Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-25
spent A Y[AR IN CHINA
AT THE POINT WHERE THE PRES
ENT DISTURBANCES ARE
TAKING PLACE.
MIR. E. J. LEWIS OF PORTLAND
Talks Very EntertainingIy to a Reg
lister Reporter About the Habits
and Customs of the Chinese About
Pekin and Tien Tsin-The Small
Value of a Human Life-POpular
Superstitions, Etc.


The trouble in China being the prin-
cipal topic Of interest at present,
reporter interviewed Mr.. E. ]. Lewis,
coal operator at Portland Station, O.,
regarding the people and the country
which are at present claiming the at
tention of the nations of the world.
Mr.. Lewis spent a year in China in
the employment of the Imperial Rail-
way OF China. At the instance of the
Westinghouse Air Brake Co. and the
Pennsylvania Railroad he was sent to
that country to equip cars or the Rail-
way of China with air brakes. This
was in 1898, when the Imperial Rail-
road was just building between Tien
TSin and Pekin. Mr. Lewis spent sew
eral months in the former city.
The Chinese are a peculiar people
and from infancy are taught that for
eigners are a murderous class. The
children believe that strangers will
kill them and make medicine of their
bodies. 1t is no uncommon sight to
see the little ones scamper away scream
ing for dear life when visitors appear.
Sometimes they hide their faces in the
earth. Life is not considered of mucn
worth by the Chinese. They are will
ing to offer their head as a sacrifice to
their gods, if occasion requires. Often
bodies Of little ones are left in the
streets to be devoured by dogs.
Around Tien Tsin hundreds of acres
of buried dead are to be seen and the
bodies Of the poorer class are easy prey
for CANNES, who dig them up for food.
The body of the poverty stricken ma
tive is hardly covered when laid away.
better attention, while over the re-
mains of the wealthy, large heaps of
earth are piled-the more none, the
larger the mound.
! Tien Tsin is surrounded by mud
wall, the interior of which is composed
of brick. There are four openings in
the wall of perhaps twenty-five feet
in width. In the enclosure about 2,000,-
900 people live. 1t is perhaps wrong
to say that this vast herd lives, as
about one-half of them merely exist
beg from the other half. The rich peo-
pie are very liberal, casting their sill
yer pieces to their unfortunate breth-
ern at all times. The average China
man is not lazy; he would gladly work
| if he could find something to do.
Mr.. Lewis is of the opinion that it
will be sorry day for the powers
when they partition China. The soil
has been worked to death, yet if this
people is left to itself, as it has been
for hundreds of years, it will get along
somehow. At this season of the year
it is very hot in the north of China
and rainfall is very heavy and floods
cover most of the country around Tien
Tsin, which will perhaps cause large
death rate among foreign troops The
cities Of China are supplied by water
from rivers, the natives carrying the
water by hand. Foreigners do not at
tempt the mysteries of Celestial cook
ing. Mule meat, rodents, etc. may be
palatable after taste for them is ac-
quired, but this is not necessary. Mod
ern hotels are found in all the cities,
and edibles imported from other coun-
tries occupy the tables. The first meal
of the day is served while abed. An
American, at first thought, is likely to
rebel at this custom, but he soon
changes his mind and finds the idea is
not so bad. A servant prepares the
bath, arrapges your clothes and looks
after things generally for you. Men
servants are as plenty as flies in hot
weather 1t is a noticeable fact that the
women have pretty easy time of it,
the opposite sex apparently doing all
the labor.
There were about 500 foreigners in
Tien Tsin in 1898, all there for some
special purpose. Missionaries make lit
tie Roadway. A large enclosure in the
city was known as the abode of the
devil. Once during Mr.. Lewis stay his
satanic majecty was reported to have
escaped and great fear came upon all
the people. They fed to their homes
and hid themselves until word was
passed that the devil was captured and
returned to his home.
Up to the present railroads. do not
pay, but if the Chinaman can be edu-
Gated in time to ride instead Of walk,
the roads will have plenty of population