Stories from Deli

In the fields. When it is “in the fields” again in January, every true Delian tobacco assistant comes to life. That recently completed work in the musty fermentation shed, that shuffling along the rows of sorting coolies, that staring at dark, brown, faded leaves, or whatever other nuances there are (his sister’s wool is nothing…

Foreigners sometimes claim that the Dutchman feels attracted to low marshy coasts when he is looking for places to settle in distant regions, while the Englishman prefers high and dry coasts with inlets that form good harbours. This is said especially by those who have seen the English flag flying on Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Colombo,…

VI. The Workers. Polonia, Helvetia, Rotterdam, Danmark, Glenorchy, St. Cyr, Arnhemia, Germania, Saentis, Bavaria, Hessia, Grien Bervie, Frankfurt, Hilversum, these names of some of the tobacco companies on the east coast of Sumatra indicate the origin of some of the explorers of that promised land. Most of the nations of Europe supplied their contingent, because…

By J.T. Cremer Medan Our Medan was once a vast wilderness,A refuge only for tiger and elephant.Then came the planters with money in their pockets,Who cleared the forest and planted tobacco.They built their houses, and—it wasn’t too refined—Visited one another in Chinese-style tunics.But now fashion here demands as much as anywhere,Now it’s stiff collars and…

De locomotief 04-08-1920 One can be mayor and be called Baron Mackay and still lack in one’s conduct what is called “tact”. We read in the Deli newspaper that mayor Baron Mackay of Medan sent the following official letter to the wealthy Chinese council member Tjong A Fie:To my regret I discovered that you have…

Indië; geïllustreerd weekblad voor Nederland en koloniën, jrg 6, 1922, no. 13, 28-06-1922 Question 579. — As a subscriber to your magazine, I hereby take the liberty of politely requesting your answers to the following questions. I.e. Is it as difficult to obtain a home in the Indies (for example, in Medan (Sumatra)) as it…

Indie For a long time, the magazine has featured the work of Mr. W. H. M. Schadee, whose exceptional roadways are highly suitable for automotive traffic, effectively compensating for its non-central location. There is no longer any fear of being overshadowed by, for example, Tebing Tinggi or Pamatang Si Antar, which may have seemed a…

by Dr. Yap Hong Tjoen Indië; geïllustreerd weekblad voor Nederland en koloniën, jrg 1, 1917, no. 11, 13-06-1917 At the request of the editorial board to submit an article, I could not comply better than by providing a sketch of the “Tiong Hwa Hwee Koan”, accompanied by a photo of one of its schools .…

Title: Memories from My Editor’s Life (1899—1904) From Eventful Times in Deli by W. J. H. Mulier, former chief editor of Deli Courant Nothing is more difficult than being brief. Recently, when I was honored with the task of writing a few articles about my time in Deli, I re-read the heavy bound volumes, created…

V. The Police (SP 26-04-1916) V. The Police. Twenty years ago… Medan, a thriving village, was home to about 400 Europeans, 7000 Chinese, and 6000 natives and foreign easterners. The corps of armed police — general police existed only in Java — was 52 men strong and had to ensure no mischief occurred. Indeed! But…