Tsinan, Sung, Apr. 5.
For a city of its size and import ance, Tsinan's most obvious need is for street Improvements. Although there are some good, wide reaes which run through the commercial Seltlement, the old city still sutters from its narrow, stone-paved lanes, too poor to be called streets. Within the lust few years the one main thoroughfare of the city, running from the settlement right to the East Gate, has. been macadamized, but most of the turnings off it are still Unallered, The municipal authorities, however, realize what ought 1o be done and are making great efforts to Improve matters, In the east, south and west suburbs several of the old streets have been taken up, levelled, re-laid, and, In some cases, widened, The good work is still going on.
"tsinan les near to a range of lime stone hills, so that good road metal can be obtained easily. The new Tonds are being made with a stone foundation anda tarred surface. If the foundation ig well rolled and a wuftielent quantity of tar is used, these roads should last for years, in spite of heavy traffic such as farm earls and wheelbarrows, ceration. Supporting the upper tier there is some lovely woodwork, but the whole structure is in a neglected condition, and cannot be seen properly from any point of view.
The temple itself has just been done up. To judge from the inscriptions within, it would seem as though several grateful ladies had a share in providing fresh decorations for the Idol that sits there in solitary state, This temple seems very popular with the women folk of the city, for there are always a few incense-burning Temales before the altar.
'On the other side of the pool and along the bank of the little river which flows from the springs, stand teahouses. Their proprietors must be well off, for this' is a popular spot, both for shopping and also for just sitting.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.