The Famous Hanlin and Founder of the Flourishing City of. Nantungchow It is with much regret that we] announce the death at his home in Nantungchow, of Mr, Chang Chi the well-known Chinese industrial magnate, on Tuesday. Death took: place after a lengthy illness.
'Mr, Chang Chien, who was cze of the best knohyn' men in' China. of his time, was born of a_pcor family of "farmers, Mr. Chang Kuei-chin (this was his official name) studied in his spare and, by sheer persistence an pluck, gained the high literary degree of Chin-shih (doctor), which he received at the hands of the Emperor. For winning this honour, lite was offered a high civil post under the Manchu regime, but he refused, saying that he hoped to enter business and foster industry, commerce and communications. The Emperor congratulated him' and wished him every success. Mr. Chang continued his studies and Tater received the highest Chinese literary degree, that of Hanlin (Optimus).
He returned to his native home! with chow an important comme industrial port. He set to work dulld up the nothing more than marshy land, devoting al money efforts to make the scheme a success. The first thing he did was to open several free schools, where he taught personally. Within a year, hho had started a company for the re. clamation of the marshy land and, three years later, had the pleasure of announcing to shareholders a 50 per cent. dividend. Buildings sprang up like mushrooms, wide streets were laid out and' made, commercial and industrial enterprises were begun, mills were! erected on most. up-to-date lines, Building up Industry Beginning with the silk and cocoon industry, Mr. Chang made this a success; then' he worked on the salt and fishing trades, after which he terned to flour and! agriculture, Meeting with success on all sides, he decided to establish steamship company which would bring Nantungchow in touch with the outside world and this was the beginning of his Inrge shipping it: forests, In fact, almost everything that "Mr, Chang touched turned] to gold.
During this time, the Ching Government conferred upon numerous honours and mac adviser to the Cabinet itself and various Governmental departments. upon Mr. Chang for advice and they also heaped honours and titles upon him. The result was that in Kiangsu, he became a man of no Little importance. As chairman of jon Association, Association, "Association, director of railways, and chairman of government advisers, he became widely known and respected, After the overthrow. of the Manchus, Mr. Chang Chien was} prevailed upon to accept a govern-rent post, and, with the establish ment of the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Provisional Government in Nanking in 1912, he was made Minister of Industry and Director-General of the Salt Revenue Department. A couple of years later, he was placed at the head of the Commission for' the Reclamation of the Huai River.
In November, 1911, just before the Manchus abdicated, he was made Pacification Commissioner of Kiang-ssu but declined to accept. At the same time, he refused an offer from Gen, Yuan Shih-kai to join th latter's Cabinet as Binister agriculture, Commerce and Industry for the Manchus.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.