Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-03-16

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niced with slabs and tiles of the same
material, which In many instances are
beautifully carved The uniformity
OF the city's architecture tends to
make Mukden monotonous to the eve.
but this monotony is relieved by rle
tratfic and hustle Of the city and the
variety of it's shops.
Mukdeu is the chief market OF the
province and the center of large
distributing trade. All kinds of ma.
tive produce are poured into its ware
houses. and foreign manufactures are
Imported In large qualities The trav.
eler has no difficulty in finding the
shops OF dealers in Russian clotn.
Manchester goods. English cutlery and
Swiss watchee whAe fur shops rull
ot fine skins and fur garments are
found in great numbers.
The people OF Mukden are about
two-titns Manchu and three-ffttS
Chinese rhcy bvo on friendly terms
and are comparativAy homogeneous
They are taller, stronger, handsomer
and better examples OF physical de
velopmen, than the Cantonese. They
eat much more meat than the Can.
tonese, aad also use more Intoxicants.
II was here. according TO Historians,
that civilization obtained the art OF
brewing koumyss. Quite n large trade
is done in dried and smoked meats
IN tnis part OF tho empire
The climate OF Mukden Is hot in
the summer and very cold In the win.
ter Al various seasons there are vlo-
lent sandstorms which blind both man
and beast The soil In the valley. IA
very fertile and supplies food eno~eh
for the resident population and large
amounts for shipment to less favored
districts
10 a large extent Mukden nas been
Russlanzed since the date of its occu-
patton S the czar's forces at the
close OF the war between China and
Japan Previous to that time the city
was notoriously filthy and place to
he avoided by tho traveller After the
Russians took possession they began
to clean the streets. to install sys-
TEN of sewerage aud reconstruct Ger.
tain portions of the city Today Muk-
den, In tne language OF an American
war correspondent is known as the
cleanest town of tho many where the
tlthy Chinese have predominated in
the past
Fifteen hundred years after Christ
was born. when Mukdeu was one OF
the most important trading points or
the Nortn. Nurhachu. the great an
cestor OF the Mancnus. had his seat OF
government south of the Long White
mountains. about 100 miles east OF
Mukden. In 1916 he took to himselr
the title OF heaven decreed" and de-
clared war on China An army OF
2OO.OUO was sent against him, and the
Chinese historians relate that none
returned
Nurhachu assembled a tremendous
army before the gates of Mukden, ana.
in l621, the city was captured after
an awfill loss OF life, far exceeding
that which marked tne battle between
he Japanese and Russians. II one
must believe the ancient chroniclers.
According 10 their accounts all prison
ers were promptly beheaded
In 1914 the Manchus marched into
China and placed one OF their number
on tne throne and Manchu has ruled
there ever since.
In the center Of Mukden Is walled
inclosure, within which is "A small pal
ace. the hoiy of hoies of the people.
II Is said to contain some interesting
relies of Nurhachu This man. ac-
cordlng to legend. was supernaturally
born and throughout his career dis
played all the attributes of divine or
| igln. Another legend has 1t that the
great ancestor of the Manchus was OF
humble birth, and paid his first visit
to Mukden in the character OF ped
der, with pack on his back. This
pack and the boots worn by Nurhachu
are supposed TO he preserved as sac
red relics within the walls of the PAL
ace.
But the peddler's pack and boots
are not the only objects supposed To
be guarded IN the palace. Since the
establishment OF the present dynasty
II has been the custom OF the court
to send every year to Mukden 5000.
900 taels to be stored there. Calcu-
Ialing at this rate. the treasure must
| by this fine have reached the enor-
nous sum OF / 200, 100000 taels. for
the reign of the present dynasty over
a vast territory of 100 provinces dates
back 200 years.
Nurhachus tomb Is four or iive
miles east of the city and must nave
been conspicuous object during the
terrible lighting OF the last two weeks
between the Russians and Japanese.
1t Is situated In pine grove. which
Is deemed even more sacred than the
city Itself. So sacred is the inclosure