Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1883-05-10
EDITOR WONG CHING FOO.
Mysteries Of tna Chinese Newspaper effce in New
York. -
(Ne,c York Star.)


In all the newspaper world of New |
York there is no buster journalist than
Mr.. Wong Ching Foo, editor of the
Chmese-Americo,a. Surrounded by
proofs, exchanges, and hieroglyphic
scopy,' reporter for the Stcr found
him at his office, No. 1S9 Chatham
street, yesterday. Mr.. Foo is young
man Of short stature, dressed in the
American fashion. He speaks English
with much more purity and elegance
than thousands to whom it is native
tongue. Busy as he was, for he CON-
bines the functions Of editor and busi
ness manager, he received his visitor
with true oriental courtesy.
"The publication of Chinese news
paper in New York, said the report
er, ''has aroused so much comment
that it would be interesting to know
how it is getting along"
g It is coming quite up to my expect
ations," said Mr. Foo, and is growing
rapidly The Chinese in New York
are beginning to appreciate the value
of a paper in their own language, and
are patronizing itacccordingly. Like
every other people in this age, they
want to know what is going on in the
world around them.'
What kind of news is it that Chi
namen like to read %
Well, of course, they like to hear
from the old country as often as posi-
bic. To supply this want we have tri
monthly letters from China, particu-
larly from the seaports, Hong Kong,
Shanghai, etc. Besides, we have out
oftown correspondents here in Amer
lea who send US news of particular i'm
portance to the Chinese. The Chinese
american circulates throughout the
Union and also Europe"
"What kind of local news do you
publish ?"
Just what the English papers con-
tain. Here in our issue of to-day, 4oY
example, said the editor, picking up
a crisp yellow sheet from pile near
him, ''is report of our court proceed
ings in the Conkling homicide case and
an article expressing the regret which
Cinnamon feel at the loss ofthe philan-
thropist, Peter Cooper
" Have you any news from China
in this issue ?"
" Yes, here on the first page is a let
ter about the difficulty with the French
in Tonquin. In the matter of local
information concerning Chinese mat
ters, of course wehave advantages over
: the English papers, as we speak the
: language and understand the customs
of the people"
"The Chinese language, as spoken
is broken into dialects, is it not?'
eyes. Our paper is printed in the
: Mandarin language, the official ton
que, you know How many charac
5 ters has it? Oh, that has been vari
| ously estimated. One calculation
places it as high as $4,000. Our col
umns are horizontal and we read from
/ right to left.
You have good advertising pat
= ronage?'
First rate, although our terms are
: high. [ have advertisements on the
} first page this week, but my rule is te
: reserve that space for foreign news"
: " How do you get Chinese type in
/, this country?
: "The paper is Autographed. A
l scribe makes copies Of the manuscript
2 which are transferred to the stone."
| How long have you been in Amer
1 lea, Mr.. Foo?''
l About nine years. [ am politi
: cal refugee. [ conspired against the
!. Government at home and left the coun
: try to avoid the inconvenience of hav
3 ing my head cut off,
7 Would you be decapitated if yor
: went back p
, The chances ares strongly agains
me that think I'll stay on this side
}, [ began literary work two years ago.
Do you do any writing besides thai
| required for your paper ?"
Yes, write for the New York
press and for the Youths Companion
: of Boston. Both pay me well.'
:, Is there any reason why your jour
7 nal is printed on yellow paper ?"
f "That is the national color of Chi
4 ma, the imperial color, and I am En-
e peror here in the office, without the
: power to cut off peoples heads, how
3 ever. am busy just now revising my
translation of Fan Ton; or, The Roy
: al Slave Chinese historical romance
: written by King Ming, descendant
: of Confucius, 1900 years ago. Its as
t powerful and dramatic as any work o.
: Victor Hugo. There are great diff
/ eulties in the way of its translation, fol-
> an equally thorough knowledge O
| Chinese and English is required.
| am assisted by an American gentleman
/ of wide culture. Already l have hac
r several offers from publishers, hpt
have accepted none Of them as yet
Arkansas has doubled her popula
ton in the last ten years, and is rank
! ed as the fourth cotton State in tn,
! Union.
4. ~. IL 4