1923 Ocean Liner Log Book, Met 6 South American Presi

pictures to follow 6PM

1923 Log Book, American College of Surgeons, "Vandyck".

Wonderful 66 page Log Book, of which 44 are typed, South American Cruise, 1923 Blue hard cover,

page 3, Clinical  Congress of the American College of Surgeons, and Montevideo and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Cruise to South America, February 10th to April 14th, 1923 on board the TSS "Vandyck", Chas Kline.Cartagena, Columbia -

Guayra, Venezuela - Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Brazil -

page 5 -Map Itinerary of the Cruise, with Ports of Call to Habana, Cuba - Cristobal, Panama -

page 6 - Purpose of the Cruise - " To hold in the principal capitals of South America a series of scientific

meetings that will seal more strongly than ever the mutual friendship of the surgical professions of  South and North America."

" To observe and study at first hand the scientifically equipped medical schools, hospitals and institutions of tropical

medicine and profit by teaching of our southern conferes as they reveal to us their peculiar problems."

page 7 - Itinerary of the Cruise, Ports of Calls, miles, arrival dates

page 11 - Neptune Rex Proclamation for the crossing of the Equator.

page 13 - First typed log entry Page 1 -  Feb. 9, 1923. at Allentown, Penna.

Weather Cold and Freezing.  Left Lehigh Valley Railroad at 10:50 A.M.

Arrived in New York about two P.M., attended to business during the P.M., went to movies at night.."

Date - Saturday Feb. 10th, " Arose at seven A.M. Snow a foot deep confronting us...Arrived at boat at ten A.M.....

The Lehigh County Delegation fifteen strong at once established headquarters, and giving the President Office to

Dr. C.D. Schaeffer as the accredited head with full authority to act for us in all matter, and look out for our comfort."

Page 3 - Feb. 12 at Cape Hatterus, Lincoln's Birthday, " Weather - Mrs. Laubach did not come down to put in her appearance.

Announcements were made that Dr. C.D. Schaffer signally honored in the presence of the entire passengers

numbering over 400.  Dr Schaffer was elected to be the chairman of the scientific committee and to be the spokesman

at the corner stone laying and other events of the cruise for the entire American College of Surgeons. 

He was selected from 279 Doctors on board."

Page 5 - Wednesday Feb 14 - Valentines Day, Weather Wonderful (  Havana, Cuba )

" We had an early breakfast at seven-thirty.  launches took us to dock where I met two brothers

and sister-in-law, who came from Miami, Florida to greet us and be with us.......

Luncheon at Hotel Seville where Dr Schafer announced that he had made arrangements for the

crowd to meet Pres Zagers of the Cuban Republic at four-fifteen P.M. and it would be a reception

in our Honor. ....Shook hands with the President ( 

Alfredo de Zayas y Alfonso (February 21, 1861, Havana, Cuba – April 11, 1934, Havana, Cuba) was a Cuban lawyer, poet and political figure. He served as prosecutor, judge, mayor of Havana, secretary of the Constitutional Convention, Senator 1905, president of the Senate 1906, vice-president 1908–1913 and President of Cuba from May 20, 1921 to May 20, 1925.  )

and his charming wife who is a gracious and

pleasant lady.  Punch was served, and as Mrs. Peter Laubach said, it was snappy."

Date - Sunday Feb 18th, " We then entrained to Pedro Migrel went on flat boat....

Our train was was waiting for us, and within fifteen minutes we were in Panama City.  A city

of twenty to twenty-five thousand people which was all gaily decorated in our honor.....

In the evening we all went to the Reception given by the President of Panama, Dr. Porras. 

(  Belisario Porras Barahona (28 November 1856, Las Tablas – 28 August 1942, Panama City). Panamanian journalist and politician. He served three terms as President of Panama soon after its independence from Colombia. )

We had champagne and punch.....  ( they go off and return to the reception )....

so we told the driver to go back to the Presidents Palace and got there just as the tail end of the procession

got to the President and his wife.  I said to him, you are some sport and a Prince of a good fellow and

he answered me that he was no Prince only President."

Date - Friday Feb. 23rd, " Went to Caracas at 12:30 and was at once autoed to the Presidential Palace and the President

 himself dressed up like a hero with a peck of Medals on his breast in full uniform, shook ours hands and told us in perfect

english he was delighted to have us in Caracas.  He gave no champange nor punch."

Date - Sunday Feb. 25 - " Arrived at eight A.M. on shore at nine A.M.. Trinidad is a wonderful city, regret it was Sunday,

so sould only buy Monkeys parrots, Postcards and Canes.....  We arrived at the dock at 3:15 to go aboard, there was

a Hindu fakir showing his tricks, but they all got fooled except Dr. Schaffer, he claimed the man could not put a wire

nail in his eye and cough it out of his mouth, and then swallow the nail and rub it out of his eye, but it was done and very cleverly

at that."

Date - Friday March 2 - " At 3P.M. King Neptune boarded the vessel at he equator which we passed an hour earlier. 

He summoned all the passengers to the aft and there he held court.  all masqueraded  and the king meted out punishments

to many by ducking in the pool and placed stocks "

Date - Sunday - March 4 - "  At supper table word was passed, that there would be a Masonic meeting.

Dr. schaffer was elected Master but declined as his other official duties would not permit him to do justice,

so Dr. Browning after having every one examined was then elected and he opened the Lodge in due form, with

square, compass, and Bible on te Altar and many of the brethren had their aprons with them especially the English

and Canadian brothers... its was very interesting, about eighty-five brothers being present at this meeting each

gave a synopsis of their own home lodge work.  "

Date - Wednesday March 7 - " At Rio de Janerio - fair the rainat 4:45P.M.  Arrived at Rio harbor the finest in the world. 

We never have seen its equal and I guess never will.  I cannot describe it in words..... At 3P.M. we met at the Gloria hotel.

We went to the Presidents Palace and boy it was some Palace, believe me.  The main and fussiest man in the room was our

Ambassador morgan, but the President had a nice word for everyone.  He was very pleasant, but had nothing to drink,

so it was a dry reception."

Date - Friday March 9 - "met a bunch at the statin went to Petra Polis Brazil....Enroute a colored boy got on the train

at one of the stations where we stopped, for a few minutes and Jim Hunsicker was selecting some fruit that he was

selling from a basket, and he grabbed Jim's money as the train started and left jim with the entire sock basket and all.

He barely escaped falling under the rolliin wheels, but jumped up and with a smile scampered off."

There are passages on board ship describing events that happen daily, betting on the ship mileage, who was sea sick,

getting off the ship going to various sights, handling the natives, cabbies, the lorries that return you to the ship.

They go to night clubs, hospitals, orphanage.  They have Rotary Club meetings.

Date - Saturday March 10 - " Last evening after supper several of our Allentown friends were waiting in the lobby

 and we proposed going to a caberat.  we went to two of them, and then to the phoenix Club where 

the gambling was surely libvely in Baccarot, Faro and Fan-Tan.....We arose at 7A.M. and at 9 A.M. went shopping,

and had I my life to live over again believe me I would not be so rash and run into the marriage state,

as I have had nothing but arguments all day, and it is beginning to ware me out in this heat.  No matter what I do

it's wrong but I guess that is the penalty a husband pays for being a husband."

Date - Monday March 19 - " At 3P.M. he arrived ( Dr. Vegas ) in an elegant car.  We drove out and saw 200 boys and

in another part of the city 160 Jewish Girl Orphans and before leaving I gave the a check to endow a bed of perpetuity. 

He wanted to a Jewish Hospital, but I thought I was touched enough for one day, so we drove back to town

and had some ice-cream and cakes.  What surprised me most was when I was informed that Buenos Aires had

150 to 160,000 jewish resident in a city of one mikllion sould and twenty eight otherdox Synagogues and only one reformed,

and that was a composition of French, German, English and American jews."

Date - Wednesday - March 21 - " Very warm.  We arose at 8A.M.   Went shoppong until noon then had lunch at hotel. 

Met at bunch who were going to the recption given by the President of Argentina.  At 2;30 as Mrs kline and Mrs Leh were

so fed up on recptions by Presidents they went shopping, but I went to the reception with the bunch and we sure did have

a lot of fun."

Date - Friday March 23 - " Weather Rain.  Well it is a big relief to see rain and cooler, an Oh how blessed to

Paraguay as it was needed so badly.  After breakfat we were wondering if we can get to the Presidents reception

at 4 P.M., at the government building.  Well we were there, and this makes the sixth president that we met,

and honest boys we are better off then they are.  every one looked worried and harrassed,  from the reception

we went shopping and bought nothing."

Very interesting look back at life then, very prestigoius Doctors on a two month Cruise to South American Capitals and major cities.

Anything in quotes is hopefully spelled as was in the log and not capitalized as in the text.

more to follow

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