The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-13
'GAIE D HEAVEN
That is What Tien TSin Signi-
fies in Chinese.
POPULATION ONE MILLION
interesting History of the En-
pire'S Third City.
POPULATION ONE MILLION

which the allied armies must march
against the enraged Boxers, there is a
| certain grim huInor in the very name of
Tien Tsin-The Gate to Heaven. 1t is a
| small fishing village and trading center
at the time when Kubla Khan established
/ his court at Pekin in 1864. Prior TO that
period the chief city of the great state
of Chilli had been Pao Ting Flu, which
was situated southwest of the capital on
the Imperial post-road which runs from
Moukden to Pelzin, and thence southwark
to the great cities of the empire.
The establishment of the capital in the
north increased the Importance of Pao
Ting Flu. but only to- limited extent
On the other hand, it gave an impetus to
Tien Tsin which M ght be compared to
the boom of a western city. 1t was SO
much easier and cheaper to go to Pekin
by water via Tien Tsin than it was over
land that a trade soon sprang- up which
was measured by hundreds, then by
thousands, and finally by tens Of thous-
ands of junks. Even of greater influence
was The enlargement and extension of the
canal system OF the empire by Kubla
Khan, who in 1880 opened the celebrated
Grand canal, which gave direct communi-
cation from WI Chau and Canton on the
south, Ichang ana Chung Klang on the
westwest, with the imperial capital. The
Grand canal ended at Tien Tsin, from
which small and medium sized boats
could go up the river Pei Ho twelve miles
to Tung Cnau, the port OF PekIn Be-
tween Tung Chau and Pel,in was another
canal, final link in the water chain
which tied the empire together.
For centuries the major part of the tax
Of the mepire was paid in grain, food ar
ticles and man ufactures. These were all
shipped by the Grand canal to the capt
tai, their transportation giving employ
ment TO an army Of workingmen which in
seasons of prosperity has been estimated
at million souls. The effect upon the
little village of Tien Tsin may be easily
imagined. 1t grew as the proverbial bay
tree, and, Of course, attracted enterpris-
ing me nand capital from Pao Ting and
other big cities in Chilli and Shantung.
To it nocIed the powerful coolies of the
Shantung peninsuiar, industrious Japan
csc and Korean traders. Monaghan dro-
vers and Manchurian adventurous It's
growth was steady and bade defiance to
the many wars which that part Of the
country had witnessed. In the fifteenth
century it was notable for its wealth and
commercial power, and in the sixteenth
it began to be the center of an artistic
movement which has not died away even
yet During the Manchu conquest it suf-
fered severely, and thereafter witnessed
many rebelliCns, small and large, which
We're crushed by the simple Oriental ex-
pedient of universal massacre.
When the NIanchurian rule was firmly
established and the empire was again
comparatively at peace, Tien Tsin started
upon new career of prosperity. The
growth rapid at first, was soon retarded
by new customs and laws. The admins
tration began the practice Of committing
taxes in money. In place of forty junks,
each bringing fifty tons Of rice, a single
imperial junk would now bring fifteen
thousand dollars in bags of silver. This
change in the national financial system
produced corresponding changes in the
the sea Of official corruption has risen
higher than ever. trade has diminished
and even Tien Tsin has felt the claw and
tooth of corruption. Between 1900 and 1850
its growth was very slight The Tai
ping rebellion increased its military i'm |
portance and made it well known to the |
western world. Here it was that Ii Hung |
Chang and the royalist generals received |
much Of the munitions of war which they !
employed in crushing the vast rebellion !
The place became popular to the official |
as well as to the merchant, and when the |
war was closed it was recognized as the |
joint capital Of the province along with |
Pao Ting Flu. Nevertheless, neither of |
the two cities had the full power Of the |
capitals Of the other provinces. The great
politicians of the state had taken away |
one by one the privileges and rights Of |
the provincial capital and exercised them |
from Pekin. This ended. however, when |
Ii Hung Chang made Tien Tsin his off
cial home. Yet even here Chinese civin-
cation has a comical illustration. AL |
though for thirty years Tien TsIn has
been the actual capital Of the povInce of
Chilli, upon the official books Pao Ting
Flu is stu the capital. The vice-regal
Yamen is stil open for the transaction of
business in Pao Ting Flu, but its inmates.
though obsd in spiendor. are really moth
ing but caretakers, while the provincial !
ofhcialdom is to be found exclusively al
Tien Tsin. The growth under the pres
ent regime has been astonishing even for
China In 1880 the population was esti-
mated at 10000. in 1870 at 100000 While ct
the present time, according to the local
authorities ana the Tien Tstn chamber Of
commerce. ii has reached a million.
Tien Tsin is the third commercial sea
port, being surpassed only by Shanghai
and Canton. It's trade during the rGst
year, at least that part % it which came
through the customs was about S50.CCo.-
90. and the tonnage Of It's shipping vas
over L55a.oo0. The rate Of growth n pep
ulation is about Qer cent q yst~. in
shipping, and in trade per cent. The
city has four frst-clasS banks. branch Of
ices Of i've European banks. and some
thirty native banks. The progress Of the
city Is all the more wonderful when its
disadvantages are taken into cousiders-
don The Pei-ho or Peh-ho, sometimes
called the Tien Tsiu river. is one Of the
most unruly streams known 70 commerce
From Ten Tsin TO the mouth at Tzku II
Is sixty miles Ions although the distance
between the TWO points Is but twenty-five
miles. in this br5et space the river turns
and bends in way warranted to arouse