West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-02-06
KNGW0oD PRESTON COUNTY, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1902
THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE.
A kingwood Boys Travelling In China.
The Railroads, Hotels and the
Great Wall.
ny JASPER NRwroN CALVERT.

(Cennme,f from last sce,k.l
We then got our suppers and as we had
been pretty busy all day, VIC retired early.
making our hunks on store boxes and the
counter. Our sleep did not come to us as
soon as we had expected. for the oddity
OF our surroundings kept us awake. 1
should say that It was the noise and
harangue out side kept up b. the street
veudorS who went about crying their
articles for sale in baskets. suspended
from yoke over their shoulders. Each
Nender carries some kind OF bell or piece
OF steel on which he hammers and makes
noise before each house, They add To-
this their droll cries to set forth the value
OF their articles. They so from house to-
house very much as Is customary In
America Sometimes when he comes be.
Tore customers house. he will stand and
beat and halloo several minutes until some
one comes out aud makes a purchase.
Several OF these fellows kept II up mtil
quite late | suppose about ten o'clock.
Ii seemed ages to us. Then after this
there was luil in the noise. but all at
once we heard some one beating on a
tomtom and yelling out at the top OF his
voice Then all would be quiet for while
save the tinkling Of the bell; aud in about
httcen minutes the same noise would be
repeated. BY the time we were almost
asleep. the noise would break out anew.
which kept us awake almost all night.
Somehow after a long time morning came.
After getting up, we asked our Chinese
host what all the noise was about, aud he
said the noise was made by the Chinese
soldiers who were on guard. lie said
they believed that there were evil spirits
going about the place. and that when they
beat on the tomtoms and made noise IL
was as much as to say you go away and
do not come near me. We we're very
much amused by his explanation.
The foreign section OF the city is nearly
all along the Legation street Besides the
Legations are the Hong Kong and Shnng
hal Bank, the Russian Imperial Bank aud
various other business houses. Not until
this summer was this street passiblo. They
have put il In pretty good shape The
reason why there were so few rickashaws.
is that the roads have not been so that
they could get along them. The streets
arc made on the deep black loan, and
when there is any rain they very quickly
become impossible. Since the Legation
street has been repaired, a few rlckashaws
have been brought in by the foreigners for
private e-
The general form Of the Tartar city is
square walled in by a wall about fifty feet
high and about fifty feet through at the
bottom and about forty feet az tho top II
is built of grayish brick about twelve
inches long by six inches wide the same
as the Great Wall. Up about ten or
hfteen feet Is a stone base and from that
on the rest OF the way it Is finished with
these brick aud filed in with rabblc. The
top was finished over with brick making il
as smooth as pavement. About every
hity yards is a thick place in the wall. The
place extends out about fifteen or twesty
feet from the wall proper Along on the
edge Of tho wall both inside and the ont,
there Is a wall built up about four feet
high and down through the parapct on
the out side holes are cut through which
soldiers can defend tho wall by means OF
cannon or rifles About every two hun.
drod yards there was a tower more like
watch house 10 which the guards used
to stay. but nearly al these have been
torn down. ~ each corner OF the wall
and at the large gates leading into the
city are towers built several stories above
the wall proper From these towers the
soldiers guard the approach to the gates
Of the wall In these towers are stored a
lot OF old cannon which would certainly
be a curiosity TO any one. When we went
into Manila and Cayite we thought We saw
a lot Of out OF date cannon but those were
OF a very modern type as compared with
these Chinese cannon. Some of them are
Of immense size. made Of large tubes Of
iron with lot OF heavy iron bands around
IL to keep IL from bursting The cannon
are mounted on very crude carriages the
wheels Of which are made Of wood. The
rims are held together with heavy iron
nails driven Ia the rims and large headed
nails driven in the ont edge for tires
From ali Appearances these machines OF
war were az least four hundred years old.
Occasionally mounted on the outside
would be found 81 old brass cannon
The roofs of these towers arc decorated
with porcelain dragons and old looking
animals. The corners Of the roof leading
down from the comb. have rows Of these
dragons OF different sizes. The style Of
architecture Of these towers is the same
as all Chinese buildings The corners Of
the roof come down aud then take turn
up again. This is ono OF their strangest
customs
They think when The evil spirits descend
onto ihc houses they come down the roof
and follow tie curve and arc shot on into
che air. thereby protecting the people
from the attack OF the spirits We tried
our best 90 get some Of these green porcc.
lain dragons. bot they we're SO high on the
roofs we were not able To- do so
DOB thc Chinese section Of The city. on
either side of the street upon which wo
entered arc Two oval shaped incloeurcs.
They arc tho Imperial gardens Every
Chinese New Year Che Chinese Emperor.
with great soiomuity and ceremony. ontcrcs
these eardcns and plows The Chinese
Now Year comes in February and is a great
event 60 thcm as our holidays arc 10 us
They almost suspcnd business entirely
for about a month and give themselves
over 10 having good time. 70 is almost
Impossible to do business with tbo Chinese
while The holidays are on