The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-19
TELLS OF TRIP
TO HONG KONG
ENG SUE F00K, or ASTORIA, TELLS
INTERESTING STORY or HIS
TRIP no CHINA 10 AST0RIAN
REPORTER

Hop Hing Lung 90, Of this city, res
turned yesterday from Hong Kong,
China, where hc went on d visit last
spring.
Mr. Eng, when seen BY reporter Of
the Astorian last night, spoke quite ex-
tensivelyl on his experiences while
abroad
n had d very pleasant trip said he,
"and 7 feel amply repaid for the time
and money devoted to II.
"This was my first trip abroad, as
you know. I am natiye.born American,
and / only took the trip In order TO
learn something Of the country Of my
fathers, and TO look alter some business
matters for my hrM.
1--WE sailed from Seattle on the steam
or Empress Of India and the trip con-
sumed IS days, stopped at Yokohama
and Shanghai and finally landing At
Hong Kong.
II spent nearly two months In and
around Hong Kong, and some queer
and interesting things I saw. One thing
l was impressed with, was the almost
entire absence Of horses in that great
city. When one wishes TO have any
baggage transferred or hauling Of any
kind done. he calls the transfer man
who. with his. helper. shoulders the
article and carries II To its destination.
II the load Is too heavy for two. then
they use four men, two In front and
two in the rear with pole across their
shoulders with the load suspended in
the center. -Four men in this manner
win carry load of 1000 pounds.
@I'he streets are all paved, very level
and smooth, In some places being paved
with cement, but mostly with cobble
stones. The buildings are nearly all
built Of brick and while formerly they
were mostly one story in height they
are now being built four and five stories
A business block, say. 100 by 200 feet
rents for $3.50 for each floor.
There are quite number os English
and Americans in Hong Kong They
are mostly engaged In wholesale bust
ness. dealing in lumber. coal. iron, cop
|pcr, etc, and imported canned goods
rubber goods. etc. The American and
English drug stores do big business
d large percentage Of 1t being the sale Of
Florida water and scented soaps. A man
will 60 into the city from some outlying
town and carry home IS or 20 bottles
OF Florida waite, and whole armful Of
toilet soap. 1t seems to be universal
practice. almost as much as the smoking
Of opium, which, by the way, has under
gone d great change during the past
| few years. Under q new law all
Chinese under so years Of age are pro-
hibited from using opium, change only
brought about BY the strenuous work
Of the Chinese Empire Reform Associa'
ltion.
Another change wrought by this
same source is the abolishment Of the
queue The children and young men Dc
not wear the 'pig-tair anymore.
"The climate in that part Of China i
almost the same as in our southern
states. Everyone wears white duck
suits and 'two-piece' suits at that. The
large straw hats you have seen in pic
lures Of Chinese, are only worn by bust
ness men, and by 'loafers.' The majority
Of workers wear straw hats similar tc
those worn here in our own country.
There are electric car lines and light
ling plants, railroads, etc, all manned
and operated by natives There art
practically no telephones though the
telegraph Is well represented
"rhere are plenty Of newspapers and
by the way. want to say, appre'
dated my Morning Astorian, though il
dame in punches Of 10 and ID, and
read every one of them while | was
gone, and knew Just how Astoria was
progressing Whenever I would pick up
the Astorian it seemed like / was right
back at home again.
Il left Hong Kong after couple Of
months and visited in and around Can
ton. They are building railroad from
Canton to Pekin, distance Of some 2OOt
miles. II Is completed for about one
half the distance and win probably BE-
entirely finished within year. There
are about 5000 men on the construction
Iwork.
1T was while I was visiting in Can
ton that the San Lucy Theater fire oc-
CURED, which wrote you about and
|you published in the Historian. With
hundreds Of other sightseers / went
down to San Luoy, distance of about
40 miles from Canton and viewed the
wreck of the building. It was ter
rible sight. Over 500 people were killed
in the catastrophe, mostly by the ex.
|plosion Of o quantity Of gun powder
which was stored in the building adjoin-
ing the Sheater.
after about two months spent in
and about Canton / returned to Hong
Kong and took passage on the steamer
Empress Of China there on September
26 for home.
aThere were four other Chinese who
came irst-class besides myself. and
there were 800 or 700 Chinese and Japs
in the steerage.
1--WE landed at Vancouver r. al.