'Soochow Ricsha Hongs' Inhuman Aitempt to Extort More Money from Coolies From Our Own Correspondent, Soochow, Feb, 25.
Soochow seems to be in the hands. of strikers. With the ex: ception of carridges outside the city, and donkeys, chairs and boats inside the city, those who' walk, The ala, coction went not own private Ficshas, must on_a strike yesterday, The strike continues today, and for how many more days, no tone knows. When last year the conce for both outside and ide tha cit the same, the daily rent on ric shas was. reduced to 45 cents (small money) or about 40 cents: per. day (big money). Last Autumn this was raised by tha' ricsha hongs to 60 cents (small money). On Saturday the ricsha hongs tried to increase the charge' fo 8 cents per day (small money). 'This was more than the coolies, wold stand. For two coolies to pay out 44) cents: (Small money) per day in ricsha Fent means that they cannot make enough to keep soul. and. body to-Hing like "three dozen' ricshas ther. Hence the strike, Some-avo. been smaghied up by the triking coolies, and the few strike-breakers among them have had, very rough handling. 4 The ricsha hong owners seem t0 be almost as high-handed robbers aa the military and civil officials} of the land, and as robbers that is) rating them quite highly, "The best, figures that I can get on the sitantion are as follows Soochow's average public ricsha costs about $00. The vehteles; Inst for about four years. We will call it, three yours, however, and]
ince $20 as the sum for annual Uepreciation, 'The' average UP" keep calls for another $20, The licence cost $2 per month, or $24 per year., A grand total of $64 yenr., Last year the riesha (small money) a day por ricsha.
ange woke charging 00, cents 'This totals about, $190.80—(big money) per" year. $100 interest on: $04 is a rather large gain. With this increase to 85 cents} (small, honey) the hongs would clear $270 on each ricsha, with' an annual outlay of only $64.
Why docs. not everyone open a riesha hong Only 1,000, licen: are issued. No more. Some it costa a riesha hong $100 as a small tip (to the powers-that-be) to secure a licence. Others estimato this little lubricating gift at! $900. Still others say this gentle squeeze is $800 per licence, while} some put it as high as $500. To operate one of these golden ces. 'a Soochow public one quite a Tittle sum, There is one other small item, The riesha. coolies can use at night only the lanterns furnished - by the.ricsha hongs, and the police (having had their eyesight financially improved) see to it that the coolies use no other lanterns. Thesy small lanterns burn two coppers worth of oil a night. The nightly rent is seven coppers, small gain of five coppers a night. A-gain of almost $1 a month, and about $10 a year on a lantern which originally cost about 20 cents. This gain might also be} Placed under the head of high Feb. 26.
Yesterday afternoon the ricshas strike outside the city on the "Horse Road" came to an end, the ricsha hongs meeting the coolies demands, and reducing their price to the original daily The ricsha "hongs within the] walls reduced their prices, from 160 cents (small money) to 60 cents (small money), the price under which the rieshas. operated last! autumn; but the coolies still continue their strike demanding! rent ofa pear ago. hie afternoon the representative of the coolies went before the Commissioner of Police, and the coolies made an offer of 49 cents and 10 coppers compromise. Some. think the settlement will' be reached tomorrow.
The strike of the cigarette and cigar dealers was rather halfhearted, and it is reported that they are vieding to the tax.
Shanghai-Nanking Railway ig widening the roadway in front of the station's main entrance. The filling in is now complete, the now fence is being erected, and the paving will soon be finished. This will double the width of this roadway, relieving the congestion donkeys, 70 coolies, and Jof "carriages, ricshas, chairs, passengers, he future. passengers will find this a great improvement,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.