Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08
BY VICTOR KEEN.


ABLY the only Chinese now living
who was an intimate friend of
~ President Hoover when the latter
was associated with the China
Engineering g. Mining Co. in Tientsin
nearly 30 years ago, is planning visit
10 the White House.
Not in an oficial capacity" Mr..
Tong told me when called at his
Shanghai residence to inquire about his
trip, but merely to shake hands with
IN old friend"
Mr.. Tong. who is approaching his
SEVENTEEN birthday anniversary, was
manager of the government Peking
Shanhaikan Railways when Mr.. Hoo
neer employed by the Chinese govern
ment. The railways manager also was
closely identified with the China En-
cheering & Mining Co., operators OF
the Kailan mine, as the company was
founded by his uncle, Tong King-sin,
and the Tong family had always been
among the largest shareholders in the
enterprise. The Kailan mine today has
an output Of 5000 tons Of gold-bearing
ore daily and is one Of the richest
mining properties in the world.
Saved 1,ooo Refugees.
One of Mr.. longs favorite stories
about Mr. Hoover is the account of how
the young engineer saved his life as
well as the lives of nearly a thousand
other Chinese during the Boxer up
rising. The Chinese statesmen related
20 me In detail what was probably MI.
Hoovers first experience in the relief
work which was eventually to make him
known throughout the world.
GAS general manager OF the Peklng
n Shanhaikan Railways" Mr.. Tong said.
81 lived in TientSin in the interna-
tional settlement at that time. Mr.. and
Mrs. Hoover lived just across the road
from our home.
'"The Boxers were Smelling the settle
ment with a powerful gun which they
called the Empress Dowager. 1t threw
a 750-pound shell and was being fireo
continuously. They called us southern
Chinese half Boxers and We were In
constant danger OF our lives.
House Struck by Shell.
"A shell from this gun struck my
house and nv wife was killed instantly
There were about 400 men. women and
children In my home at that time seek
ing refuge, and, while quite number
were killed or injured, 1t has always
been a wonder to me that so many
survived. We were in q panic. MY
irst thought was to seek safety In
some other quarter. carried the BODY
Of my wife on my back and led the
way to the large cellars of the Chinese
Engineering and Mining Company,
which were about two blocks distant.
"Mr. Hoover rushed to my house at
about the same time and at the risk
of his life carried out a number Of the
dead and wounded. A day or two
later my house caught fire and burned
10 the ground.
Meantime about Thousand refugees
had assembled in the cellar. Mr..
Hoover appeared and his first question
vas: Mr.. Tong, what can DO
for you'' .,,.s
Deserted Shops Yielded Supplies.
Mr.. Hoover asked for dozen strong
men to follow him. The men were Sc
Ieeted. four for water and eight for
riee, and through the long. hot day
Mr.. Hoover led them to deserted shops,
whose owners had fed, and gathered
supplies for the penned-in refugees.
"Then I called Mr.. Hover's attention
70 the thousand pr. more, Chinese IN
the cellars Of the Bank of China. 1t
was Mr.. Hoover and DR.. Tenney who
for 20 days, absolutely fearless In their
humane mission, supplied the refugees
at both places with food and water and
probably saved their lives.
1T was q tense period flled with
suspicious and accusations. Together
with Chang Yen-mao, director general
of the mining company, 10 days after
the siege, was arrested on the charge
of communicating with the Boxers. by
the Chinese authorities, after the Box
ers had destroyed my home and killed
my wife and daughter. For three days
we were imprisoned in a coolie house
In Butterfield and Swire's Compound. II
faced the west with July sun beaming
down on us and the situation reminded
me Of what had read about the Black
Hole of Calcutta.
Mr.. Hoover, learning of our arrest.
together with DR.. Tenney, afterward
charge d'affaires, and the commander
Of British gunboat, brought our re-
lease with apologies.
For their humane efforts, Mr.. Hoover
and DR.. Tenney were under the impu-
tAtion of some extremists that they were
disloyal to the foreigners defending
the settlement"
Answered Campaign Charge.
Nearly 80 years later, Tong Shaggy
was in a position to be Of service tc
Mr.. Hoover during the last presidential
Hoovers opponents attempted to dis
credit his candidacy on the basis OF
his relationship with the transactions of
the Chinese Engineering & Mining Co.
Mr.. Tong, in a statement given at
Macao to B. w. Fleisher, publisher OF
the Japan Advertiser. an American
daily in Toxic, pointed out that Mr..
Hoover had severed his connections
with the mine after its transfer to Bel
RiAn management, and that during the
subsequent litigation involving the
terms of the transfer Mr.. Hoover was
witness, not defendant.
This statement was published in
newspapers throughout the United
States during the closing of the cam
paign, Mr.. Hoover sent Mr.. Tong let
ter of thanks and another message at
the time of his Inauguration.
Mr.. Hoover came to China in 1898
a. an engineer for the Chinese gov
eminent, and. following the withdrawal
Of the Chinese government to Sunafu
during the Boxer uprising in 1900, the
young engineer was offered the posi-
ton Of consulting engineer with the
China Engineering 81 Mining Co: AT
that time the shareholders included
four groups, combined Chinese and
German interests. two separate British
units and q Belgian group.
Properties Seized by Armies.
Following the Boxer uprising various
properties of the country were seized
by the armies of Russia, Japan, Ger
many and Great Britain. 1t was only
due TO the action of Mr.. Hoover, Mr..
Tong declared, that the Chinese did not
lose control Of the company. Mr.. Hoo
yer then went to London to reorganize
the company. Following the reorgan-
station. the Chinese demanded that
thew be represented on the board and
that Chang Yen-mao continue as d.
rector general. A memorandum to this
erect was drawn up and signed in Feb
rtlarv. 1901. Mr.. Hoover was made gen.