Steampunk Diaries – June 20th, 1878

Train travel is rather dreadful in these countries I fear. The passenger services and governments have gone a long ways towards remedying issues with the railways caused by the recent Russian-Romanian-Turkish war though. We pulled into the station at Cluj-Napoca or Klausenburg despite the best efforts of the creaky engine to shake itself apart half way through our journey.

The city has seen better days and remains quite dirty and poor. Russian and Romanian war veterans litter the streets and frequently animosities run high between the two. As a result a few bodies litter the sewers and make perfumed handkerchiefs most welcome. Children play near and on them and I fear a round of typhoid fever or plague shall soon rule this city.

Fortunately for myself, I have been able to secure the use of a coach for the three days travel to my investments. The driver is a veteran wagon driver of the 2nd Artillery Battalion at the battle of Pleven. The lad’s name is Grigore and I place his age at between twenty and twenty-five years. As he speaks a bit of English, I feel that we shall get along well.

Letters have stated that the land where my investments are is well torn up, but not enough to totally destroy the crops. The foreman and his assistant remain hopeful that we shall still be able to realize a profit fairly near the amount expected. For myself I am interested in seeing this countries farming techniques and how they differ from England’s to take account of the terrain and weather changes between the two locales.