The formal commencement of the construction of the Shanghai electric tramways took place on Tuesday morning at the Yangteopoo terminus, The track was marked out for some distance in chalk and a large numb waited to commence th picking up the roadway: quite a large assembly at noon, those present including a number of ladies and Messrs, E. WI
Ca,, reprosentati tion Company), Cooil Holliday (Chairman of the Municipal Council), W. Wright (reprovonting Mose, Harper Brothers, and consulting engineer to the construc: tion company), W. Jamieson and W. Hamilton (representing Mosers. Bruce, Peebles & Ca., contractors), Sam. Shorrock (China agent of Messrs. J. Osborn unforeseen obstruction occurs. While I After being photog am referring to the engaged in the men adjourned to the Astor House. wee of it, I The tifin was served in a troduce to you Mr. private dining room at the Wright, who is the resident engineer House and the tables we representing Meesrs. Harper Brother decorated. Mr. Wheeley presided, and who represent the company who have all those who had attended the opening taken over the concession from ceremony wore guests with the addition Messrs. Bruce, Peebles & Ca. who of a few other gentlemen. The toast obtained it ' from the Municipal of "Our respective rulers" having Council. This is somewhat com-been duly honoured, the Chairman plicated introduction. It reminds me of the story of the little bouse that Jack said as they were in a foreign country, built. Perhaps you see the resem-and that country Chi blanco; if you do not, it is not my thought they ought next to propose fault. (Laughter). The only possible the toast of the health of their obstruction to the work is the pos-Chinese friends, Ho was very gratified sible incompletion of the bridges with the interest the Chinoa over the Soochow creek. I am glad to in the tramways and hoped see that the Council has already be interest would continue and to do some of the work at the G that the Chinese Municipal Council Bridge and I am therefore b ig to would see its way to adopt tramways hope that they will complete this work in or around the Chinese city. If the 88 Soon as we are ready to put our Chinese officials saw their way to lines over. I will ask Mr, Holliday to entertain any such scheme he was sure start to perform his duty. that Mr, Shorrock and Mr. Wright lad to offer thei Mr. Holliday—How many yards have I to pick up? ices and do what they could Mr. Jamieson came forward, and in help carry it out, Mr. Tso replied present ing Mr. Holliday with " band-on behale of the Chinese Municipal some plated pick, on the handle of which was 8 shield bearing the inscription "Shanghai Tramways. Firat stone picked by Cecil Holliday, Esq., Obairman He ssid that dwellers on this of, the Municipal Cooneil, April 1906," of the Yangkingpang ad for some time past looked with considerable interest Gentlomon,—On behalf of the con-on the way the Council on the other tractors for the Shanghai Tramway conducted its business and more construction work I wish to thank you for the honour of your presence here particularly on the way in which hey laid out their roads, on which he congra-to perform the ceremony of first breaking of the ground. These gentlemen responsible for bringing us Councils were to Shanghai are to be congratulated jara the on thole efforts to secure for the public speedy and economical means of at home. dehip was transit, and we hope that the tramways factory to both. Tramways will prove a success to all concerned. wore to be Inid down on the French For some little time to come our side and they wore to be on the same operations will no doubt cause some aystem as on this side, ao he hoped the time would come whoa the Councils Oberg, W. J. Greeson, E.8, Little, H. de Gray, F.C. Hoffer, 0, Mouser, A. P. Wood, J. H. Toosdi W. H. Poste, E. T. J. Blount, P. Til Mayne, 0. H. Godfrey, Jue Soong: kee and Whang Gau-gin (Chinese oon-tractors), Wha Teo-mai, Whang Yang-tee, Chung Ye-char, Look Soong-lui,
Zuang-poo, Cheng Pting-fong, Whoo Yin-chang, Yuan, Lun-pai, Teo Chao-sang, ete., ete.
Mr. Wheeley said—Ladios and gentlemen: We thought that as we wore about to begin work on the tramway it would be well to mark the event by ome 1d with that object in view we have invited you down here to witness the first opening of the ground, and we have afterwards to moot you at the Astor House. The question of tramways hae been before the ratepayers of this community for something like thirty years or more. First they would have them, and then they would not, Fortunately now we have come to the time when really going to begin work.
pleaturo in informing you that our much respected Chairman of the Municipal Council has kindly consented to commence work for us, and Mr. Jamieson is ready and an:
Mr. Jamieson is lo energy and the grass is not 10 grow under his feet, and I feel sure that the whole track' will fed within " year, He has terial on the spot and there nothing really to prevent the speedy completion of the tramway unless some ing through a busy centre like Shanghai. We shall do what we can not to bes greater nuisance than we can help, and we hope that any inconvenience caused will be more than amply compensated for, when you are able to appreciate the advantage of the thoroughly up-to-date tramway service, which those hold-the tramway concession intend to ive you. A work well begun always Promises to have good prospects of success, and as Mr, Hollid kindly consented to lend us have touch pleasure is handing him this implement for the purpose.
Mr, Holliday replied:—Ladies and gentlemen. Ihave to thank the promoters of the tramways very much for the honour done me by asking me to make the first hole, Mr. Wheeley impressed on you the fact that they are ready to do the work and that the only people who are likely to delay the work are the Municipal Council; therefore, asrepreseuting the Council, the sooner I get to work the better. Where do I bit?
The Chait of the Council then sot to work in od removed the top metal for about a foot down the way. Mr. Wheeley said he wanted to photographs of some of the Muni-pal Councillors at work, so some of them set to, but were soon anxious to know, when' they found the weight of the tools, "Are these Council picks would make an agreement to run of! lives." Mr. E.T. J. Blount th teams right through, over each
responded on behalf of Mr. G, Heuriot, who had left. Ho eaid that when the French Council did come to lay down their tramways he was sure that any suggestions would be welcomed which came from the Council of the larger Settlement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.