Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-07-27
RAlLKoADINo IN CHINA.
plans Adopted by Chinese to Render
II Failure.


The construction Of the first rail-
way In China was due to the enter
prise Of a few European residents in
the Shanghai district, who combined
10 form a company with the object
Of constructing q line between Shang-
bal and Its outer roadstead at Woo
sung Opposition to the scheme was
manifested by the mandarin class
from the outset, and 1t was only with
the greatest difficulty that the strip
OF land required was obtained As
most Of the district traversed was
purely agricultural the differences
raised were fewer than would have
otherwise been the case. The WORK
was finished and the railway opened
on June go 1876 Contrary 10 expec-
tation, the attitude assumed by the
natives was one Of friendly curiosity.
They fiocked to the railway In greater
numbers than could be conveyed. But
the management had not reclSoneu
with the mandarin
A coolie who had been bribed by
the offtr OF handsome payment to
his family. walked In front OF the tran
and was cut to pieces. Demands vs. .
forthwith made by the Chinese CT
cials that the driver OF the engiao
should be given up TO them on tne
life for life principle A lengthy cor
respondence ensaed. and the mandarin.
finding no impression could be made
on the railway rew e, worked on the
feelings Of the native population so
rs to cause them 60 remain In state
Of ineiplent revolt against the new
mode OF progression,
I. was just when the attitude OF tra
people began to cause umaasinesa n
ON the understanding that the Chr
nesa government offered 20 buy the
railway. and acting on tho advice or
the British Minister at peisin. The
railway company accepted the Offer
on the understanding that the Cnl
nese should continue TO work the las,
which. despite the organized Oppose
ton. IVES being largely PATRONAGE hy
the natiyes. The transfer was accord
ingly made, and the mandarin ran me
trains for a while. when suddenly.
without any re2son or formal no.iee
the rolling stock was put on beard i
couple Of steaAe rs and sent to For
mosa. while the rails were pulled w
and thrown into the sea. A few yea !
later. however, the read was recon-
structed. Its Control was taken over
from the Chinese Imperial Railway
administration and Invested In the
Board Of Commissioners OF the sharg-
hal Marking Railway In 1905.
The United States and China. this
two great continental countries lying
In the temperate zone, are both Ideal
lands for gigantic systems of rail-
ways, but while the former has one
mile OF railway for every $50 inhab-
itants, China has about a mile for
every 10000 inhabitants. II wns
miles Of railway In Asia. two-thir~s
of which belonged to British India.
The Trans-Caspian and Trans-Sibe-
fian Railway accounted then In It's un-
finished stnte for 5000 miles, Japan
bad 1900 miles. French fndo-Chlna.
100 miles; but in Cochin China, An
nam and Tonkin they were soon 10
have 2 400 miles: Java had 1000 miles;
Turkey. In Asia, 1900 miles finished
and 600 projected or under construc-
ton, and Russia was to join Astra-
khan to the general Russian railway
system. while China at that time had
only 400 miles completed and owned
by the government. which II was stat
ed were very remunerative and tu-
ropean syndicates had obtained con-
cessions for 1880 miles OF railway In
China. the construction OF which liz
already well advanced. These Will
traverse regions rich In mineral and
agricultural products.
The splendid waterways afford great
facilities for transit. and China In bet
ter supplied with waterways, both nat
ural and artificial, than any other
country in the world. except. perhaps,
Holland, but away from them carriage /.
by land Is often expensive. 1t some
times costs fifty cents per ton per mile
to take coal by land in China. while
In Great Britain the cost In from one
to two cents mile ton, and In the
United States half q cent for the same
distance.
The coal fields In China have been
laid down ON grand scale. TO in
stance only one, that OF Shansi. with
from fifteen TO forty seams, has con-
tinuous field 1880 miles In area
equal to the best Pennsylvania anthra-
cite. There is also rich bituminous
deposit in the same province. SO that
in the mere carriage OF coal there
should be a fine future for railways
outside Of passenger traffic, freight
trains and market produce.