The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-09
A Northumberland Bridge
over the River Hun, Near the sight
of Ancient Picking, n Wonder.
CASE OF INFAMOUS VANDALISM
wANTON DESTRUCTION OF A FA-
NOUS PAGoDA AT PA-LI-CHANG.
Looting by English and French Sol
diers Not Likely to Warm Chinese
Hearts Towards Foreigners

PEKING, Oct. 20.-Enveloped in mystery.
the Pao-Ting-Fu expedition got away on
its march OF seventy-fve or eighty miles
All sorts OF reasons have been advanced
for the going Of the expedition. Pao-Ting-
Flu was the place where a good many mis-
sionaries were killed. 1t has been regarded
as a hot-bed of rebellion. Native Chinese
spies. in the employ Of the powers-and no
more ornate liars than these same native
spies can be imagined-have been bringing
in all sorts Of Embarrassing tales. Thousands
and thousands OF Chinese soldiers have
been massing at Pao-Ting-Fu. More mis-
sionaries have been captured and sent there
for execution. Pao-Ting-Fu is to be the
capital Of a new upstart dynasty. with a
sovereign sprung from the Boxers. 1t is
even rumored that Prince Tuan did a cir
cuitous sprint and reached P~ao-Ting-Fu.
Just how much Of this variegated nonsense
the international generals have believed it
would be hard to say. Outside OF the Amer
lean and English generals here none of the
commanders believe in talking TO CORE
spondents.
In Picking to-day there is a very we'll
defined suspicion among the junior officers
or all commands that the Pao-Ting-Fu ex-
petition is in reality a strategic movement
against Si-Ngan-Fu. This means that the
Pao-Ting-Fu procession mas some hopes OF
capturing the imperial family and suite.
Whatever the plans, hopes or opinions or
the commanders may be, there Is little no.
ton among the best informed people here
that any move will succeed that has for
its object the capture OF the imperial family
ct al. The Empress dowager and her fol-
lowing have proved themselves the best
sprinters in the world. IL the soldiers go
200 miles after them the fugitives will show
a record OF go miles in the same time.
But the expedition is away. II started
out several days ago. The force was made
up of British, French. Germans and a small
smattering Of the few Italian troops serv-
ing there. There was not the slightest at
tempt at secrecy about the start OF the
march. AS Chinese coolies. on p~retense Of
looking for work, lang about the different
camps all the time. there is hardly any
reason for supposing that. wherever the
column goes, it will achieve anything like
the surprise that is supposed to be insep-
arabic from successful military
Some of the troops started from Tien-Tsin.
the main body going from Picking On the
route Of the latter body of troops the first
village reached was Pa-Li-Chang. This
might be called one of the geographical
landmarks, since the name OF this little
place when translated means the village
OF eight Ii" AS it takes about three III
TO make one OF our miles the reader will
be able 10 figure with fair accuracy about
how far on the line of march this place is.
ATROCIOUS VANDALISM.
Small as the village is, it has been famous
for countless generations for the possession
of two notable features. One is a magnih-
cent temple. The other was-please note
that / write '"was"-a beautiful thirteen
story pagoda. Just after the capture OF
Picking an expedition Of Russians n Eng
lish went out through the nearby towns
on a search for Boxers. Failing TO find
any of the enemy at Pa-Li-Chang, they took
1t into their heads to wreck the great white
pagoda. 1t was, purely and simply, a piece
Of vandalism of the kind of which We
would expect no one but an Oriental to be
guilty. There is but a stump Of the pagoda
standing. 1t was one OF the
that the Chinese venerated. Every time
they look upon the ruin OF their splendid
pagoda in these days they will think of the
O-OA0A NfA o-a las RNC0AAaAA- a
ways. Such military atrocities as these are
numbered among the acts that will render
the Chinese peculiarly hard to deal with in
that remote day when our diplomats and
those of China settle down to the real work
Of arranging redress. The temple OF Pa
Li-Chang still stands, though why 1t does
must be classed as a mystery.
There was a halt at this village, but il
- -. - 81
ing over a road that was sadly IN want OF
repair the column came to one Of the great
est wonders of China, the bridge that
crosses the River Hun, at a distance OF
about fifteen miles from Picking. Though
this bridge has never been mentioned
among the wonders OF the world, IL is fair
Iy entitled 10 a place in that marvel-cate-
CORY. II was built in the third century be-
fore the advent of the Savior. Shih Huang
I'll, the Emperor who built the great wai
Of China-by proxy, OF course-was the
Emperor who was also responsible for the
construction of this marvellous bridge.
Much of the material needed for the great
wall had to be started from Picking. AS 10
would take more than one lifetime to get
all his material across the river on the
junks and RATS Of that period. the imperial
shin was advised by the engineers of that
time to throw some kind Of a road across
the Hun. The bridge was, therefore. built.
and after that the freight line to the great
wall was in active operation. Though this
bridge was built I'm the third century b. c..
it was still a source OF wonder 10 Marco
Polo when he made the first white mans
exploration Of China, in the thirteenth cen-
tury. In his writings OF his travels he
dwelIs upon this bridge with a good deal
of onde 1t was then, as now. one Of the
finest specimens OF bridge building known
to history. In that day. and In the present,
there was and is the same baIustrade OF
white marble and the same perfect paving
of huge stone blocks.
The ancient city OF Picking stood at the
east end Of this bridge. A few above
ground traces OF old Picking are still visible
near the east end OF the bridge. When the
Mongols captured China, in A. ID. $50, they
decided that the demands OF luck indicated
a new site for the capital. and. therefore.
the present Picking was surveyed. laid out
and built
And at this point there Is a curious CO.