The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-09-05
THE CHINESE WAY.
How Telegraph Omces Are Managed In tI
Celestial Empire.

How Telegraph Omces Are Managed In the
Celestial Empire.
AS usual in all officially-conducted
enterprises in China, land the Chinese
Government acknowledges no union of
capitalists for large enterprises apart
from official management, little en-
couragement is given to the general
public. In the case of the telegraph,
the charges are high, averaging about
one shilling word, more or less, ac-
cording TO distance. This tariff is, with
a thrifty people like the Chinese, quite
prohibitive as far as social messages are
concerned; and for business purposes Its
use is confined to the few wealthy mer-
chants in the larger towns, and by them
it is used very sparingly. In the less
important places it is not open to the
public at all, although the needful sta
tions and operators are to be found
there. At one such station. in the town
of Shin-tan in Hupeh, we once tried to
send a message. After much inquiry
we at last found our way to the Tienpao
chu, or ''ligb timing dispatch Office" and
were shown to an old out-of-the-way
two-storied Chinese dwelling house.
Clint bling up an inconveniently steep
ladder we reached the upper story, which
consisted of a roomy loft, with a rickety
loose plank floor and no ceiling beneath
the uncemented tile roof. The apart
ment had every appearance of not hav-
ing been swept or garnished since the
day it was constructed.
AS our eyes gradually grew accus-
toned to the dim light admitted through
the small paper windows, we perceived
in one corner, curtained trestle bed
stead illuminated by diminut.v we opium
smokers lamp, in another corner tele-
graphic signaling instrument with 4
silk cover to protect it from the dirt, and
a couple of the usual stiff-back wooden
Chinese chairs. A few clothes-trunks
and a tumble-dozyn wardrobe completed
the furniture. AS we entered, man
of thirty, handsomely dressed in silk,
arose from the bed and welcomed us to
seat. He received us with great effu-
sion and, to our surprise, seemed really
pleased to SEQ his haunt invaded by a
barbarian. A lad of eighteen or less,
also gayly dressed in silk, produced the
hospitable tea, and conversation COM
menced- J he manager could not accept
my message without a card from the
Taotai, or Governor, who resided forty
miles slant, and with which he ad-
vised me to provide myself on further
occasion. The lad, who turned out to
be an operator trained in Shanghai. had
merely to report on the condition of the
wires, which he did daily by telegraph
ing to the next station the English
words ''All right" The rest of the En-
glish he once knew he appeared to have
forgotten AS to the elder man, the
manager, a sociable Soo-Chow man, he
talked of himself as an exile among
savages with no society, no occupation.
and no amusements. He thoroughly
enjoyed a visit from one who came from
the civilization of Shanghai, and seemed
deeply to regret our departure. He par
ticularly lamented his hard lot in that
having bought ., 900 English words of a
native teacher of English in Shanghai,
at cost of 81 per hundred, $50 he ex-
pressed himself, he had now only use
for two words, and had almost entirely
forgotten the remaining 1,99S-Quar-
terly Review.