Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-30
PEKIN INVADED
BY ANGELENOS
PARTY OF WELL-KN0WN TRAV-
ELERS AT CHINA'S CAPITAL
HAD LONG RIDE UP YANG-TSE
RIVER TO HANKoW
After Visiting Pittsburg of Celestial
Empire the Journey Was Con-
tinued to Abode of the
Emperor
fsneclal Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
PEKIN. China, Nov 2.-We are now
in Pel1in, the capital and center Of
China. The country is swarming with
tens of millions within a days ride
by train. The Los Angeles people in
our party are Homer Laughlin, Miss
Gwendolen Laughlin, Mr.. and Mrs. Al
den w. Skinner, DR.. and Mrs. r. w.
Miller. Laughlan Miller, Mrs. H. w.
Carson, Carlton Carson, Mr.. and Mrs.
Sidney a. Butler Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Lloyd, AIr and Mrs. +. V. Day, Miss
Gretchen Day, Mrs. Jennie d. F. Rob-
ertson, Mr.. and Mrs. c. b. Latin.
David f. Robertson, manager of the
steamship department of the German
American Savings bank in Los An
geles, has been guide, factotum and
manager of the party and nothing has
gone amiss since we left Los Angels.
We left Shanghai Saturday, october
H. securing the entire cabin aCcOmmo-
dations on a fine river steamer and
set sail for Hankow-the Pittsburg of
China-SO0 miles up the great Yang
tse river, which is navigable by large
steamers for more than 2500 miles. The
steamer called at many interesting
places en- route, taking on passengers
and freight at Tungchow Kiang Tin,
Chinkiang, Echung Nanking, Wuhu,
Tatung, Nganking, Kiukiang, Wusuch,
Hwang Shikiang and HWangchow.
Hankow a Great City
Hankow has a population of 10000
people, of whom 1900 are foreigners
of various denominations, 300 being en-
gagged in missionary work
Friday, October ., We left Hankow
for Pekin, a journey of 700 miles
through fertile country. Chinese SOL
diers guarded our train at the various
stations. The trip was very interest
ing and instructive.
At night we slept in comfortable
sleeping cars and the meals and SER
vice We're good. Every nationality was
represented on the train, the Chinese
predominating, 30 Americans, 10 Eng
lish. II Germans, S Belgians. Rus
sians French and a Scotchman
dressed in full Highland costume.
The soil surrounding us is some of
the best in the world, and for ages
it has supported a vast population.
Old China, with its vast population
Of one-fourth of the whole human race,
is being reborn and Pekin is throbbing
with the young blood of the new civil
ization. The great wall which sur
rounds Pekin was constructed by an
emperor who resigned seventy three
years before Columbus tried to find a
new way TO China and discovered our
world. The walls can be seen for a
long distance outside Pekin. They are
as tall as a fOur-story house and as
wide as the top of a country road.
The Chinese are repairing them today.
Wall Divides City
These walls divide the city into
two great divisions, forming two sep
arate cities. The one at the north is
a mighty rectangle fourteen miles
round. 1t contains the Tartar city, in
which are the great government build
ings, the foreign legations and also
the Forbidden City" where, sur
rounded by thousands of eunuchs, the
emperor lives. His palaces are huge
one-story structures, with throne
rooms and other guest rooms. The
roofs are of yellow tiles, a color which
is reserved for the emperor alone. No
one but the emperor and his household
live in the Forbidden City"
The city south of the wall is known
as the Chinese City" This has the
chief business streets of Pekin. 1t has
thousands of stores and the chief Chi
nese banks. Looking over the "Chi-
nese City we see great temples, with
circular roofs of blue tile. on the left
is the temple of heaven, where, on a
great circular altar of purest white
marble, the emperor kneels and prays
for his people. The little baby mon
arch is too young to kneel now and
until he grows bigger the nation will
be prayed for by proxy.
Today Pekin is a 5 well policed as
London or New York. The street
traffic is well managed and the vast
mass of yellow humanity is handled
with but little exhibition of force and
with little noise.
Women Folk Busy
Continuing our tour through China,
we stopped at Chefoo, the center of
the silk industry, where the women
folk exchanged their good American
dollars for pOngee silks laces and 9TH
er articles.
in 1897, was seized by a German fleet
as a result of the murder of two Ger
man missionaries and i'm the negotia-
tions which followed a lease of ninety
years was obtained.
At the various points of interest
throughout China We have made a
special point of visiting the various
missions, the authorities in charge
showing us every courtesy and without
question they are doing a vast amount
Of good.
Tomorrow We leave for Shanghai.
where we spend a week, thence TO
Hong Kong, Java Malay peninsula,
Burma, North and South India, Cey-
lon, Arabia, Egypt and Europe. We
are all well, enjoying every moment
of our wonderful tour around the
world