The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-02-18
LETTER FROM A SAILOR
ERWIN BLENAPFL WRITES OF
TRIP SOUTH

Relates Story Of How Some
Boys Got Fifty" Per
Cent Beer
Edwin Bienaphl "a sailor on
board the U. S. s. Mississippi. writes
the following interesting letter:
U. S. S. Mississippi, Balboa, Pa
mama. January, 21. 1921-My dear
Parents: AS l am aboard ship and
have very little to do, will take a
few minutes and give you some idea
of what l have seen down here.
Yesterday morning about 400 a.
M, sight seeing party left the
ship. We went ashore and boarded
special train for sailors only, and
went to the Atlantic side of the
Isthmus of Panama. E.'
The trip over was a very nice
one. We seen number of small
native villages, and the way the ma
tives live. The houses are very
beautiful. They are small bunga-
painted, with red roofs. The flowers
are in full bloom, and the lawns are
as green as they can possible be. l
also saw some Of the incest gardens
that l have ever seen.
when we reached the Atlantic
side, we went over to Gatun Locks.
The Gatun Locks are at the entrance
of the canal. Here we boarded the
U. S. S. Black Hawk, and proceeded
through the canal.
1.-THE canal is a wonderful piece
of engineering, aid work. After
leaving Gatun, width has four locks,
you enter a large lake, Gatun Lake.
This lake is fresh water. After go
ing through this lake, you enter the
Pedro Miguel Locks, then through
another lake to the Mirafiores Locks,
through these locks, and then out to
four hours to go through the entire
canal.
"At the Miraflores Locks l left the
ship and went to Panama City, to
take in the bull fight. did not get
there in time for the entire fight, but
saw three rounds of 1T. The price
of admission is one dollar.
Here Is what thesb Tight look
ed like. Round three: There was
five or six men in the arena, dressed
in all colors of the rainbow. Some
spick opened a gate and out came a
bull with rush. Just as he passed
the gate to the arena, this spick
stuck sharp pointed spear into this
bulls hip. This made the bull very
mad, and he wanted to kill all of the
fighters at once These fighters had
large blanekets, which they would
wave at the bull. The bull would
make a mad rush at these fighters
and you would see the fighters go
over the fence about sity knots
per. Then another fighter would
make a stand at the bull, and when
the bull came at him. he also would
go over the fence. Then they would
run sharp spears into the bull which
would make him very miserable and
bleed terribly. This would weaken
him and then the champion bull
fighter would come out and kill him.
ed in red with sharp sword. The
bull would make mad rush at this
guy, which he would dodge and run
this sword into the bull. The bull
would finally get SO weak that he
could hot fight any more, and he
would dorp. Then they would run a
sharp plug into the bulls head
which would kill him. Round four:
This round was about the same, but
the bull was a coward and would not
fight. The sailors made big hollar
and they put this bull out of the
arena. Round five: This round was
the best that I saw. The bull was a
good one. He fought to a finish.
The dead bulls they sell to the meat
markets.
"After the fight 1 went up town
and got few more bottles of gen.
uine beer. This beer is about four
per cent, but If you could see some
of the gobs come back to the ship.
YOU would think it was about fifty
percent. There is plenty of whiskey
here. and every thing else, but they
are not allowed to sell 1t to- the
From Panama City, I came back
to Balboa, which, is in the Canal
Zone. and is dry as a bone. Then
about midnight / came back to the
"The weather is fine down here.
ONLY il is too hot. All that we wear
is trousers and undershirts, on the
shin. When we go ashore we have
to wear jumpers. The natives, up
to a certain age, are allowed to go
naked. One sees a lot Of kids run
ming around without a thing on. This
is the hottest January that have
ever seen.
"Well to- morrow we sail for Val
paraiso. Chile. Valparaiso is on the
other side of the equator. When we
cross the line we get certificates
showing that we have crossed. We
ali expect to be initiated. The ini-
tiation last about one hour; TheH
will be a hot time aboard ship that
hour.
eve receive mail twice week,
so write and send some papers.
Hoping that you are all well / will
close for this time. will write
when get to Valparaiso. Your son
Erwin"
Death of An Aunt-Mrs. Frank
Schroeder of this city erceived a tele-
l. L. g. I'll