The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-04
MAN
WRITES FROM
VLADIY0ST0K
Ralph S. Best Tells of Expert
cnces in Quaint Siberian
Metropolis
WAS NEAR RED FIGHTING
Saws Czechs and Japs and Their
Allies Wade Into Bolshe.
wiki Soldiers

hurried away 800 miles to the north
west to reinforce the Czechs, English
and French, whom, he said. the Ger
mans and Eolsheviks had "jtst about
licked, when the Japs arrived and
saved the day for them"
"Since them" writes tho former Bis
marck railroad man, "the allies have
driven the enemy clear of Serbia, or
this part of it, and are now patrolling
tho country"
He finds plenty to eat in Vladivo-
stok, including sugar, meat and white
bread. but a few hundred miles fur
Their in there is little to be had. He
speaks in complimentary terms of the
work the Y. NJ. c. A. is doing to make
life worth living and clean.
Mr. Best's letter follows:
Vladivostok, Russia,
October 10, 1918. 5:l5 a. IL.
Mr.. A. A. Loehrke,
bismarck, n. D.
Dear Friend Alvin:
| have forgotten whether owe you
letter or not, but have some spare
goes We left Japan August 18th, ar
rived here August IL. "A hours late.
I'VE passed through a typhooN and were
all sea sick. Arriving here and land
ing on Russian soil for the first time
was strange experience indeed. We
found the harbor, one Of the most
beautiful in the wbrld. lined with
war ships of the allies, their big
guns meaning shelter for the Ameri-
cans and meaning death and destruc-
ton to the Bolsheyiks, were they to
start any trouble.
\ The town was in charge Of the
Czech-slovaks who had had the scrap
in June and taken the town. The
English and French troops we're al
ready in. The Americans hadn't ar
rived, but como a week or two later.
The Japanese arrived the same week
as we did. They marched through the
city but were not given any demon
stration. The Americans made fine
parade and were we'll received. Al
though there was no applause, one
could see there was great interest
manifested.
The troops were all hurried on to
the front which was then northwest
Of here $50 miles where tho Ger
mans and Bolsheviks were engaging
the Czechs, English and French and
just about had them licked, when the
Japanese arrived and saved the day
for them Since then the allies have
driven the enemy clear Of Siberia, or
this part Of it, and ar now patrolling
the country. was up at the so-called
front a week or two after the fight
and saw graves, shell holes, captured
amrored cars. trenches, etc. The
presence of many soldiers here makes
Vladivostok a live town but we get
along splendidly with out booze.
There is very little trouble.
We are duartered in the Marine
Barracks. a great large building
| where we all sleep in the dormitory.
It's just like being in college or in
the penitentiary, don't know which
We are taking our meals down town
now at the various restaurants, but
will soon have our mess" Most Of
our men are busy, some working on
| the railroad, some for Y. M. C. A: and
some Red Cross. We who are on the
railroad are just staying around keep
ing communications open. ! am on
third trick here. in Vladiyostok sta
| ton The transportation, the most
vital question in Russia today, Is be
ing held up. think it has evolved in
| to diplomatic question between our
selves and Japan. We are all anxious
to go to work and accomplish some
thing definite, and get back home
We have been having fine weather
here. just, about like North Dakota
It is now October 10 and no cold
| weather yet. Guess We will get plenty
of it when it does get cold. There are
4 many places and scenes OF Interest
/ here. The town is quite cosmopolitan
Japs, Chinese, Russians, Koreans, etc
They are most all dirty and hardl,
ever take a bath from the way the,
smell. The churches ere are Greel
Orthodox and are very pretty on tns
out side as we'll as the decorations OF
the interior Their services are sim
liar to- the Catholics at home excep
they stand up. having no seats.
/ don't imagine their religion amounts
Mo much as their morals and patrlot
! ism isn't at a very high temperature
] The chief diversion here seems t.
/ be eating and drinking tea. The!
have several good restaurants anff
] they are always full of people eatint
l and drinking. It takes at least tw'
hours to get dinner OF course the,
have good orchestra music and no on
seems to be in a hurry.
There is plenty to be had to eat
Sugar. white bread. meat. etc, ar
plentiful right here in Vladiyostok
! but a few hundred miles farther II
there is nothing much to eat.
The Y. NJ. G. A. is providing pienc
ty of fine. clean amusement for US
H we have been having movies tire
times week. and music by tn
L brooklyn orchestra. Then they nay
basket ball matches, etc, and wne'
II the weather and water were sgoo
had a fine swimming cluo. The 7. N
i c. A. is we'll equipped with clvo e !,
cilities aud offers q welcome to 81
+. Saturdays they have program
/ there Of various sorts The Japanes