The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-05
A WHEELING NAN
Visits Pckins. the Capital OF the
Chincscs Empire, and
TELLS OF CURIOUS CUSTOMS
OF the Country-amcrican IIocomo-
tivcs Used on the Notwithstanding
Observation-Disclosures that do not
Follow Schedulcs-Jnckics landed
to Protect Legation And Consul.
ntcs-A Visit to the Great Wall.

The 1nteIllgencer has from time 20
time published interesting letters writ
ten by Ensign John, s. Doddrldge, Of
the United States cruiser Boston, now
In Oriental waters. The Wheeling man
In the following letter from Tnku.
Chlna.wrItes In q most interesting man
ner OF his furlough ashore in China.
during which he visited Pek!ng.thc cap
ital OF the Chinese empire, and intend
ed 10 make hunting trip into the In
terror and take look at the Great
Wall. The letter follows:
TAKU, China, Nov. Is. 1895.
As stated In my last letter. we went
to Chefoo for coal and returned here
three days later. While In Chefoo I
was very busy getting coal for the ship.
but had time TO meet some very nice
people. When We returned to Taku I
went on leave to Ticntsln and Picking.
TientsiE Is thirty miles by rail from
Taku. The train was two hours late,
and consequently arrived In Tientsin
about Q O'Clock In the evening.
The next day went TO Pekins. leav-
Ing Tlentsin of noon and travelling sew
enty-nlne miles by rail. The Picking
railway station IS six miles from the
city, so I engaged d donkey and rode TO
I, Aa all 81, Nv .,i = nsHlNNts
Having had 4 very dusty ride l went to
hotel and made myself presentable
before paying my respects to the min
lister and his family. They invited the
10 dinner and / accepted the invitation.
spent very pleasant evening.
The next morning I rose early and
took q hurried trip about the city. l
did not see much. The city walls and
the camel train were the most note
worthy sights. The wall must be over
one hundred and fifty feet high. and
one hundred feet thick. Enormous gates
pierce It at several places. These gates
are closed every evening at shutdown.
and It is then Impossible to enter the
city until the next morning. AS my
time was limited, took the noon train
for Tientsln. arriving there about 4
o'clock.
l have not said anything about the
railways. They use Baldwin Clmeri-
CAM locomotives and native built cars.
Very high speed Is not attempted. The
road-bcd is good and the service Is no,
bad. Their time tables. however. are n
deluslon and a snare. The train starts
whenever 1t Is ready. and sometimes ar
rives ahead OF time.
attended the Tientsin races By invl-
tation of the committee. The races are
running races and are very tame. The
Chinese pony Is n stock little animal.
but mas not much speed. dincd with
the consul and had a very enjoyable
evening. met two fellows from Pitts
burgh named Fursuson and Orr. They
are globe trotters.
am expecting to 20 on hunting trip
in few days and. incidentally. see the
Great Wall of China which Is over two
Thousand miles long.
We have landed an officer and eigh-
teen men to guard the legation at Pc
king, and IN officer and thirty men TO
guard the American citizens residing Il:
Tientsin. The situation has caused
some uneasincss among foreigners re-
siding here. but from personal observa-
tioD. one would not know that trouble
was feared.
We have new captain and at first
acquaintance he ir7prcsses one very IA
vorably. Our old captain left about a
week ago. Our new captains name Is
Wilde. his predecessors name being
Wlldes.
We left Manila October 1 and as we
have had very little mail we do not
know what is going on there. We nF
about SO much that our mails are very
irregular.
This cool, brncinG weather has hcen
very beneficial to nll of us. It was re-
lief to get away from the tropics. We
have heard that the scandals in the
army are TO be investigated. Politics
has caused the death OF many n brave
fellow. Alger seems TO be coming IN
for a great deal OF blame. am proud oc
the navy. We have come through this
war with great credit. No politics for
JUS.
Nov. 1S.-Our captain is going to Pc
king Tomorrow and shortly after his
return We expect TO leave for the south,
We will probably stop ut Shanghai for
| coal. l hope so, ut nnT rate, as we
have not been there for two years and n
half.
We have been enjoying fine weather
the past week. but cold weather is en-
pected at any time. ] am going on n
hunting trip tomorrow 10 Shanghai
kua1. about $50 miles from here. There
| are five 0! Us In the party, three from
our ship and two from Tieatsin. We
expect to be away for FIVE days and got
| plenty OF game. look forward 10 this
trip with great pleasure. We will bring
back bricks from the Great Wall We
have received no mail yet. and are still!
without news. 1t Is very aggravating.
| enclose Il copy Of the Squadron Ros-
ter OF officers serving In the fleet on the
first of May. 1t will be valuable war
relic some day. Each one OF these Of
ficers Is 10 receive medal By and by.
Don't forget that newspapers are al.
ways appreciated.
| JOHN S. DODDRIDGE.