Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-25

~ HANGHI Dec. l909--I have
Just returned from an Interview
~ with one of the richest and aolest
men of all Asia. refer 10 Shcng
Kung Pao. the Pierpont Morgan OF
China; and I might say. tho Rockerfel-
Ter as well Sheng is worth his tens
OF millions. Like Picrpont Morgan. he
started life rich. and. like him. he
las multiplied his Inherited fortune
MANIFOLD All his life he has been the
organizer OF great enterprises and to-
day his financial fingers are mixed up
In every profitable undertaking on this
SIDE the globe He owns railroads,
factories. mines and steamships. He
has a steel plant six hundred miles
up the Yangtze KIang, which is capi-
talized at $15, 100000. and has noun
tains of Iron and great beds Of coal
not far away. IT was ShenG who had
much to do with organizing the tele-
graph for China. II was lie who built
the railroad from Hankow to Pekin,
and he got the concession for the
Americans to construct a road from
Canton to Hankow.
Sheng Kung Pao is one of the lead |
ing officials of this empire. He sue |
ceded Ii Hung Chang as the govern |
ment minister of commerce. and he |
is now the vice minister of the i'm
pcrial board of communications. He
is also chief owner OF the China
Merchants Steamship company. and is
largely Interested in the Chinese Inn
perial bank, Ho is by all odds the best
financial authority among the Celcs-
tials. and his ideas as to the present
condition are of great value.
SHENG KUNG PAo AT HOME
1t was at Sheng Kung Pao's home
that met him. This is in a section of
Shanghai where the land is so valu-
aple that one has to almost plate ii
With silver TO buy it. Sheng's establish
ment consists of a half dozen great
buildings, any one of which would be
a mansion in Washington or Chicago
Its grounds cover more than ten acres.
and are surrounded by walls so high
that you cannot see over them Wide
drives lead through the lawns. and
The whole is kept like a park. One OF
The buildings, devoted TO Sheng's
business offices. is as large as that of
n government department Among the
others are residences occupied by Song
and his wife, and his relatives and |
servants, all are beautifully furnish
ed and some have great |
framework In front OF them over
which mating can be stretched in
summer To shut out the sun. There is
no Sign OF the poverty which we as
soclate with the ordinary Celestial.
Sheng belongs to the rich, and like |
his class, he wears satins and velyets
and entertains In great style. His but
Ter always has champagne on TAD and |
among the dishes served at his feasts |
are pigeon-egg Stews, shark fins and |
birds'-nest soup. the latter costing
several dollars a plate
1t was In the finest Of his buildings
'hat MS eNcellency received me. 1t Is 4 /
combination of Chinese and foreign ,
architecture, built of gray brick, three
stories high, and of vast extent Pass
ng through wide hall came into a
court. over which. on a framework of
poles, mating was stretched This was
by rooms most OF which
are intended for receptions.
The servants led us into a large par
or furnished in Chinese style Heavy
chairs of black wood, inlaid with moth
er of pearl and wonderfully carve1
stood against the walls. There was a
dlVan at the back, and in the center
of this n low table, upon which two
guests could rest their elbows as they
sat there and chatted. There were Chi
nese paintings on the walls and here
md there shone out a beautifully writ
en- text of tho Chinese classics In thc
center OF tho room was a table This
was OF carved teakwood. 1t had no
cover but. with a view to my recep-
ION, II was set With refreshmanest OF
various kinds. There We're cakes, fruits