The churches of the city have received several telegrams from Peking urging participation in the Famine Drive. The local com mittee which had been at work for several months, therefore, decided. to seek the cooperation of the influential Chinese and with this in view called on the local official. must say he was not at all keen but was eventually persuaded to move in the matter, but he failed to secure the hearty cooperation of the wealthy Chinese. I believe collecting books have been issued by the Committee, after being stamped in the yamen. It is difficult to get the Chinese to realize the need of others who are several hundreds of miles off. If a foreigner gives $10 or $50, ''well he' can afford it and more too" seems to be the attitude of the majority of those whom it is hoped will be moved to take a practical interest in relieving the suffering.
The ricsha company recently started in this city has evidently come to stay. The steps of the bridges are being inlaid with rails or planks to enable the rickshaws to cross them. This is a temporary measure. If the company succeeds, the bridges and roads are to be improved as funds allow.
The telegraph and electric wires were wrecked by the recent heavy snows and have only just been repaired. The loss and inconvenience have been very great.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.