Die Welt-Post, Thursday, April 19, 1923, Page 2
From Colorado and Russia
Fort Morgan, Colorado, 11 April
Dear Friend Lorenz:
First, a greeting to you and the Welt-Post family, of which I am a member. I find the reports presented to us from week to week to be very interesting. I also wish to unburden myself and put together a short report. Whether it gets put in the Welt-Post or in the wastepaper basket, I will learn in the near future.
The weather is wonderfully warm and the people are busily at work in the fields. It is written: "Sow your seeds early." Whosoever faithfully follows this rule is fulfilling an obligation. Prosperity is given by God who always keeps His promises. Because He is an all powerful and loving father it is not difficult to receive His blessing. With us humans however, it is as Luther says: "We can accomplish nothing with our power, we are quickly defeated."
Now I must report about a terrible accident which occurred here this afternoon. Friedrich Schlotthauer and his wife were driving into town. As they drove over a railroad crossing a train came along and hurled their car 50 feet sideways. The wife was killed instantly and the husband critically injured. Six children are left motherless and the outcome for the father is yet unknown. The family was from Kraft, Russia.
With greetings, Konrad and Kath. (Lehl) Koch
The Russian Letter
(there is no place-name but some of the names mentioned might be from Norka--Editor)
To: Konrad and Kath. Koch in Fort Morgan, Colorado
Dear brother-in-law and sister and your children:
We are letting you know that we are still among the living and are in good health. We must give you sad news that not all of us remain in the land of the living; because our father died on the 7th of July of this past year. Song number 703 in the Volga Songbook was sung at the graveside. The pallbearers were: Johannes Gerlach, Johannes Arndt, Johannes, son of Konrad Arndt and Georg Giebelhaus. Now we have shared our sorrow with you and you can cry as we did.
The 3 bundles of things have not yet arrived and it is very necessary for us to have them. The emergency is great but one dare not write much about it. The food that you sent, we received with great rejoicing. In spite of father's desire to see it, he was not able to survive any longer. Both of us, brothers Peter and Georg, carefully distributed everything. We also received father's Clothing Draft and divided it among we three brothers: Peter, Heinrich and Georg. We gave the shirts to Georg Trieber, he was near naked and was very happy to have them.
Now in closing, be affectionately greeted by your brothers-in-law and brothers,
Peter, Heinrich and Georg Lehl
This translation provided courtesy of Hugh Lichtenwald.