The building concerned is probably tone of the oldest in Shanghai, being welt over tty years old. Tt is a "two-storey structure, extending from the corner of Szechuen and Jinkee Road to Ningpo and Szechuen Roads, although only about q third of it 1s occupied by Gordon & Ca, It forms part of the Hardoon properties in the Central District. "Gordon & Ca, have occupied their part of it for' some thirty years or more, Of the old Settlement style of architecture, its exterior appointments are simple, while the roofing consists fold Chinese tiles Inid ona cor rugated iron roof, Had Gordon &' Ca, not opened that day, It is not improbable assume that the building might have collapsed completely, The out eastern wall bulges outwards perceptible, while inside huge cracks run across the ceiling and the—walls, evidence of the strain, The frst floor occupied by the firm of Mamiye and Hidary of New York, linen and Jace merchants, and here again the activities of the ants can be seen in the way the floor seems to rise and fall under the feet of those who walk. across it, somewhat in a similar man ner to a sprung dance floor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.