The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-25

may be heard in almost every block. It Is long and loud and continuous. Still it took me some time to learn whence 1t came. At first I thought 1t might be the whistles these people tie to the tails of their pigeons to scare off the hawks; but l afterward learned it was the advertising cry of the hot water peddler. Think of selling hot water on the streets as a businessl This is the occupation of many men in Mukden. They have great Tartar samovars made like gigantic tea kettles. These kettles have a stove pipe in the middle, con meeting with another pipe which runs In from the side near the bottom. In the latter pipe some charcoal is ligh ted. As 1t burns the pipe warns the water. and the steam is forced out, not through the spout, but through an opening on top in which Is a whistle, of the same shape as the tin two-penny affairs used by our school boys. The steam blows the whistle and the boil ing water thus advertises itself. The people come to such men with their toa kettles and gruel. They pay a fraction of a cent for enough to make tea for d family, and thus save the ex- pense of keeping fire.
 A great many of the Manchu cook ing utensils are made of brass or cop per. Not far from the Drum Tower is a long street devoted to the brass smiths. Here are blocks of brass stores, in each of which a half dozen men in blue jackets and trousers sit before low anvils, and pound out brass pots, wash basins and dishes. They make brass shahng boxes with holes below them for charcoal incense burn CTS, candlesticks and the great brass gongs which are used ythe man darins to warn the common people to get out of tn cir way when they ride through the town. Beyond this is a street Of silversmiths' shops, where one can find most gorgeous hairpins and bracelets of silver decorated with enamel. Such wares are sold by weight, the extra charge over the actual weight of the silver, being for the workmanship.
 Mukden's Big Fur Trade.
 This place is one of the chief fur mar kets of Asia. The country above Mukden swarms with wild animals, and their raw skins and furs are brought here for sale. There are more than 40 tanneries in and aoout the city, and one sees leather and fur stores everywhere. The fur shops are all open. The skins are displayed just as they come from the tannery and also sewed together in the shape of the mandarin coat. Such coat Is large and full, the fur being afterward cut and fitted to the shape of the wearer. Many such furs are used for Things, the out sides being of brocaded satin or silk. and some are worn by the Chinese with the hair outward, the lining being of silk or other materials. There are also rugs of various sizes and furs for sale to foreign dealers, such as sable and fox. There are buyers who come here from all parts of Asia, and large shipments are made every winter to Shanghai Tientsin and Pekin.
 During the coldest weather the Tartars in the northern part of the empire wear almost nothing else but furs of one kind or another. The coolies have suits Of sheepskins and goatslSins, while the na bobs wear foxslSins. mink and sable. The Manchu houses are poorly heated, and fur-lined clothes are worn indoors and out As rule the best furs are ex- ported I had thought to have bought an overcoat here, but am told that can purchase one at a much lower price in Pekin.
 AS to the extent of the fur trade, 1t is enormous In addition to the vast quantity used by the natives several hum dred thousand skins are annually export ed. A large part of the Iroduct goes to America, and among the things sent there