(most oun owN connesroxpENt.)
TUNGCHOU AND THE RAILWAY, It, was the privilege of your correspondent to visit Peking and Tungchou a few days ago, and jot down a few notes by the way. The increase of trafic, both passenger and effects, within the last few months is very noticeable. The different trains are long, and the cars are well-filled. This fact is Soakey—the primitive method—from Pek-eatly emphasised as one takes p: by
ing to Tungchou. The old, uneven stone road is the same as ever, but the trafic on it has dwindled to comparatively nothing. Not so many donkeys are for hire at the Peking terminus of the stone road. As to laden wheelbarrows and carts, it did not seem to my companion nor myself as if there were one-third as many as in the old days when everything went by boat to Tungchou, and with the exception of timber and bamboo, very lithe of the stuff passed had the appearance of being Tientsin cargo. At the west suburb, where in former days there was the appearance of much business and great activity, all was dull and dead: instead of a dozen or two of donkeys and drivers waylaying every possible passenger, only a few scrawny beasts were to be seen. The whole aspect of the place is change the people are complaining times, and are berating themselves for their stupidity in opposing, the coming of the railway to the place. Apparently the only hope of a partial resuscitation of business is to secure a branch road from the Capital.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.