The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-20
COST OF LIVING ADVANCES IN CHINA Interesting Information Given
 By Dr.. I. W. Ayers CIVILIZATION IS BLAMED As the chinaman Becomes More En- 
IS BLAMED
As the chinaman Becomes More En- frightened He Charges More For His Work-Patient Wants To
 Worship Physician.

Anniston, February 1S.-(Special)-A letter received from Dr. T. w. Ayers,
 formerly well known physician and newspaper man of this city. but now
 medical missionary in charge of the War ren Memorial hospital at Hwanghien.
 Shantung province, North China, ~and lecturer in the Pelxn Imperial university,
 states that the cost of living in that
 country has doubled since he moved there ! about eight years ago.
 The cases of advanced prices which are cited by Dr. Ayers, though, seem amusing
 to the people of America For instance
 he is now having to pay his medical as- sstants the fabulous sum of $2O per | month; the maximum salary paid teach CTS in the mission schools is $20 Mexican his interpreter gets $20 Mexican; the evangelists get $S Mexican, and the native | pastor of the Baptist church gets $25 Mexican.
 Dr. Ayers is situated just 100 miles across the gulf of Pei-chi-li, from Port | Arthur. During the Russo-Japanese war | the native vendors found ready sale at | considerably advanced prices for all of | their products, especially culinary sub stances. This was one of the indirect l blessings of the war for the Chinese | because since peace was declared, the | prices have been sustained. There may | be other causes of the increased living | expenses, but Dr. Ayers considers that ] this was the primary cause, though he | says that it was naturally expected that | the natives would demand more for their l services as they became more enlightened l and the spread of knowledge within the | last decade in China has been phe- l nomenal
 Work Is Growing. l Dr. Ayers says that his work fn China | is growing rapidly. During 1907, he treat | ed 10,S19 patients, an increase of more | than 50 per cent. over 1906, and in his letter he cites some interesting experi- | ences that he has had with his patients One old man came to him with a | cataract on his eyes, as result of which
 he has been stone blind all his life. When the affliction was removed, enabling him | to see the light for the first time, he 1 was so grateful that he wanted to wor- ] ship his healer, falling to a genufexivc
 
 at the feet of the physician before he could be restrained. This, however was not consequence to the ecstacy that he experienced when he looked into the al- mond eyes of his spouse, who was cured | Of the same disease, and gazed for the | first time upon the incomparahle beauty l of her infnitessimal pedal appendages; | for this had been an actual case of mar l rying blindly, and throughout the many years of their conjugal association, they had never seen each other nor any Of | their children.
 Dr. Ayers has just returned to Hwang- hien from Japan, where he was at a health resort. For several months he was critically i'll with rheumatism which af- fected his heart, but he has now almost entirely recovered, and besides doing his hospital and dispensary work, is teaching a medical class, experimenting a Sunday school and doing personal religious work among the natives. His soul is in his work, and all efforts to induce him to re- turn to this country in the interest of his health have proved futile. Telegraph Companies Fined. In police court today, Mayor Thomas E. kilby, who presided in the absence of | Recorder Greene, assessed fines of S1OO each against Manager J. J. Barnett of the Postal and Manager l.. B. Daniels of the Western Union Telegraph companies,
 
 which have resisted the payment of the $250 license tax recently assessed by the city council. The companies were charged with doing business without license They have appealed to the city court and 1t is said that new case will be made against them every day until the fines CT license are paid. Manager Barnett failed to respond to the summons this morning and was later arrested and fined $5 for contempt of court.
 New Light Contract. The contract which the Anniston Elec- tric and Gas company holds with the city of Anniston for furnishing the city's street lights will expire in July, and at the request of the city officials, General Manager R. l.. Rand has submitted a new contract by which he agrees to furnish the city 100 lights a ten-year contract for s65 per light.
 Mrs Rand offered to make this contract with the city about a year ago. it is said, but no action has ever been taken by the council in regard to perfecting a deal in accordance with the proposition. though it will likely come up al the next meeting. The city now has only &; lamps and under the new contract nro