/ was open. Placards were hung on the
! doorS OF many of the business estah-
I iShments. announcing that the owners
{ iad gone 10 the front ]; was a hard
matter TO buy even n postcard The
city was under martial law, and no one
/ was allowed on the streets after night.
/ All business seemed completely para
/ lived"
/ Conditions in England were greatly
/ IN contrast 10 those in France, accord.
! ing to the tourist She stated that in
/ Great Britain the people apparently
! are not nearly so much interested in
/ me war and that business appears TO
DC more nearly normal. Even in Enr-
land, however, Miss Rea SAYS there is
! niue certainty in travelling for there
are many tourists who have started,
/ 10 leaNc time after time, but have been
prevented from doing so when the gov
! eminent mas pressed ships into service.
/ In England Miss Rea said one Tourist
toid members OF her party that he had
housht passage to America three diff
/ iercnt times. and each time something
I iitd developed To prevent him from
, leaving. He is holding the tickets with
| the nope that they will be redeemed b,.
/ the steamship companies
When W. passed Boulogne on our
! wa% home. said Miss Rea "a large
! force Of British troops was landing
~ the port on their way to the front.
We afterward learned that a battle Mas
/ IN progress not many miles away at
} the time. The f:mglish soldiers said
! the tourist. marched as il on dress pa =
! radc and seemed anxious to reach The
I scene OF activities. Most of the Eng
/ iish FORCES landed III Boulogne wher
en- route 10 the front
Reports q; the lighting in newsnn-
/ pcrs OF ihe different cities of Europe
are at vide variance, according to IN.
! tourist News stories being subjected
! 10 strict censorship. each nation IS
To its own people