The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15
YOUNG KENNEDY'S LUCK
A KOKOMO ROY QUICKLY FINDS
FAME AND FORTUNE IN CHINA,
Went Over as Engineer for American
Syndicate, and Promoted to Pow
err by the Government.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.


KOKOMO Ind, Aug. H.-Last winter
Walter Kennedy, a mechanical engineer of
this city, who is well known in Ohio, In
diana and Illinois, where he assisted in the
construction of numerous tin-pate fac
tories, accompanied American syndicate
to China to build a railroad. This week
Squire Charles S. jackson, a cousin Of Mr.
Kennedy, received a letter from him detail
ing novel and almost unheard of experiences
in the Flowery Kingdom. The letter is
dated from Han-Kow, China, July g. as fol-
lows:
have had such a variety of curious ex-
peflehces and witnessed so many strange
sights that l seem to have been in some
manner mysteriously transferred to a fairy
land. On arriving at the Chinese capital a
rev months ago l was asked by the govern
ment 10 examine and report on some mines
our syndicate was willing and / was glad
or an opportunity to see the Oldest civliza~
uon under the sun with sanction and at the
expense OF the government. / went on
Few trips and had wonderful experience.
l had an imperial guard Of twenty-five SOL
diors an official escort. three mandarine
and 100 chair carriers, besides innumerable
COOKS, coolies, etc. When i returned and
reported | was appointed chief mining en-
gineer for the Chinese empire, and ali the
other engineers were put under my charge.
Il was next asked for an estimate on a
short line Of railway, about fifteen miles
long, and | was appointed secretary of the
Chinese Imperial Railway Later | was
asked to look over the government iron
works and make a report on them. When
L had been there only few days the di-
rector was recalled by wire and | was ap-
pointed mechanical director of the govern
ment iron and steel works at Hong Kong
l nave no contract of any kind with them,
being merely absent from America on leave
of absence acting only under direction of
the American syndicate There is but one
man at the works l can talk to without an
Interpreter. There are 5000 Chinese opera
uVes.
Il don't think any one ever had a better
opportunity to study all classes than /
have. l was entertained yesterday at din
ner by the Governor and am treated like a
prince. | have a government vessel on the
river waiting with steam up all the time
My rank is the same Tao Tai. I am
very busy on variety of problems, some
of them new to me. The weather is very
warm and the mosquitoes numerous. My
bed is surrounded by nethouse to keep
out the insects. Above my bed is a large
fan kept in motion by a Chinaman who
stays in the back yard all night and pulls
the end of a rope with one hand and fans
himself with the other. We have Cinnamon
here for everything. A man and wife must
have no less than six personal servants.
The number is indispensable, as they are
combined in way that makes 1t impossible
to get anything done except by the one
employed for that special purpose. The
cook Will not wait on the table the table
boy will not take message All the house
work is done by Chinese boys, and they do
all the buying at the stores always charg-
ing you about twice as much as they have
10 pay IOE everything IHey get. "A DOY
working for a man in my position expects
to become Independently wealthy in about
two years, and it is impossible to prevent
It, at least missionaries who have been here
for thirty years cannot prevent it in their
own houses, even among the boys that are
supposed TO be converted. How would an
American woman like TO have one person
to attend to the horse, another to black her
shoes, another to make her bed another to
cook, another to wait on table, another to
bring q cup of tea to her bedroom, another
to carry messages, and two more. called
coolies. to do what the others tell them.
Then comes the boys to brush your clothes
and a retinue of chair carriers, the inter-
prefers also having their personal servants.
and thus it goes in endless and disgusting
variety. On a recent trip into the country
to inspect some mines / had a crowd of
20S Cinnamon to take care of me, some of
them imported for their ability to carry a
peculiar Chinese lantern in a peculiar way
when we were travelling at night Yours
truly, WALTER KENNEDY.
The sudden rise to fame, power and
wealth OF the Hooser boy in the oldest
civilized nation on the globe is as surpris-
ing as it is gratifying to his many friends.
who will extend congratulations on his good
fortune That the Chinese government Will
insist on retaining him in his present posi-
ton of influence and power goes without
saving and the chances are that the Amer
lean syndicate will have to be on the look
out for another man.