Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-10

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Mukden, the second city of impor-
lance in Manchuria. having in times
of peace at least 2GO.OOO inhabitants, is
situated in the center of an immense
alluvial plain about three miles from
the Hunho a tributary of the Lao
river, says the Philadelphia Public
Ledger. Ii is about 30 miles north
of Port Arthur, AZ miles north of Lao
yang and $50 miles south of Hardin.
General Kuropatkin discovered early
In March that Hardin was too far
north TO serve as Il military base for
tie campaign in southern Manchuria.
and he selected Mukden for his head
quarters because it is favorably stu
atrd on the railway and on the Peking
road.
The city of Mukden has an outer wall
of mud, and lofty quadrangular in
ner wall three miles in circuit built or
brick. fanked by lofty towers and
pierced by eight gates protected by
lofty brick bastions This wall, on
which three carriages could drive
abreast, protects the commercial ana
official part of the city, which is dense
ly crowded.
Mukden, besides being the great grain
emporium of Manchuria, is the center
of the Chinese fur trade and attracts
buyers from all parts of the world.
Fine streets divide the city into nine
wards or districts the central district
M laaa with nllrn
decorative yellow thing and public
examination hall. The Russians have
erected spacious barracks, with accom-
modations for more than 100000 SOL
diers. There We're said to be short
time ago more than 10000 Russian
troops at Mukden.
Mukden's streets are regularly built,
and its fine residences are well kept up.
1t is a busy place, both in times of
peace and war, and does a large and
lucrative trade in grain, beans and furs.
1t has various industries, which in
clude the tanning and dressing Of furs
and the weaving Of silk stuffs; its bank
ers and merchants are rich and enter,
prising.
Mukden is the ancient royal city OF
the Mantchoos and the former burial
place Of the rulers Of China. -Four
miles east Of the city is the tomb OF
the founder Of the Mantchoo dynasty
Nurachu. The sepulcher itself forms
great mound built up over the coffin
In front of this stands a funeral hall
the whole being surrounded by higt
wall pierced by one grand gateway
which holds three arched portals. The
avenue Of approach is spanned by two
lofty and elaborate arches Of carved
stone, the bases of their columns rest
ing on carved likenesses Of frogs.
Hardin is the most important Rus
sian military depot in the far east ant
is situated on the Transsiberian rail
road to Vladivostok, just where thu
Port Arthur line turns directly south
The Russians have within the pas
year or so erected more than 900,
houses in Hardin, the materials uset
being chiefly brick and corrugated iron
Forty thousand Russian soldiers, it il
said, were recently quartered in Har
bin. Immense storehouses for grain
and other forage, as well as maya
zines for arms and ammunition, hav,
also been erected, and millions Of ru
bles have been spent to improve tn
warehouse facilities alone.
From Hardin the Chinese Eastern
railway, a branch of the Transsiberial
railway, runs southwark to New
chwang $50 miles distant, on the gul
of Liautong, and thence southwark Is
miles to Dalny and Port Arthur.
A new branch line was recently con
structed from Hardin to Kirin, one o
the most important trading centers o
Manchuria and the junction of tn
principal trade routes to northern Man
churia and Korea.