The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-16

Special corresronience oc The Sunday Republic
Hqugchow. Cheklang, China, Jan. 10
Have you ever heard Of Hangchow?
II IS the capital OF the silk province Of
Chekianr and tho chief silk manufacturing
center Of the great Chinese Empire. 1t
has thousands Of noud looms and ten. of
thousands Of workers. It weaves silks OF
all kinds and it has hundreds Of looms
which are employed exclusively In making
goods for the imperial household.
Hangchow has silk millIonaires by the
dozen. 1t is one OF the richest cities of
China. and IN proportion to its population It
has more rich men than any other. 1t Is
enc of tie centers OF trade OF he great
Yangtse Valley and with the opening up
Of the country. now that the war IS settled,
It Will grow enormously in population and
wealth. The city Is already twice as big
az Cincinnati and larger than any city in
the United States except Philadelphia. New
York md Chicago.
Hangchow has grown 10 this size without
good connection with the sea, without rail-
roads ard with only canals and the little
River ChentanC. II IS now proposed to
Join Il TO Shanghai, and Soochow by rail-.
and lines will be extended TO Marking,
Ninpo and eventually south to Canton. The
canals will probably be deepened and 4
ship canal may sometime join it 70 the sea.
Foreign buildings are already going up, al
though the city has only been opened to
our trade for the last five years. The jap:
anese unlocked its gates TO the world. and.
1t now has a large foreign settlement, ex-
tending a mile along the east bank Of the
Grand Canal, about four miles from the
city walls. Near this settlement there is a
big cotton mill filed with modern machin-
err. and also a new steam silk flature.
Both are owned and operated by Chinese.
Next to Heaven in Beauty,
Say the Chinese.
"Above. is heaven. below are HanEchow
and Soochow."
This is an old saying OF tn. Chinese.
They think Hangchow and Soochow are
the most beautiful cities outside heaven.
Hangchow has been so noted for ages, 1t
was the capital Of China during the Sung
dynasty. Marco Polo, who visited 1t in the
Thirteenth Century, called 1t the finest city
Of the world. It was destroyed during the
1,siping rebellion. but 1t has been largely
rehaiIt and is still noted for tts beauty. 1t
Is on the edge Of a great plain at the
foot Of ragged low mountains. which tower
high above It. There is a lake mt the west.
and the city stretches out on all sides over
the plain. I write this description on the
mountain above 1t. There are temples to
Confucius and Buddha all about me and I
have climbed up here with the pilgrims
who have come to worship in the temples
in order TO give you an idea Of Hangchow.
7 stand on a high precipice in front of a
Buddhist temple overlooking the city. For
miles in front and to my right and left is
a vast expanse OF low black-tiled ridge
rooted houses cut hdre 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 n four-story house and
so thick that YOU could drive three car
riages side bv side upon them without
orowding and 1 am told they are thirty
miles long.