Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-07-14
CHINESE NEWSPAPERS.


Visiting the Offices of "Wash kee'
and "Tong Fan San Bo" at Sar
Francisco
San Francisco Post
There are two Chinese newspapers
in this city, both weekly. In company
with interpreter Howe, visit was
recently made to both offices, the Orr.
entail (Wah Keel, No. 800 Washington
street, was first visited. The Wah Kee
establishment was found in charge OF
its proprietor, publisher, editor, press.
man, compOsitor. book-keeper, reporter,
and Office boy, Yee Jenn, who was dis
covered seated at a table in his sane
tum, busily engaged in forming char.
acters on slip of paper. A small,
fine brush, not much larger than an or
binary pen holder. was dipped in a pc
culiar black ink, and the writing OF
printing, performed with great dexter
ity and accuracy. In answer to ques-
tions, Yee Jenn stated to the interpre-
ter that he was so years old; that he
had been in the country about seven
years, and that he began publishing
the Wah Kee nearly six years ago. He
had no previous experience as a jour-
nalist, and prior to beginning his news
paper had in operation a job printing
Office, which he yet maintained. OF
the thirty five thousand characters in
the Chinese language he could make
about eight thousand, AS he had
never been able to import type from
China, all the characters in his paper
were formed by hand. The Wah Kee
had 1000 subscribers, some circulation
in China, and was issued at ten cents
per copy, or S. a year. He got much
of his matter from exchanges; what
appeared in local English papers of
interest to his readers was translated
by an English-knowing Chinese friend,
Although seven years in the country,
Yee Jenn had no language, and he
said that but about two hundred of the
Chinese residing in this city were able
to read and understand English. The
latest number of the Wah Kee was
reported to the writer by Yee Jenn. 1t
was four-page sheet, about
the size of the Post, and
had five columns to the page, the first
page excepting the publishers an
nouncements, being occupied by adver-
tisement, mainly double columned.
The publishers announcement COM
prised the name of the paper, in five
big characters, to be read from left to
right, in horizontal line; at the head
of the page notice, in a verticle line,
10 be read from the top down, and at
the right of the title, that the paper
was published in the fourth month of
the seventh year of the reign of his
mightiness Quong 81, Empe-
ror; a notice at the left of the title, in
a verticle line, of the date and volume
OF the paper, and large notice,
in verticle lines, to the left of the last
which was the prospectus, etc.,
OF the publisher. The name of the pa
per, its date, and place of publication
given in English under chinese title.
The title of each long article and of
each advertisement was given in
horizontal line at the commencement
of the reading matter, which was print
ed in vertical lines, and to be read be-
ginning at the top of the right hand
column in each article. The news
matter of the Wah Kee, commencing
at the right hand column of the fourth
page, was four columns of local news,
succeeded by column of "adds," then
a department containing news from
Pekin followed by another containing
news from Canton; next an editorial
against the use of opium, and then a
of the news from various
countries, after which came advertise
ments, an advertisement of Chinese
doctor occupying the place of honor.
The press-rOom, composing room.
counting Office, and editorial and re-
portorial rooms of the Wah Kee, and
the parlor, dining-room, kitchen, pam
try, and sleeping apartment of its pro-
prietor, Yee Jenn, were formerly one
small room about 12x15. That room
was subject to a partitioning process
by the Mongolian publisher, and made
into three-two small ones of equal
size, one for sleeping, the other for
editing, and the larger one for con-
tanning the press and adjuncts. AS
the writer was gazing about, peerinp
into Yee Jenn's tiny bed-chamber.
staring at his press, so ANTIQUE and
clumsy, and fumbling over some musty
Chinese exchanges, he was aware the
was being told something
quite interesting by the good natured
and accommodating Yee Jenn. The
narrative was this: Last Tuesday a
Chinaman was passing one of the mar
kets In this city and happened to see a
large tish, sturgeon, which had been
just brought in and was vet
alive. The Chinaman, by inherent
wisdom, or perhaps by inspiration. dis
covered that his mothers soul was in
the fish. After some dickering he
bought the fish, which weighed some
3OO pounds, paying SIS therefor, and.
procuring a wagon, transported it to
the bay, where he engaged boat.
placed the fish thereon, and had it
rowed far out into the bay and put
back into the water. He couldn't
Gear the thought of having the soul
OF his mother devoured by San Fran.
cisco barbarians.
The manner in which the Wah Kee
Is published cannot fail to be enter.
tanning. The press consists of a large
slab or bed of yellowish-white stone.
BY turning wheel a frame faced with
stiff leather, over which are several
sheets of thick cardboard, is pressed
down upon the bed. The matter to 90
on one side of the paper is printed by
hand on a sheet which is laid on the
stone and borne down upon uniformly.
The sheet is then lifted up, and the
hundreds of characters forming its
face are seen to be duplicated upon
the stone. AT the appropriate time a
sheet of paper is laid ON the frame
noted, the wheel is turned, the frame
noted, the wheel is turned, the frame
is pressed down against the bed. and in
a m0mnnf or On liffa1 b., ~ IL -