Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1919-04-25


~ orr letters and papers were very much appreciated
[ have no chance to look up Harry Stoner the
troops here are sung out over considerable territory
There are many interesting things about Siberia that
might tell about il coud--I shall give much as can
about what can see from here;
Our little village is the city Of Habaroosk you
find the map by tracing the railroad north from
Vladivostok where it turns west Habaroosk on the
turning point 1t is quite pretentious city with every
other shop tabled with boot There several fine
churches but have ventured into There are
no modern convenances the citywaer is carried from
the stations or sold from barrels No automobiles except
lap military machines No furnaces. The streets so
slippery it dangerous to walk around There sever
al goodszed buildings and considerable business on main
street few larger stores run by Russians but most
Of the business is done by the Chinese" On the back
streets their little shops supply the wants Of the people
and take in the kopecks Their signs illustrated by
nictures If one wants carpenter shop looks for
nctre Of barrel if one wants laundry look tor flat
iron and shirt if for shop, look for steer and
pe The pig may be blind but that doesn mt matter
Candy smearings representing vegetables, fruits lsh and
bread announce the wares OF smah SHOPS
To get to Krasnaya Retchka, one goes south across '
Tesur on the ice Out on the islands great river boats
are oored I'D for the winter 1t must be very lively here
when thew all get to going for many of them are big and
fine showing that the river traffic is important indus
tr Arriving in the city find very dirty street with
low houses on either side connected by high board wall
1t has been couple of weeks since the last snow fall so
the has stained the old Various animals,
Cinnamon and Russians to be going about with
no particular purpose or business number of rchns
demand Cupa or chewing gum 1t is wonderful bov, nor,
uiar American chewing gum has become here if Won e
one stick whole mob will follow you squeang like Digs
alter bucket OF slop And the young ladies or Sapurr
ace can surely manipulate it swiftly and acc,rate he
whit zvde
the swapping of rifles at skirmsh drill or the lappng of
waves against the sides of ship anchor or the crack
ing OF wood blaze in an open CRATE and they can utter
whole sentences of these sound combinations the Russians
call words without missing single pop
The houses are quite in contrast the hnsy structures
used IN the tropics the walls thick doors and windows
are doubled No stoves used the heat being furnish
ed by fires in sorts of ovens the larger buildings these
are built into partition walls while in the smaller houses
special brick fire boxes used Thus to keep the tern
pertaure up simply poke wood into hole in the wall
Our own barracks ultra modern in that we have steam
heat.
The occupation OF the natives is selling wood The
word has been broadened by the soldiers to include vodka
the occupations all designated The latter occupa
ton my Methodist upbringing does permit any extern
sve investigation but the former and more widely unde
stood meaning of the word get illustrated daily
AS go for walk in the woods have to step aside sew
era times to allow trains of wood eds pass They go
in trains of three eight single pony hitched
to sled by of great bow over his neck, pods
along unconcernedly without lifting his head The drv-
walk together in groups, occasionally shouting warn
ing pony running ahead to boost sled over hard
place 1t would seem tho the drivers and ponies could
change places without great loss of progress
Practically all business is done by cinnamon, under
stand that this condition has been brot about by the war
akng the enterprising Russians away The people OF
his vicinity very poor specimens of an enlightened
ace They are lazy dishonest and in many cases VICIOUS
However those get to not examples OF Russia
,u are composed of criminals and exiles Men who nave
rentured out further tell of meeting excellent people
My "Rusky teacher is fine will meet
anywhere his name is Uean ASpuanoleur HQgern,
which translated means Adrian Udn of John; he is
veil educated enthusiastic superintendent of schools
nd socialist The privilege of studying with him does
much to help vary the monotony of this odforsaken
lace get to learn the best Russian in this way The
peech Of the peasanry is not only dramatically poor
nd Inaccurate but different from the speech of the
utured that the hardly understand each other
fy teacher says that he interpreter between them
The political situation you doubtless know about
ian do Money is of low value purchase rubles at
bout cents piece, which makes the kopeck or the
ussan penny about worth tenth of cent The silver