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From:
Subject: News from Pennsburg - June 18, 1904
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 15:46:46 EDT
Ref: Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA
Saturday - June 18, 1904
FROM BEYOND THE SEA
Letters From Two of Our Citizens Who Are Sojourners in Germany
Dear Editor. As the opportunity offers I will fulfill my promise to let you
know how we fared on our trip to Europe. We left Pennsburg on May 25, and
arrived in due time in Philadelphia. After a stop of one day we went to New York
and on our passage experienced excessive heat, so that at our arrival we were
sopping wet and yet as dry as a fish. The latter condition could be easily
remedied as we found some beer that seemed much better than the Pennsburg article
of the same name. After refreshing ourselves we took a trip to the wharf to see
the craft that was to take us to the other side of the "creek." The Palatia
proved to be a big liner and going on board we found everything spick and span.
Our room was nice and clean. We found four beds in it and a lounge. On being
fully satisfied with the inspection of our quarters we went back to our hotel
and there we found Charles SCHOLL and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Henry KOLB, of
Philadelphia, and my Niece Frieda KLENK, of New York. Later on Jacob BUSCH, of
Philadelphia, made his appearance. All of us now went to dinner, our last dinner in
America for some time, and as a remedy to keep back the tears the party
indulged in a few bottles of Rhine wine. After dinner we again left for the steamer
and arrived shortly before 2 p.m. We found the pier crowded with passengers
and their friends who had come to give them good bye. A signal was sounded at
ten minutes before sailing time to notify all who were not passengers to leave
the vessel. Promptly at the appointed time, 2 p.m., an alarm was sounded and
we moved from our dock. We now receded slowly but surely from our friends and
the city soon commenced to fade from view. The scene as we passed towards the
sea was fine and so charmed were some of the passengers that they wished that
they could go back again. The people on board with whom we came in contact
proved to be very nice and companionable, and we have a great deal of pleasure and
fun. Of course I had to learn to speak German, as the entire party is
composed of High Germans, 'Nord Deutch,' much too high for a Pennsylvania Dutchman,
anyhow my language would not take and I had to do better. I tried my best and
succeeded so well that no one would suspect that I came from Pennsburg, but
would take me readily as a "Berliner," you people of Pennsburg, I am sure, could
not understand me any more if I were to fling my acquired High German at you.
The trip across took thirteen days and some hours as our vessel is not one of
the swiftest. The passage in the main was pleasant. On the seventh day out we
encountered very heavy sea and on the eighth we had a severe storm. On the
morning of the 6th of this month we arrived at the Light Tower of the English
coast and had but a few more hours to complete a trip of 3600 miles, and I can
assure you that all were glad to see land again. The scenery along the coast is
fine. Our passage through the English Channel was agreeable and we enjoyed our
trip over the North Sea. Tonight, June 6, we expect to be able to land at
Hamburg tomorrow morning, we are getting our trunks ready for that purpose. None
of us was sick through out the entire passage and in some way we all feel
sorry to leave the boat as everything was agreeable, the table first class, and
five meals a day, but still, give me gravel now, I have had water enough until I
go to Pennsburg again. Do not fail to give my best regards to all inquiring
friends. Hermann ROTH.
At the request of the editor of Town and Country, I hereby give a short
account of my trip across the Atlantic. Our steamer, "The Pennsylvania," is
scheduled to sail on May 14th, at 4 p.m. We have made all necessary arrangements and
on the morning of said day we go to New York. After spending a few hours in
the city, we cross the river and go to Hoboken where we find our steamer. Before
us lies an immense boat, 585 feet long, with a tonnage of 13,000 tons. We
enter it and are shown our stateroom. We find the boat fitted out like a
first-class hotel, having electric lights, parlors, smoking-rooms, bar-rooms,
barbershop, baths, etc. We hurriedly show the friends who have come with us through
the steamer and then accompany them back to the pier. After receiving a pretty
bunch of flowers, we give them farewell and then go to the deck of the steamer.
Precisely at 1 o'clock the signal is give to start the heavy engines. Slowly
the boat begins to move. Hundreds of shouting friends on the pier, some
weeping and other laughing, are waving their hats, handkerchiefs or small American
flags. This is a scene and an experience which one shall never forget. Fainter
and fainter grow their shouts and farther and farther are you removed from
them until they pass altogether out of sight. Now we sail down the bay passing by
sailing-vessels and steam boats on both sides. But we have gone only a few
hours when we are envelope in a dense fog. Night comes on. Under these
conditions it is dangerous to sail in shallow waters and we must cast anchor. In the
morning, however, the fog has dispersed and we continue our voyage. We came to
Sandy Hook and here the pilot who steers our ship through the shallow waters
leaves the boat and takes a small steamer back to New York. Now we are out in
the open waters. We sail on for a few days and all at once we find that the air
becomes exceedingly mild. You can be on deck without an overcoat or a rug. We
are passing through the gulf stream and this accounts for the moderate
temperature. By this time a great number of passengers are sea-sick. Very many places
at the tables in the dining-rooms are vacant. Very few are present at every
meal which is very natural when you consider the number of meals served on a
steamer, which is as follows: breakfast, tea at 10 o'clock; dinner, coffee at 3
o'clock; supper, sandwiches at 9 o'clock. Those who are not sick spend most of
their time on deck. Day after day you see nothing but water and sky.
Occasionally you may see floating on the water, sea-weed, jelly-fishes, etc. Or in the
distance may rise above the horizon a steamer or a sailing-vessel. You may,
too, see fishes and birds. Some passengers claim to have seen whales, whether
in their mind's eye or really, I know not. The passengers on our boat are of a
very cosmopolitan nature. There are Germans, Englishmen, Americans, Italians,
Frenchmen, Spanish, etc. Strifes and contentions arise which sometimes
culminate in fist fights. One of the most interesting features is to listen to the
disputing and haranguing regarding the relative merits of America and Germany
between the Germans who live in the United States and are naturalized, and the
Germans, who, being citizens of Germany, are returning to their native land
after having visited the St. Louis Exposition. Judging from the sentiments
expressed by the former there are no more loyal citizens in the United States than
these American-Germans. We are just about in the middle of the ocean and the
report is circulated that the husband of a newly married couple is missing.
These young people are taking their wedding trip and they had just had a quarrel.
The young wife thinks he has jumped overboard. The whole ship searches for him
and finally he is found. On and on we sail and time passes slowly. And to
make matters worse, the weather becomes foggy and rainy. So thick is the fog at
times that the foghorn blows almost continuously. After three days of such
weather, there appears in the distance, just as the shades of night are falling, a
dim light. Brighter and brighter it grows. We learn that it is the
light-house on Lizard Point on the coast of England. After not having seen land for many
days, this certainly is a most welcome sight. Through a bright display of
colors we exchange signals telling the occupants of the light house that it is
the "Pennsylvania' that is passing by. That message is directly sent to America,
where it will appear in the morning newspapers. We sail along the shore of
England passing a light-house every now and then. Shortly before midnight, we
see rising directly in front of us the lights of a city. It is Plymouth Harbor.
Here we must land some passengers. But because it is night, there is no boat
there to meet us and we cast anchor. With the rising of the sun the next
morning there appears a scene which we shall never forget. All around us lie the
beautiful, green hills of England, cut up into small fields by hedge-fences.
Directly in front of us are five immense English battleships. After lading some
passengers, we leave for Cherbourg, France. Long before arriving at the harbor
we hear a rumbling noise as if distant thunder. As we draw nearer, however, we
learn that this noise is created by the French within the strongly fortified
harbor who are at target practice. They seem not to be very good marksmen, for
we notice that they have just missed their target by a greater distance than
they missed our ship. And the shell, in striking, sent up a spout of water
fifty feet high not far away from us. It is needless to state that some of the
lady passengers fainted. Here again we leave off some passengers and take on
others. We keep on sailing through the English channel, whose waters are green,
pass Dover Strait and come to the much dreaded North Sea. To our great surprise
it is as smooth as glass and as quiet as the waters of the Perkiomen. We pass
a great number of fishing boats and steamships among which is the
"Deutschland," the fastest steamer on the ocean, going to New York. Night comes on.
Everybody is happy and getting ready to land. On this last evening an engagement is
announced. Two parties who met each other on the ship and who had never before
known each other are the principals. The wedding is to take place as soon as
they land, provided the laws of Germany allow. The next morning, May 27, we
are at the pier, Cuxhaven. We land and are greeted by a terrific thunder storm.
One of the first objects that attracts our attention is a German policeman in
his characteristic uniform. We go to the custom house where the officials
examine our baggage. This takes about two hours. This having been completed, we
take a special train for Hamburg. This train at once excites our curiosity. We
find the cars divided into apartments which you enter from the side. One can
travel 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class or 4th class. Most of the cars have but
four wheels and the locomotive is a mere pigmy. This train compared to a first
class American Express train, is very insignificant. We arrive at Hamburg in a
few hours. After spending a day here in seeing the Rath haus, the Exchange,
the Church of St. Nicholas, Uhlenhorst, and other places of interest, we go to
the beautiful city of Berlin. Here I have now been for about a week, having
spent most of my time at the University. In a future letter I may take up my
trip at this point and tell the readers of Town and County something about this
city and about the manners and customs of the German people. Rev. Calvin M.
DELONG.
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