Evening star., 1902-02-15
CITY OF M|LL|ONA|RES
Hang Chow is the Center OF
the Silk Industry.
MILES OF WORKSHOPS
A VISIT TO SOME OF THE MILLS
AND STORES
Queer Street Scenes - The New China
and Its Senti-
ment.

Copyright. 1901, by Frank G.. Carpenter)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
HANGCHOW, CHEKIANG. China.
Have you ever heard of Hangchow?
It is the capital of the silk province of
Chekiang and the chief silk manufacture
ing center of the great Chinese empire. 1t
has thousands Of hand looms and tens OF
thousands of workers, 1t weaves silks of
all kinds and ii has hundreds of looms
which are employed exclusively in making
goods for the imperial household.
Hangchow has silk miIlonaires by the
dozen. 1t is one of the richest cities OF
China. and in proportion to its popula-
tion it has more rich men than any other.
1t is one of the centers of trade of the
great Yangtse Valley and with the open
ing up of the country. now that the war
Is settled. it will grow enormously in pop
ulation and wealth. The city is already
twice big Cincinnati and larger than
any city in the United States except Phila
dephia. New York and Chicago.
Hangchow has grown to this size with
out good connection with the sea. with
out railroads and with only canals and
the little River Chentang- IL is now pro-
posed to join it to Shanghai and Soochow
by rail, and lines will be extended to Nan
king, Ninpo and eventually south to Can
ton. The canals Will probably be deepened
and ship canal may sometime join 1T to
the sea. Foreign buildings are already
going up, although the city has only been
opened to trade for the last five years.
The Japanese unlocked its gates to the
world and il now has a large foreign set
tlensnt extending a mile along the east
bank Of the Grand Canal about four miles
from the city walls. Near this settlement
there is big cotton mill filled with mod
ern machinery and also a new steam silk
h!ature. Both are owned and operated By
Chinese.
Next to Heaven in Beauty.
above IS Heaven. below are Hangchow
and Soochow.
This is an old saying of the Chinese.
They think Hangchow and Soochow are the
most beautiful cities outside heaven Hang
chow has been 50 noted for ages 1t was
the capital of China during the Sung dy-
nasty Marco Polo. who visited it in the
thirteenth century, called it the finest city
of the world. 1t was destroyed during the
TAPPING rebellion. but 1t has been largely
Rebuilt and is still noted for its beauty Ii
Is on the edge of a great plain at the
foot Of rugged low mountains which tower
high above II. There is lake at the west,
ana the city stretches out on all sides over
the plain i write this description on the
mountain above it. There are temples to
Confucius and Buddha all about me and l
have climbed up here with the pilgrims
who have come to worship in the temples
In order to give YOU an idea of HangchOW
stand on high precipice in front of n
BUDDHIST temple overlooking the city, For
miles Ill front and to my right and left is
vast expanse of low black tiled ridge
rooted houses. cut here and there by mar
row streets, which are marked out by the
White buildings upon them Beyond these
can see the great walls Of the city itself
They are as high as four-story house
ana so thick that You could drive three
carriages side by side upon them without
croWding. and | am told they are thirty
miles long.
The Grand Canal.
Beyond these walls extends a vast plain
cut UP by hundreds of waterways, large
and small. That wide band of silver which
borders the walls is the famous Grand ca
nal. the great artery OF Chinese trade,
which. beginning at Picking flows on south
through the most populous parts Of the
empire ana ends here at IIangchoW See
The thousands Of boats which are moving to
and fro upon il. There are steam launches
great sailing Junks and smaller craft Of all
KIND. That canal is the longest of the
world IL is older than Christian America
ana II has even row vast trade. Along Il
and over the plain cut up by other canals
q crazy quilt of green. yellow and other
coiored crops has been stretched and seHed
together with those bands of silver water
"hiie everywhere are the vast orchards of
mulberry trees. which feed the tens OF mil
lions of silk worms for the satns brocades
and silks which make Hangchow famous.
Turn around now and look at the lake on
It
miles in circumference and it's diamond
bright surface Is studded with emerald
islets. Some Of the islands have palaces on
them. the homes Of the princes and rich
men OF the city. The hills about the lake
are covered with bamboos plums and peach
trees and the gardens are full of roses and
honcySuckles.
Hangchow extends back from tins lake.
vast plaln OF one and two-story houses
with great business streets stretching for
.it4ieS through Inc center. At the right
there are two tall poles with what lool, ri.a
bird cages upon them rising high above tha
pldGk roofs That is the yamen where The
governor lives. and where YOU will find as
many politicians as about the White House
IN Washington The big building I,,Ia
Iufther over Is a Mohammedan templa and
.he tai tower away at the left above TIE
iahe IS HanSchows famous many-storiad
pagoda which stands over n white snaI-e
human being who was so changed as a
punishment for his sins
Among the Work shops.
But let US go down and take a walk
Through the streets. The city is full OF
business. There are miles Of stores and
workshops. The people swarm. and men,
women and children are all working. Every
side alley has it's little manufacturing es-
adjustments Here they are making furni-
fure, there they are painting in lacquer,
pounded out by the thousands Of sheets.
THE CATIIDnAN CTAn