The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1918-06-20

both trains would stop, pour par'ers
would ensue, and one train or the
other would go back to the nearest
siding
The self-constituted authorities at
each station were a perpetual nuis-
ance. Every station-Soviet had to
have the whole business of the mis-
sion explained to it, and the diff
culties which Immediately arose could
only be solved by a plentiful dis
tribution of roubles and cognac. The
total amount of money distributed
by the French officers in charge of
train during the four weeks trip
would easily have paid for the train
twice over. The Americans wished
to share this expense proportionately
but the French insisted on paying
it all. The French also insisted on
supplementing the Americans food
supplies.
The Bolsheviki everywhere showed
a remarkable friendliness for the
little group of Americans on board
the train. THE French belong to
the bourgeoisie, but the Americans
are just as good Bolsheviki as we
are" said one Soviet leader in an
address of welcome at a tiny village
station north of Mosco. Occasion
ally Russian who had been in Amer
lea was encountered.
During the severe weather one of
the French officers, Colonel Odone,
fell i'll with pneumonia and died in
his berth few days later. His body
was taken off the train near Muir
mansk and buried beside the track.
All of the American and French Off
GERS, and Populations of British,
Italian and Serbian military men
from trains which Immediately pre-
coded the Franco-American train, at
tended the funeral service on the
snow-covered field. The grave was
marked with cross made from fir
tree boughs by members of the
American delegation. Over the COT
fin, at Colonel Odone's request, were
draped the flags of France, the
United States and the other Allies.
At Vologda the train halted for
| nearly day, and the Americans paid
a visit to the American embassy,
which consisted of three railway cars
drawn up on siding near the sta
ton. The American ambassador had
private car of Pullman type, din
ing car, and first class sleeper.
From Vologda to Murmansk the
train dragged its way YEARLY and
hesitatingly, This line is a new war
railway, every mile constructed of
American material. but laid rather
hastily and over frozen ground. For
miles it skirts the White Sea. a vast
expanse of solid ice far as the eve
can see
1t was unpleasant to see, at fire.
quent points along the line, vast
quantities of American rolling-sto
and railway material lying useless
and gathering rust At one station
there were Ga locomotives, almost
new, but dismantled and with various
parts of the mechanism smashed or
stolen. At another point there was
a great quantity of American agri-
cultural machinery, wire cables and
copper telegraph wire in rolls as tall
as a man. .... 49,. $780,. .--.
The food supply of both the French
and the Americans began to give
out as the train neared Murmansk,
and for two weeks before the mis-
sion sailed their diet consisted largely
of reindeer meat. This was sup
plemented by scant ration of mac
aroni and black bread The first
bread of reasonably white appear
ance which any of the Americans had
seen in almost year was that serv-
ed at their first meal on board the
steamer in Murmansk harbor.