Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-11-13
1t. GA. BJONERUD,
IN 0MSK, SIBERIA
Calmar Boy in Army in Far OFF
Siberia Writes His Sister Most
Interesting Letter.
HAS HAD A
WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
Began Writing the Letter Last July
and Il just Reached Her Home
a Short Time Ago..

At omsk Siberia, July IA, 1918.
Dear Folks:
Well, it is long time since
have written, and it is hard to say
when this will be forthcoming, as
the chances for getting mail out now
is not the best, unless we should be-
gin moving eastward again and then
of course, we could evidently get
something started. Will have to
give you a sort of an outline of our
trip so far, even if it is old and not
much good when it reaches home.
Suppose you know by this time
that we left Harbin May 4th for
Vladivostok and there was one of the
men going to leave for the states
about May the goth, sent with him a
line or so that he could mail when he
landed, which no doubt has been re-
ceived. Also several letters at Via
diyostok. and enroute left one or
two with the Consuls to mail, should
they have chance to do at any
time, so perhaps you have gotten
the last one already, and it will be
sometime before more gets there.
The line from Harbin to Vladiv-
ostok is more or less rolling, with
some small mountains, but the count
ry is very nice, more on the order of
Montana. We were ON the train all
day Sunday May 5th, and that was
Russian Easter, and at that time
there were a number of Cinnamon IN
the fields and spring work was in
progress along the line. The running
time of the train was slow, and at
practically every station it Is neces-
sary for them to wait for time. And
at stations where meals are served,
the trains are held all the way from
thirty minutes to two hours in order
that the passengers may obtain a
regular meal. The Russian Easter
Greetings are "Cristos Vas Cesse,
and in answer, "Easternos Vas Girls, >
which invariably includes G kiss,
with the greetings; and it was
noticeable along the line when two
would greet, men or women, they
seal with a kiss. OF course We were
all safe as we did not venture out
of the car at any such places. On
nearly all the buildings red flags
were floating (the red flag was the
new Bolshevik banner) and at a
number OF stations were soldiers on
guard.
Presume you know that the Boil
shevik soldiers or guards are called,
Red Guards. At Pogranichnya
which is about on the line between
Manchuria and Siberia, there is con-
siderable smuggling going on, and
the trains are held up here and all
the passengers are searched that en-
ter Manchuria. Opium Is about the
most important article that Is
brought in. We were told of it being
packed in loaves of bread, hidden on
freight trains in apples, etc. The
main business in this vicinity seems
to be wood and lumber and there is
considerable birch and at places
scrub oaks along the track, also lin
den wood. AS we had no diner on
the train, it was necessary FOR us TO
to take our meals at various eating
places along the line. And at Niko-
lsk where we got supper in the
station, consisting of some soup ana
hot dogs, we saw number or Aus
trian officers under guard, also WIZ
messed an arrest by the Red Guard
of a man on the train carrying Dot
tie OF vodka lido not suppose yol
know what that IS. but it is Rus
sian booze very much like pure alco'
hoD which is prohibited in Siberia
but after lengthy conference, The
man was permitted to go about hts
work. From Nikolsk we followed the
Ussuri river distance, which Is one
of the large rivers in Eastern 81
beria. They surely have fine station
buildings along the line, and large
platforms, and plenty of yard tracks
One of the peculiar customs or run
ming trains is that on the depot there
is alarge bell, which is rung once on
the arrival of the train, twice for the
passengers to get ready to board the
train. and three rings TO go attel
which conductor blows a whistle and
same Is answered by steam Wnistie
on enginssjust before starting. You
viii find this at allrthe stations on
the Trans-Siberian railway. Here
where there Is so much timber and
woods. nevertheless, a great deal oi
rail Is used in making fence posts
lamp posts, railing for stairways over
bridges, along platforms, in taci
,. wherever wood could be used to good
advantage, they Invariably use tnf
rails, so expense does not seem TO De
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