White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-11-04
KALGAN IMPORTANT
CHINA TRADE CENTER
Situated on Horseshoe Curve
of Great Wall.

Washington. = "Kalgan, important
trading center of northern China, re-
Gently occupied by Nationalist forces,
occupies one Of the most ancient
crossroads in the world" says bull
letin from the Washington headquar-
ters of the National Geographic So
ciety. 'There the caravan route from
Peking to Urga, on the other side of
the Cobb desert, crosses the great wall
of China. The great wall has fallen
into disuse and is no longer military
highway, but the caravan route to
Mongolia has kept pace with the times
and now automobiles mingle with the
camel trains on it's long and tedious
path.
Where Railway Meets Desert Trails.
"Kalgan is situated near the bor-
der of the province of Chill and Mon
golia, about 125 miles by rail north
west of Picking. At this point the
great wall has formed a horseshoe
curve. Kalgan is on the outer edge
and Nankow on the inner. The trav-
eler from Picking thus crosses the old
fertilization twice, once at NankoW
and later at Kalgan. The railway
Journey from Picking occupies an en-
tire day, due to the steady rise in
the landscape toward the Mongolian
plateau, which has Kalgan on it's rim.
"Thence tea and tobacco for the
northern trade must be hauled across
the Cobb by cart, camel or an occa-,
sional motor truck, Such a journey
occupies many days, wells being
twenty, thirty and even fifty miles
apart. Caravans are enormous, some
numbering between three and four
hundred camels. Many camels sue
cumb to heat, cold, hunger or thirst
and the trail Is marked by bleached
bones OF, dead animals. For the most
part they get through, however, and
on their way south pour the products
of Mongolia into Kalgan. Hides, wool
and furs reach this outpost of civili-
zation in enormous quantities from
the grazing lands Of the north.
"Another Monaghan product mar
keted through Kalgan is the hardy
little Mongol pony of the plains.
These are in demand throughout the
northern provinces, especially gray
and white ponies, the latter being IA
yorites with the Chinese Foreigners
find these tough little beasts first rate
for saddle purposes, though they have
reputation for stumbling.
"Plains, ponies and herds give Kali
gan the air of the old American West,
an illusion not dispelled by it's repu-
tation for lawlessness.
1.-THE city has an estimated popula-
ton of 10000 who are largely EN-
ployed in trading and allied industries,
such as the manufacture of saddles,
harness and rope. Low mud and
block houses with tile roofs stretch
in dirty monotony on either side of
the Ia Ho, which stream cuts the city
in two, and during the rainy season
sometimes floods the neighborhood.
There are many Russian inhabitants
and they have their own bank and
church. Modern architecture is rep
resented by few business buildings
DSlOuHluS W IllG anu IODuSSO IioOS
and native stores. The white popu-
lation other than Russian has always
been small, limited to few traders
and missionaries.
Famed for Color and Climate.
"Kalgan is name unfamiliar to
the majority Of China's Inhabitants,
the city being known by the Chinese
as Chang CHA Kou. Mention this
name to a home-loving Chinaman and
he pictures for you a wild frontier
settlement in whose streets galloping
Mongol horsemen from the plains
jostle tea caravans en- route for ST.
IBERIA and soldiers from the local gar
rison. Such picture Of Kalgan Is
equally true today. 1t Is known
among foreigners resident in China as
city of the wild and woolly' West,
where the hospitality Of the traders is
only equaled by bracing upland ell
mate"