Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-10-18

cancellation he would hold it for me
and when [ called at Benefits Tourist
Bureau that 7ening they handed me
ticket with all Accommodations straight
through to Petrograd, and early the
following morning was on my way to
Russia.
The route we took was up through
Sweden to the north end of the Gulf Of
Bothnia. 1t took two days from Chris
tiana to Haberanda, which is just a
small station on the border between
Sweden and Finland. This part Of the
journey was made almost without in
cident, except that got on the wrong
train at junction where we were
obliged to change. Although it took
me along the route I wanted to go, it
was much faster than the one I should
have taken and on which I had reser
walton. The result was I arrived at
Haperanda about 100 a. M, most
dreary place which had come into
existence during the past two years and
had no Accommodations whatever for
travellers.
There was nothing to do but wait
until eight o'clock in the morning for
the other train to arrive. The telegraph
operator here did not speak word Of
English, and although I tried every
way possible to make him understand
that | wanted place to sleep we did
not seem to be able to come to any un-
derstanding. He finally handed me a
blanket and pointed to bench in the
waiting room, where [ rested as best
could until the following morning.
AS soon as day broke [ was up and
began looking around for some place to
eat, but the only place I could find
where they fed the hungry was small
restaurant just across the street. This
building was built almost entirely from
lumber which had been used in Grating
merchandise which had been shipped
up through this country, possibly on
its way to Russia and as lun Or was
very expensive took it that this struc-
ture represented collection of boards
which had been pulled off crates on
passing trains. Anyhow there were a
number of different countries represent
ed, as could be told by the names Of
the cities from which they had been
sent, and America was we'll represented
in the collection.
AS l stood there admiring this won
de1ful piece of architecture, there be-
gan to be some evidence OF life on the
inside and the proprietor unlocked the
door. About dozen others and myself
entered and took seats on long bench
in front of which was rough table
without cloth. My companions at
this early morning meal had every ap-
pearance of being professional dock
wallpapers. They wore high boots and
sheepskin coats, the woody side out,
with high crowned cap to match. l
don't suppose they had spent ten cents
sized the bunch up, decided that some
Of them looked almost human, and
from the way they took me in, they
evidently thought the same about me.
After drinking cup of coffee and
eating some toast, [ went outside and
walked the ties until this long waited
for train arrived. 1t was due in about
thirty minutes and pulled in Oh time.
After stopping about two minutes, it
but few miles distance, and at this
place all baggage was examined by the
Swedish custom, officials. They kept a
very close watch to see that no drugs,
! liquors or tobacco got through. After
the baggage had been gone over we
were all obliged to pass through d
passports were examined. And when
passing out the other side you passed
between two soldiers with fixed bayo-
nets, who acted as body guard for an
official whose duty 1t was to see that
you had nothing concealed in your
clothing. However, if there was moth
ing about you to create suspician, this
examination was very slight.
Going through the customs offers
good opportunity to get acquainted, as
here people get into rather a sympa
thetic mood and tell each other their
troubles. l did not have any of my
own but was willing to listen to others,
so in this way became acquainted with
several American and English people
with whom 1 Travelled the balance of
the way to Petrograd.
From this place you are conveyed
across the Tornea River on a tug to the
city of Tornea, Finland, where another
customs examination takes place and
proves to be the most severe of all.
Here you are relieved of all letters,
,1bntopronho hobs oto ivory conn