The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-10-12
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
A Martins Forty Boy Who IS a
Missionary to China
GIVES A VERY GRAPHIC ACCOUNT
OF tho Condition OF AnAIrs About
cbefoo-No Danger Apprehendcd
by Foreign Residents on tho Coast.
The Eject ofthe War Severely Felt.
Some Points on tho Chinese oharac-

Rev. Samuel B. Groves, OF MARITIME
Ferry, who Is a son OF Mr.. and Mrs 81.
B. Groves, writes very interesting
letter from Chefoo. China, to his
parents. The Rev. Mr.. Groves wat to
China as a missionary after his mar.
rage, with Rev. Frank Chalfant, for
merly Of Martins Ferry, aud has many
friends hereabouts who are interested
in him. Extracts from his letter are
given below:
"War was declared between China
and Japan and the Japanese consular
postoflice from which we had been
getting our stamps was closed at short
notice. We had 10 send TO Shanghai
and as everything ia delayed by the war
we lust got some. We are not far from
the seat of war.
"Alany OF the natives, thinking the
Japanese will make war in savage
fashion, have packed up and gone away
or sent their families away. There IL
very little business being done, for all
the Chinese owned steamers which
run between Chefoo and Shanghai, and
are either afraid to run or are engaged
in taking troops from the northern part
OF China over to Korea Coal has gone
up in price, and il the war continues
probably other things will follow.
China buys most OF her coal she uses
from japan, hence the difficulty. She
may not have enough to use for her
own warships il she is not careful. And
this is not because there lie no coal here
but because the people do not know
enough to mine 1t. We have a young
lady missionary in town whose home 10
ut Mt. Pleasant, o. Her name Is hurry.
Her station is at Ningpo, six hundred
miles south OF US.
"rhere is, rs far as We can see, no dan
ger to anyone living on tho coast as We
are. What may happen in the interior
IL tho war goes on and famine prices for
provisions come to prevail no one can
tell. These people are 80 ignorant that
it would be easy for them to blame any
trouble that comes upon them to tho
foreigners. Most people think the war
will not last long Frank Chalfant, for
merly Of Martins Ferry, was coming
down to the coast for visit, but the
steamer was taken off to carry troops
and no could not come. We had q
guest last night who Is on his way home
to his station in the distant province.
lie has about n thousand miles Of over
land travel before he reaches his sta
ton, way out among the hills OF the
province OF Shensi.
ale will use donkey, cart without
springs, wheelbarrow and such means
OF conveyance, averaging about thirteen
miles day. His food will be OF the
coarsest, often will be half cooked and
not clean; when he stops at night he
will probably have brick bed in a
room without furniture and without
floor. while Just outside the door in the
yard the animals will furnish noise
enough and smells enough TO keep any
ordinary person awake. Fleas, bed
bugs aud mosquitoes will abound as
they usually do about Chinese inn.
As he rides along tho road people
everywhere will call out to his face:
"You foreign devil!" and will call their
friends and chillron to come and see
the "devip going by. When he gets to
an inf at night, tired and sleepy, prob.
ably half the town he stops in will turn
out and fill up his room without the
slightest regard for his convenience.
They will be Extensively curious about
his clothes, baggage and everything he
has. They will make all kinds OF re-
marks, but pleasant in language that
lie understands. And he will have to
take It all or nearly all, for to show that
he did not like it or TO resent it would
expose him to danger worse than dis
comfort.