New Britain herald., 1923-09-14
HUPEH APOPULOUS
PROVINCE OF CHINA
Cotton, Wheat and Tobacco
Production Outranks Rice Crop

Washington. d, c, sept it.-Kid
mapping of two American priests al
Tkaoshih, China, turns attention oi
the Christian world 70 a region OF q
pioneer missionary activity In the
Orient, TO the triple.eity "chieago OF
China" and 10 a province where cot
ton, wheat and tobacco far. outrank
the rice crop,
For Tsaoshih ID In Hnpeh province,
northwest of Hankow. and near
enough 10 be called a suburb in our
terminology," says bulletin from
the Washington, D, c, headquarters
OF tho National Geographic society.
Across ono river from Hankow--
the narrow. turbulent Han kang-is
the sister city, Hanyang: and across
the mile-wide Yangtze from IIanyang
/, is Wachang. Wachang was famous
and venerable when Hankow was a
fishing hamlet. Today Hankow lords
Il over both her sister cities because
she sends her cargoes 10 the seven
seas. Her trade outshincs her neigh
bors' temples.
An Up River Port
Nowhere else In the world docs
q community OF this size--the' NUM-
cipai Tripods has a million and u
quarter people--do an ocean going
business of such magnitude so far
from the sea. For Hankow is nearly
600 miles mp the Yangtze.
Tho Chinese call the three cities
THE Collecting Place for Nine Prov
inces,' with a show of accuracy, and
rather less moderate nickname Is
Hub of the Universe
"A brief stroll through Hankow's
streets with an interpreter would i'm
press an American advertising man
that, as slogan writer's, the Chinese
might offer helpful hints.
Chinese Veteran Advertisers
"Gaudy and distinctive signs on
Hankow shops arc as characteristic !
as the electric sky-signs of Broadway, !
After each firm name is motto---a
legend of good omen-and when ~ |
store changes hands the sign is an
item of high value, both for its in
trinsic worth and for what we would
term a trademark. Moreover there
Is a regulation of custom, If not of
law, regarding these signs for each
trade has boards of distinctive shape,
special color, and perhaps peculiar
design of lacquer.
"A visiting business man to a ma
tive Hankow business street would
find more differences than lkenesses.
More conspicuous than any sight he
sees is the noise he hears. Bargain
ing is dine in front of shops, and is
iaI in ho hitrb
pitched voices of angry contenders
Every Hankow sale begets an argu-
ment; and the louder. and most per-
sstent wins his price.
!, Terrible Din in Streets
Nor Is that all. Coolies with rili-
shas and coolies with big bundles on
bamboo poles, yell and bump into,
each other despite their yells. Should
1 mandarin be borne along, the deaf
sning din becomes truly terrible. His
coolies seem chosen for their shout
ng power.
"One would rather wear ear muffs
han forego the shops. Their variety
S amazing. They offer bean cakes
Ind collins, rolls of silk and melon
eeds dates and drugs and idols. A
which display. figures of horses, ele-
,hants, carts, and tigers until his
,arent pulled him away, knowing
hese were the gruesome tokens sold
o bury with the dead.
Approach the river front, along
he Bund, and the Scene changes.
Here arc buildings in Russian, Eng
sh, German and French architecture,
,ut Hankow's most amazing spectacle
J the panorama of junks of many
ypes, ungainly but performing like
rained seals in the hands of their
xpert rivermen and thousands of
lese craft line UP for miles on both
des of both rivers. 1t is estimated
lat $4,000 of them ply in and out of
lie. three cities.
Innocent of Tractors
"Hupeh, like it's metropolis, is a
ansely populated province. It's area
equal to that Of New York, New
srsey, Massachusetts, Connecticut
i'd Rhode Island combined. It's
opulation is one-third greater than
ese, our most populous states.
Its soil Is fertile, especially in the
an valley, yet even with that adj ,
Lntage the wonder is that its hordes
Re out living with such primitive
lpements. The native uses single
Lnded, iron pointed pillow, and not
man and a donkey are
ked together to pull it. Wooden
allets for breaking up clods stones
r threshing, and bamboo fails still