The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-03-17
RICH IN MINERALS.
MstAls of All Kindf aad Precious
stones Are Plentifnl in
ChIna-


discouraged and opposed by the su-
thorities. The first thing required In
permission to the people to avail them
selves freely of their untouched wealth
underground. The absurdity Of the
present situation in this regard In fairly
lllustrsted by the fact that steamboats,
ct Ichang, 1000 miles inland on the
Yangtse river, are compelled 10 burn
costly imported Japanese coal, al
though Ichang is situated on the bor-
aers of one OF the richest coal fields in
the world. The coal deposits Of that
region are so remarkable as to arrest
the attention of casual travellers, but
the government viii not allow them to
be worked. Ii these mines, with the in
cidental iron ores and petroleum
springs, were permitted to be exploited,
there would be such trade that the
available streamers and junks would
hardly be able to carry it all. A gold
mining company was organized in 1895
In this province (Szechuan) by China
man named Tong, who studied mining
In the United States. He got the sane
ton Of the viceroy to buy machinery,
but the people pedtionsd the latter Off
cial to stop the work. Samples of gold
from the mines had been shown to the
viceroy, and the petition was not grant
ed. Szechuan has population nearly
equal to that Of France, and an area
about as great.
Shantung Is described as one vast
mineral field. Gold, silver, copper, iron.
lead. coal and even diamonds are found
The gold mines have been worked by
California miners, but they had to aban-
don the taAk, owing to the obstructive
meas of the native officials ten years ago.
It Is expected that, with the advent OF
the locomotive In the near future, great
activity viii be shown In exploiting
gold, coal end other minerals. Were
this province under any other rule, it
would be one of the greatest mining
sections In the world. It he's popula-
ton of 10000 ,O0o-about the same as
that Of Spain. This is one of the north
eastern provinces of China proper, and
through 1t runs the famous Hoang Ho,
or Yellow river, known as ~China's Ser-
row" by reason of the destruction OF
millions of people by it's frequent over
flows. In this province China's two
great sages, Confucius and Menicus,
were born.
Outschang, capital of Houpe, the
Chicago Of China" viii soon be con-
nected with Picking by rail, the road be-
ing now under construction by Bel
gian syndicate. This city has 1,500, 900
inhabitants, and Is the central market
for about 7o,ooo,0 600 people-a popula'
tion equal to that of the entire United
States A point like this merely Illus
trates the vastness of the possibilities
of Chine as a purchaser of American
goods. The very magnitude of the pop
niation Of the oriental empire well-nigh
exceeds the scope of the human mind to
realize. At least five times that Of this
country-there has never been a census
Of the Central Flowery land"-the
wants of its individual components win
grow rapidly with the development Of
the civilization which is to be forced
upon these people, who have stood still
for 30 centuries. How strange it seems,
by the way, that SO much of the nowl-
edge from which modern civilization
springs has been derived from the
Chinese.
During the last few years, however,
China has undergone wonderful
changes. On every side in that country
one sees evidences Of new born activity
and enterprise. The old-fashioned, con-
servative Chinaman, with his cry of
foreign devil" is being crowded to the
rear. One hears much talk of railways,
Of mills of various kinds, and OF enter
prises of all sorts. The natives have
suddenly become progressive; they
want to learn about modern inventions
and scientific discoveries. At Wei
hsien Chinaman is engaged in making
bicycles. This genius is able to tufn
out fair wheel, but cannot master the
pneumatic tires. He solves the problem
by covering rope with hides, coloring
the leather to the proper hue, and fas-
fening it to the rims of the wheels. The
missionary, always the pioneer OF com
merce and the merchants most useful
advance agent, can now travel up and
down the country ON his wheel, and the
sight Is so common that IL attracts no
Eamnrk. Boston TRANSCRIPT.