Invitations have been issued for a dinner to be given on the evening of Ist June at the railway station here to celebrate the formal opening of the railway to Chinanfu, the running of the first train on 15th March not being considered asia real opening of the road, as much still remained to be done to put the track into good condition, and to complete the road around to the west suburb, which is the real terminus of the railway. The invitations include a free trip from tsingtau and intermediate points in first-class carriages to and from Chinanfu. There will no doubt be a big crowd present.
The Chining Trouble Rumours of uprisings and rebellions have been very rife of late in West-em Shantung, but so far as appears they all have had their origin in the trouble in the Chini region over some new taxes, about which both your Chining correspondent and I have written you, This Chining trouble was finally settled by a visit in parson by the Provincial Judge, who treated the malcontents very leniently and while not giving in on the principle of the thing, yielded very much as to the amount to be collected from the people. A Lawless Region Some distance irom Chining there is a region called Tsaochoufu, which is in a chronic state of lawlessness, and there this question, as I understand, has not yet, boon definitely settled. The Judge brought back with him on his return one of the leaders of the revolt in Tsaochonfu, and some days later he was beheaded and his head sent back to his native place, How much of a quieting effect this has had I have not heard, but it is mol to be expected that any serious disturbance will take plice until after the unusually abundant harvest of wheat has been gathered in, Wild Reports.
So far as appears these local troubles in the southwest are the only serious signs of unrest in Shantung, but the wildest reports have been current of late, and many people are said to have moved to the hil-tops and other places for safety from anticipated lawlessness. One report which was circulated in the country was to the effect that the rebels had marched on Chinanfu and had invested the city, whereas the fact is it is absolutely quiet here.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.