Stories from Deli

Java Bode 10-10-1895

Medan, October 2, 1895

I am happy to report that the cholera outbreak here has subsided since my last letter. The disease has gradually decreased, and only a few isolated cases have been reported on some plantations, while no new cases have been reported in Medan recently. Fortunately, the situation did not turn out as bad as it initially seemed, likely due to the heavy rains that have fallen recently. In any case, it seems to me that more caution and stricter quarantine measures should be implemented, as things might not go as well next time.

The races held here on September 30 and October 2 helped to distract everyone from thoughts of cholera. This time, they were very lively, and both days, the management enjoyed much interest despite the poor roads and the gloomy weather on the first day. It rained continuously until 3 p.m., the start time, so that puddles and mud pools formed here and there on the already soaked track, often leading to miscalculations even among those considered true horse experts. The stands were well-filled on both days with interested ladies and gentlemen; on the first day especially, one could see all the ladies Medan and the surrounding areas had to offer, gathered to enjoy the spectacle of the races, to see and be seen, or admired.

Naturally, the “totalisator” was busy, and there was also much betting on the “sweepstakes”—not to mention the many informal sweepstakes among the spectators, shaken in a hat or cap and then offered to the participants. Overall, the races seemed to be very well-received this time; it’s a pity that they take up so much time, as despite the races starting at 3 p.m. and only running 9 or 10 times, it was nearly dark (which means around 7 p.m.) before they were finished.

On the day between the race days, a cycling race was held, which also attracted a fair amount of interest, and the Gymnastics Association organized a bowling competition, in which three clubs participated. Besides all this entertainment, one could also enjoy a concert on both race evenings, given by a duo consisting of Madame Armista and Monsieur Valenza, who are surely well-known in Java, as they came to Deli after a tour of your island. Monsieur Valenza plays the harp, and Madame Armista sings contralto; his performance is well worth listening to, and Madame Armista’s singing shows much training and a beautiful voice, although the latter must have been even more beautiful a few years ago. On both evenings, the race crowd was rather unruly; particularly on the second evening, some drunken assistants added variety to the program by climbing onto the stage.

As you can see, we had busy days here, and on top of all that, there is also the tea dance at the Sultan’s palace, scheduled for the 12th of this month. This party promises to be something special; the supper is being provided by a company in Batavia. Additionally, the Sultan of Serdang is hosting a beach party at Perkaoengan in the near future. I haven’t yet had the chance to visit that beach, although it must be a very pleasant place. It gives the impression of the beach at Scheveningen, of course without the Kurhaus and so on. There has already been talk of establishing a sanatorium there, as nothing like that exists on the East Coast, and for serious illnesses, Penang, with its high-altitude Crag Hotel, is the only refuge. If such an establishment is ever built, whether on the beach or high in the Batak lands—where an excellent location could also certainly be found—it would undoubtedly fulfill a great need.

For the time being, however, no steps have been taken in this regard, except that the Deli Courant once wrote an editorial about it, which surely was read and acknowledged, but nothing more. However, on the 1st of this month, a step was taken in another direction, which, in my opinion, should have happened much earlier. About 100 assistants in the tobacco industry have joined together, and more will surely follow soon, to establish a mutual aid fund. The purpose of the association is purely charitable; members who need to seek another climate due to illness, or are forced to repatriate, will be able to turn to “Mutual Aid” for support after some time, and receive help according to their circumstances. The idea is good and, I hear, is supported by the main administrations. This is already a significant achievement; after all, wouldn’t such an association have the support of the main administrations as long as it carries the banner of “charity” and “mutual aid”? There was a concern expressed that the association might later stray from its purpose and seek to assert itself in other matters. I hope that the association will always have a board that understands that getting involved in anything other than providing financial support to members in need is also a sentence of destruction, confirmed by the “veto” of many main administrations. A provisional board has been appointed, which will draft and distribute statutes, to be amended and adopted as regulations at a general meeting a month later. Deli will then have another valuable institution.

Additionally, we recently gained something new, though not an institution, but a monument for the heroes who fell in Tamiang. Although the monument has not yet been officially unveiled, we have long had the pleasure of seeing it first under construction and now completed. From a distance, it looks quite nice and consists of a roof resting on four heavy pillars with battlements, under which stands a column inscribed with the memorable names of the fallen and the places where the battles took place, carved in marble. The three-step pedestal, the pillars, and the roof are cemented and adorned with ornaments. Upon closer inspection, however, the finishing work seems rather rough. The official unveiling ceremony will surely take place soon.

Unfortunately, my suspicion that the attempt to devise means to prevent overproduction of Sumatra tobacco would come to nothing has been confirmed. The large companies set the example, and the smaller or privately-owned enterprises must follow. Meanwhile, our tobacco cultivation has degenerated into exploitative farming, where, in the race to bring the best and most tobacco to market first, a merciless “every man for himself” has become the battle cry. It goes without saying that, in the long run, the small businesses will lose out.

One of the Java newspapers recently reported various rumors about personnel changes within the civil service corps on the East Coast. These reports seem as unfounded to me as the one stating that the Chinese interpreter here had requested his resignation. I strongly refute these reports.

Delis.