Evening star., 1898-09-19
CHINA SYNDICATE FORMED.
Former senator Brice Heads One to
BniId RaiIrOads in the Empire.

The American China Development Com
pany. American corporation which has
been organized largely through the efforts
of ex-senator Calvin 9. Brice mas made
contract with the imperial Chinese govern
ment. which has been duly ratified by the
TsUng-h- Yamen and by the corporation for
the purchase Of sufficient amount of Chi
nese imperial government bonds-secured
among other things by a line Of railway
and its revenUes-tO create a line of rail-
way from Han-kow to Hong Kong dis
tance of $40 miles with branches to such
important provincial capitals as lie in the
immediate neighborhood, and with such
equipment, docks and facilities as may be
required for the operation Of the railroad
The bonds are to be purchased by an
American company. and the application of
the proceeds and the construction of the
work will be under the direction and SUPER
vision Of this company
Mr. Brice. discussing the subject with a
Reporter of the New York Tribune said
THE character Of the syndicate may be
best shown by glance at the list
OF names. There are in il seven reD-
resentatives Of the Vanderbilt inter-
tcrests and three Of the Standard OH Com
pany-John D Rockefeller. William Rookie
1eiler-and the president OF one of our
largest banks, also presidents of several
OF our large trust companies Levi p Nor
ton, George T. Bliss and the officials of the
Carnegie Steel Company. The new Fed
eral company will probably also take an
interest in the syndicate. The contract of
The syndicate is absolute and subject to no
slips or casualties. the whole ground
work has been done and money to a large
amount expended and will be expended AS
fast as more money is needed 1t will be
paid in.
'-'Phe cost OF the road" said Mr.. Rr:ce
els estimated at a minimum of Il ppO 900
and "a maximum Of Is ,DOU 900 or aboIlt from,
S2oopDuDo to S4OODD .UOO. our best ouinion
IS that il will cost between $50. .D0O go and
S4n.~UJ+o. according to the standard adopt
ed and the amount Of extra expenditure re
qufrrt- The syndicate Will undoubtedly
control the road for a period of four or 1--WE
years. during which il is subject TO neeo
tiatIons. which may change its character
ne provinces through which the road will
pass are the most populuus in China hay
ing population Of 800. 900 600 Two Of the
provinces through which it passes have a
population greater than that of the United
States"
In addition to the information given bv
MIR. BriCe, II may he mentioned that the
American railroad will. by having its nortn-
erC terminal at Han-kow create a direct
line from Peking 10 Hong Kong by means
o. the new road. which is to be built by
Br!Eia1-Fren capital and concerning
Wnich so much has been said in connection
with the recent Anglo Russian troubles in
China 1t will be remem bered that the
charge vas made that Russia was furnish
ing all the money for the road and was
using the Belgians simply as a fig1lrehead
Tn" road runs through what Is called the
English sphere OF influence 1t was also
hinted yesterday by those in close touch
with the affairs OF the American syndicate
that il WAS not Improbable that the latter
might own the proposed road from Tien-
Ts!n To Hau-kew in the end.