The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-06
CHINESE RAILWAY
FUNDS SQUANDERED
Vast Sum Raised by Popular
Subscription DriveIed
Away.

Shanghai. June 5.-The North Daily
News OF Shanghai has unearthed an
interesting document connected with
railway matters in China.
The question OF the Hankow- Szech-
uan railway is now OF international
moment, as no less than four powers.
apart from China. are interested in the
subject. When the differences between
the financial representatives OF the
United States, Great Britain. Germany
and France will be adjusted st is not
easy to forecast. At present the con-
troversy remains wnere II was six
months ago.
The United States has claimed the
right TO participate in the construction
OF this important line, which f. des-
tined to open up the recognized wealth
in natural resources OF western China
but no satisfactory division OF interests
has been arrived at by the four powers.
Meanwhile the Chinese government
IS occupying an unenviable position
between the devil and the deep blue
sea. Whatever the differences be-
tween the International claimants. the
enterprise, and there IS no doubt that
the Pekin authorities would welcome a
settlement among the foreign finan-
ciers in order that the construction OF
the railway might be taken in hand.
Foreign Delay TO BIame.
The postponement Of this ENTERPRISE
strengthened the hands OF the provin-
Gals, who have been resoluteIv on
posed all along TO the construction OF
the line by foreign capital. and with the
continuing delay these people have
gained strength OF purpose that has
proved altogether too much for the
Vacciilating counsels Of Pekin
For nearly ten years certain sections
OF the people OF Szechuan have set their
| hearts on building this line Themselves
ana within the last few years the idea
n
/ definite scheme for the raising Of the
/ necessary money.
From one end to the other the prov-
lnee mas been placarded with notices
calling upon the people to subscribe 10
| the railway funds. and the provfncfal
| government undertook to levy certain
taxes. and 70 use the proceeds Of Others
/ Tor the same purpose. Three wears -
| this collection Of funds was STA fSS
| amid great enthusiasm and a wave az
/ patrlotlc Keeling was carefully enEi-
neered through the province
Nearly Sl.27O.Oo0, gold. rolled into .ba
railway treasury on the floodtfde n.
| this popular enthusiasm durinrr tine firsi
| year. In the following year The sum
T siS1u Dy public subscription q. e.
and the next year to s46, 600. Voluntarv
subscriptions have now ceased TO como
IN neutrality-suspicious. enthusiasm FOR
Dundlng railways by such means. when
foreign capital can be had at 8 par cen
Is on the wanc- Meanwhile. however
compulsory taxes have been levied yvi-f
undertaking zeal with the result thu
toward the end OF 1909 the authoritie,
concerned were in a position to ac.
| knowledge a sum total for "a flv-a,- mr..
poses OF about S7.7o0.0OO.
Employees Wen Paid.
| II became necessary to publish q
statement OF accounts. and this wa.
done, while promise was given for AZ
additional statement at a later date
I The so-called balance sheet succee 10,
in obscuring many points.
The expenditure Is set down M
22,500.000. or about one-third o.
the total receipts--and this much b.
/ fore AMI attempt was made to turn "a.
first sod OF the proposed railway.
During this period the railroad sun
ported 2i9 employees filiinE.no less ma,
! 1872 offices There are three genera
managers. drawing. respectively. S9s0
| $50 and 500 q month: three fnspector-
Of correspondence at $50 a month. an,
, three managers at S1Sc. $40 ana $50 ,
month, respectively. There Is also n,
agent at Hankow drawing S15n
month. The engineers fare rcrnarlxabf-
Wei. The salary OF the enginecr-in
chief Is not set down. but the first a.
sistant receives S405. the second SS1
month.
SO s2.5oe.000 has been enon
and not a single yard OF railway Il
show for Il. The balance OF the none,
IL available Will be required for ~
short section now being built in Hupct
but this will not bring the railway Z
Szechuan.