The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-12
THE NEW NANKING
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

Copyright. 1909. by Frank G. carpen-
ter.
CAME to Marking in a big river
steamer. The city lies on the Yang
j tse, 200 miles west of Shanghai and
about 400 miles east of Hankow. 1t is
famous as tho old capital of China, but
TO use a favorite expression of William I.
Stead. ''It now has God Almighty's boots
on and is tramping ahead along the paths
of modern progress. One of the best of
the new railroads now connects it with
Shanghai another is building toward
Pekin and Tientsin and others have been
projected to Canton and Hankow.
The changes in the place were apparent
on landing. When l visited the city IA
years ago / had to show a Chinese pass
port before l got off the boat. The port
Ia now free to everyone, and / was able
to go as l pleased. Then l rode from the
river up hill and down, half swimming
the pools and wading In mud all the way.
My trip of today was made in a car
riage over a well macadamized road,
shaded with willows. The road slopes
from the center. and is perfectly drained.
1t Is about six miles In length, and is
one of the 80 miles OF paved highway
which the city has built within the past
three or four years.
The New Marking
Marking lies on creek 1--WE miles back
of the Yangtse-Kiang. 1t was made an
open port In 1899. and now has an annual
trade of 100000 taels. A lively foreign
settlement is rising along the banks OF the
river, and modern buildings have been
constructed all the way from there to the
city. found two dozen cabs and many
jinrickshas at the wharvss, and as 1
landed heard the steam whistle of the
engine on the new railroad, which has
just been completed. joining the river
with Marking.
Shortly after we entered the walls of
the city DR.. Garritt. the president of the
Presbyterian Theological seminary, who
was with me, began to point out the new
school buildings. erected by the Chinese
government, and, off in the distance he
showed me the smoke stack of q modern
mint, which is now coming money for
the viceroy. When I was there last the
natives were chopping up silver ingots
and weighing the chunks to pay their
large bills. and all retail transactions
were in cash, little round copper coins
with hole in the center, of which it
took 1000 to equal the value of one of our
dollars. At that time carried about ten
pounds of coins with me on my donkey,
as l rode up to the city Today my cab
fare was paid with Chinese banknote
OF the province Of Hupeh, lying 400 miles
up the river, and the change l got in re-
turn was in silver coins fresh from the
mint.
Chlna's Ancient Capital.
Such things seem strange in this town
of the ages. Marking Is one of the old
cities of history. 1t was In existence 600
years when Jesus Christ was baby and
its municipal hair was gray with double
that age when Mohammed as boy was
playing on the sands of Arabia. The
wall which now surrounds it was built
a century before Shakespeare wrote
the Merchant OF Venice and Its mighty
porcelain tower, which cost S3,00000e.
was erected fS generations ago. when
one Of the most progressive monarchs Of
China had his capital here. That tower
was made of the finest porcelain slabs,
and 1t blazed out under the sun, rising
to height nearly half that of the Wash
ington monument. 1t had nine stories,
and spiral staircase within led from the
ground to the summit. About each story
was a gallery, rooted with green tiles.
and from the corners of the roofs hung
bells which tinkled when swayed by tho
wind Upon its top was mass of iron
as big as a haystack. This was plated
with gold and could be seen for miles up
and down the Yangtse-Kiang valley.
OF this mighty tower the basin is all
that remains. 1t has been placed upon
a foundation of marble and now lies
some distance away from the mighty
monument which 1t covered. Tho tower
itself was destroyed during the Tai
ping rebellion. because the insurgents
thought It was affecting the spirits OF
the air and bringing bad luck. It's ma
terials were taken for other buildings
and the foreigners carried away all
that was left. Today the very founda-
ton IL gone: and the Chinese viceroy.
who has made his capital here, has
an arsenal for making modern guns
on It's site. and the factory hands are
called to their work by the shrfll
whistle of steam.
On the Dragons Back
In addition to this there are powder
mills nearby, and every now and then
an explosion occurs which frightens
the ghosts of the tower and horrihes
the citizens. for fear It may stir up
the dragon, upon whose back Marking
is built. Notwithstanding the modern
awakening. ghosts. witches and drag
ons are live elements still in this part
of the world. The Chinese believe in
spirits and they will do nothing with
out consulting their wishes. The witch
doctors here have q regular profession.
They read the stars. the winds and the
waters and pretend to predict JusS
what the spirits Of good luck and bad
will do upon every occasion I have