The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-19
OUTBREAK FEARED
 BY MISSIONARIES
Dr. Ayers Writes About Effect
 of Chinese Boycott
NATIVES ARE RESTLESS
Preposterous Stories Are Circulated and Missionaries Are Warned to Be Ready to Flee at a
 Moments Notice.

Jacksonville. February 1S.-In letter to his family at this place, Dr. T. w. Ayers, formerly, at alternate intervals, editor of the Annston Daily Hot Blast, and the Anniston Republic, later practicing phy- sician, now medical missionary at IIwang Hien, China, makes some interest ing observations regarding the influence of the Chinese boycott as affecting for eigners in North China.
 There is an old man by the name of Sing Tai at Chefoo, who has been dealing in foreign goods ever since the settlement of that city by the English, and he declares, II is said, that 1t is almost impossible now for even him, wealthy and extensive purchaser, to secure some of those Amer iean-made necessities which year ago could be bought on the streets of any of the ports or the larger inland towns Es- pecially is this true as regards Americana made sheeting, calico, oil and canned goods.
 Outbreak Feared.
 Dr. Ayers says that Consul John Fowl CT, stationed at Chefoo one of the ablest and best informed men in the consular service in China, regards the prospect for an anti-foreign outbreak as imminent, and has therefore warned all missionaries not to make any itinerary trips into the coun- try upon any pretext whatever, admonish- ing them to be in readiness to take steam CT at a moments notice. His apprehen- sions it Is declared, have in part been justified by the recent public beating by the Chinese of a foreigner in the streets of Chefoo and the attempt upon the life of the Rev. Peyton Stephens of Missouri, located at Hwang Hien who was at tackled by a mob of several hundred while he was preaching at Buhma, a few miles from his station, he having been enabled to escape with his life only by the prox- unity of his horse to the temple in which he was preaching.
 Furthermore Dr. Ayers says that a threat has been made to burn his house and the mission property, while the old curse, yang gwaza," foreign devil, which was so popularly used as an appellation for foreign residents in the Boxer days of 1900, is again coming into vogue. The most preposterous stories are heard, he
 
 this country, citing the following in- stance:
 "A few days ago our cook came home in a highly excited condition, exclaimng that the Americans, according to a report current on the streets, had put to death every Chinaman in 'Meh Gwur the United States, seeming to personally att tach considerable credulity to the report"
 Hwang Hien Trade Center.
 Hwang Hien, from which place Dr. Ayers writes, Is the county seat of Hwang Hien county, Shantung province, in the northeastern part of the empire It has an estimated population of 100000 persons. and Is a trade center of considerable local note. It is situated on the Gulf of Pei chili, one hundred miles from Port Ar thur, SO miles from Chefoo, and 20 miles from Teng-chow-fu, in the harbor of which place. so the foreign residents de- clare, MT. and Mrs. Nicholas Longworth leaned over the steamer railings and threw leash" to the Chinese and am-pan coolles. when Secretary Taft's Congress sional party dropped anchor there while on their Philippine voyage last summer.
 Inasmuch as the anti-foreign feeling has never before been very marked In that section of the empire, 1t is believed that the present antagonistic atttud of the na- tfves Is very strong argument in favor of the national scope of the boycott move ment, and Dr. Ayers says the people of North China are watching it's growth with solicitude