From: Krasna, Bessarabia
16 July 1921

Honored Editorship!

We found out that the postal service with Russia has been reestablished. Most unfortunately that does not help us much, since it only pertains to America and not to Rumania.

The weather here is very dry. We have not had any good rain for 11 months. Of course now and then we did get a few scattered showers. But after an hour everything was dusty again. We have finished the harvest. The crop was not a total loss. However it was meager. Nonetheless, we will break even and have enough for the next seeding. Should we not get any soaking rains within the next two weeks, the Welsh corn and the wine will be a loss. The poor cattle feed on old straw in the evenings and mornings.

The health conditions are also not the best. Because of the great drought, many people complain about stomach pains. Yet there is a good remedy for that. You only have to drink a liter of “Schnapps” (alcohol) with black pepper 3 times a day, and in 2 days the sharp belly pains are healed. I too had this sickness and downed 3 liters of “Schnapps” in 8 hours, which of course climbed into my head. But the belly pains ceased at once and have not returned so far. Many nursing babies have died from this sickness. I am afraid that if this illness should spread to America, then many people will die from it, because of the prohibition. That would be a pity for many. Couldn’t America lift this prohibition in order to save the people from this sickness?

My brother-in-law Thimotheus Soehn in Canada is herewith informed that our brother-in-law Maximilian Gross has died. He had become ill while stealing horses, a Russian has told me. After three weeks, Valeria married again. Her new husband is Martin Moldengauer. The devil tells the stoker, birds of a feather flock together.

Adolf Thomas Wegner died on 9 June. He left his grieving widow and the children. Peace to his ashes!

Nikolaus Engel and Simon Ruehl are herewith reminded of their promises to write, which they have not done so far. Not to keep a promise is common among young and old.

On 30 May, I took the train to Akkerman. Eight werst (1 werst = .66 miles or 1,067 meters = about 1 kilometer) away from the railroad station “Alkalia” near Mannsburg and 14 werst away from Akkerman, the railroad leads across a metal bridge. At about 5 o’clock in the morning, the train I was on traveled across the bridge at a fairly good speed. But suddenly something horrible happened. The locomotive crashed down the 2 fathoms high embankment tearing the rails and the railroad ties with it, landing upside down with the wheels pointing up. Two railroad cars also tumbled down. They splintered into pieces upon crashing into each other. The third railroad car, in which I was seated along with 15 other people, came to rest across the tracks. Its’ sides were dented and was otherwise severely damaged. Next there were 3 other shattered railroad cars. The horror and the wailing were indescribable. Nobody could come near because of the escaping steam. The engineer is alive, but has an injured head and face. His assistant ended up underneath the engine. Eight people were killed and about 20 people were injured. Nobody was injured among the people in the car which I was in. May God protect everyone from such journeys! The wailing and the calls for help by the injured people can not be described.

Today, 16 July, the stork visited at Mr. Oswald Wagner’s and to the joy of the parents left a little daughter. The child’s baptism started at noon and its’ holy baptism in church will take place at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. This is to inform brother-in-law Georg Harsch. He is being asked to act as godfather and also to send the Staats-Anzeiger, which he had paid for 1 year. (*Editor: Also received the card dated 16 July. Thank you very much!)

With a friendly greeting yours respectfully,

Anton Gedak