Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-04-18


through passages where men had
to walk sidewise in order to
get by each other and finally
found ourselves in a long, low build
ing which looked more like . cat
tle-shed than business room. It was
lighted from the roof and was filled
with from 500 to 1000 round-headed,
pig-tailed. yellow-faced men, each Of
whom seemed to be yelling at the top
OF his voice and each pushing his fin
gers into the face of his neighbor.
These men were buying and selling
silver dollars, just as our brokers do in
Wall street, and they made moro fuss
than all the bulls and bears of New
York. At eight o'clock the rate was
fixed for the day and the news was
photographed" by means of carrier
pigeons to the various banks of the
city. The pig IONS of Pekin are large
ly used for messengers. and they are.
perhaps. the only pigeons in the world
that whistle. As they fly through the
air they make a whistling sound
which. in the case of a flock. sounds
like whole school of boys operating
tin whistles at the same time. This noise
comes from actual whistles which are
tied to their tail-feathers by their own
ers. and the noise of which scares
away the hawks from them. It is q
curious sound and I heard it many
times before I could find out whence it
came. They are the tickers of the
Chinese banker, and they give him all
the quotations.
The foreign banks which do bust
ness in China have large capital
stocks. and they pay big dividends.
Tho Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking
Company. for instance, has a paid-up
capital of 100000. It has a surplus
of 100000. and its proprietors are
liable for $500. 900 in addition to the
capital. 1t pays interest on deposits
of six months at the rate of 4 per
cent. and per cent per annum on
daily balances. 1t has immense es-
Establishments throughout the East, and
its banking Office here at Shang-
hal will compare IL size and appoint
ments with the best banks of Wall
street or London. 1t is the same with
a number of other great banks here in
China. English and French capital
manages them, but a Chinaman al
ways counts the money and figures up
the profits and losses on one of these
little boxes of buttons strung on wires
whi..b makes up the Chinese calculat-
ing machine, and upon which all China
does its arithmetical problems. These
banks will give you drafts on any part
Of the world, or letters of exchange
and credit, which will be good any,
where. Their chief officers are among
the leading business men of the East,
and they all seem to be making money.
Speaking of the credit system. there
are large stores run by foreign mer-
chants at Shanghai, Hong Kong,
and at all of the ports of
Japan. These have stocks of goods |
which would sell in any American
city, and the most of their business is
with the foreigners. 1t is nearly all |
done on credit. The silver dollar is |
so heavy that it takes more than a
pound of silver to pay q ten-dollar
gold purchase, and the result is. every
hing is charged and settled at the end
Of the month. The purchaser signs |
what is called ''chit," little slip of |
paper stating thot he has made the |
purchase, and these are kept until the
account is rendered by the proprietor.
II the foreigner takes q drink at a bar |
Or treats his friends he will write out |
D chit If he plays game of billiards
another chit, and If he buys shoes or |
sugar he renders the accounts in chits. |
That you are unknown to the store |
keeper makes no difference. Any man |
looking half decent can get credit in |
China, and I am surprised at the care |
lessness manifested in such matters, a |
which. however, does not |
extend to Cinnamon. The Chinese |
do business largely on
credit and every Chinaman of note has
his bank account
The honesty Of the Chinese in their
business dealings is shown in the ac-
tons of Hou Qua, the Canton million
aire who died few years ago, leav-
ing at least $5O.OOO.OOO. One of the
Chinese firms of Canton had failed,
owing q great sum to foreigners. Hou
Qua got up q subscription and paid the
whole Indebtedness. He headed the
list of subscribers with $1,000, 600 out |
Of his own pocket. saying that Chinese
credit must, remain untarnished.
This is the same man who. when the |
English were about to lombard Can |
lon unless their demand Of 5000. 600
was paid within forty-eight hours.
headed the subscription list with the
sum of 81. 100000. Il give" said he,
$500. 900 as q thank Offering for the
business prosperity have had. l give
e1OO. 900 as testimony of the fidelity