The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-16
RAILRoApINo IN CHINA.
Plans Adopted by Chinese to Render
IL Failure.


II Failure.
The construction of the first rail-
way in China was due to the enter
prise OF few European residents in
the Shanghai district, who combined
TO form a company with the object
OF constructing line between Shang-
mai 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 30, 1876. Contrary to expec-
earon, the attitude assumed by the
natives was one of friendly curiosity.
They flocked to the railway in greater
numbers than could be conveyed. But
the management had not reckoned
with the mandarin.
A coolie, who had been bribed by
the offer of handsome payment to
his family. walked in front of the train
and was cut to pieces. Demands were
forthwith made by the Chinese Off
cials that the driver of the engine
should be given up to them on the
life for life principle A lengthy cor
respondence ensued. and the mandarin.
nnding no impression could be made
on the railway people. worked on the
Feelings of the native population SO
as to cause them TO remain in a state
OF incipient revolt against the new
mode Of progression.
II was Just when the attitude of the
people began to cause uneasiness in
on the understanding that the Chi
-nese government offered to buy the
railway, and acting on the advice or
the British Minister at Pekin. the
railway company accepted the offer
on the understanding that the Chf-
nese should continue to work the line,
which, despite the organized opposi-
ton, was being largely patronized by
the natives. The transfer was accord
ingly made, and the mandarin ran the
trains for a while. when suddenly.
without any reason or formal notice.
the rolling stock was put on board a
couple OF steamers and sent to For
mosa. while the rails were pulled up
and thrown into the sea. A few years
later, however, the road was recon-
structed. Its control was taken over
from the Chinese Imperial Railway
and invested in the
B"ard of Commissioners of the Shang-
hai-Nanking Railway in 1905.
The United States and China. the
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 mile for
every 10000 Inhabitants. 1t was
stated in 1900 that there were 10000
miles OF railway in Asia, two-thiras
Of which belonged to British India.
The Caspian and Trans s-Sibe-
ian Railway accounted then in its un.
finished state for 1900 miles, Japan
Fad 5000 miles, French Indo- China. !
I2O miles; but in Cochin China. An
lam and Tonkin they were soon 10 J
nave 2,4OO miles; Java had / 900 miles; /
turkey, in Asia, 1000 miles finished |
md 600 projected or under construc-
Ion, and Russia was to join Astra-
ihan to the general Russian railway /
ystem, while China at that time had |
'nly 800 miles completed and owned I
~ the government, which IL was stat
'd were very remunerative, and Eu-
opean syndicates had obtained con-
'essions for $500 miles OF railway in II
nina, the construction of whjrh is 4
Ilready well advanced These win Il
raverse regions rich in mineral and
agricultural products.
The splendid waterways afford great
ABILITIES for transit, and China is bet
er supplied with waterways, both nat
raj and artificial, than any other
ountry in the world. except, perhaps,
holland, but away from them carriage
y land Is often expensive. 1t some
ines costs fifty cents per ton per mile
take coal by land in China. while
Great Britain the cost is from one
TWO cents mile ton. and in the
'nited States half cent for the same
istnnce.
The coal fields in China have been
lid down on grand scale. To in
lance only one, that of Shansi, with
'om fifteen to forty seams, has a con-
nuous field 1850 miles in area
1ual to the best Pennsylvania anthra-
te. There is also rich bituminous
eDOsit I'm the same nrovtnce Go that