Tachienlu, May 31.
T present there seems to be very little property or distress here, Prices are still high but there seems to be no lack of money to secure all that is needful.
A huge building programme outside the east gate is putting a lot of money into circulation; and those who want to work can find work to do. Coolies is now paid at the rate of $3.0 to $5 per day and the trained artisan has a daily wage of between $5 anid $7.. One learns that chair hire between Tachienlu and Yachow has risen to $350 for two men for eight days. Food is so expensive along the highway that chairmen now demand $20 per day per man.
The price of rice seems to determine the price of almost everything along the border. Rice at present is $70 per deo of 30 catties; and a rice eating workman will eat more than one deo per month. Salt pork is $5 per catty and pretty rough and tough yak beef is soaring towards $2.50 per catty. Yet everyone seems to be happy and willing to pay what fever is asked for whatever they want, 'A large stretch of land outside the east gate had been reclaimed from
fare busy putting up quite handsome the rer and, hundreds, of workmen dwelling houses, Since the China Incident began people have flocked from. the coastal provinces to th distant Interior and Tachienl rot escaped the rush. accommodation. within the ety has For the past two or three years
Been almost" unbearable, families being crowded into small rooms, The present building scheme on the frontier alms at alleviating this unhealthy. over-crowded condition. The idea is to build a model settlement similar to what may now be geon in other Chinese cit Duan Yang. the Double Fifth, a perfectly. wonderful day along the frontier. The early. morning sun shine put the inhabitants in a mood for preparation for a day's euuing The people of Tachienlu have still something in them of their nomadic Sneestry-, They. fave the open alr and nothing touches their souls like a"iwell arranged pienle: wine, cakes Sweets, tea and dzamba, Early in the morning the ttle school children brought us artistic {ttle silk. bags containing some fragrant. powder. There are about dozen. different "designs and all are Beautitully" worked in. silk thread. They are supposed to be hung round the neck to keep away disease an Poisonous insects and evil spirits Row. however, they are merely used as. an adornment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.