Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/748

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TWENTIETH CENTURY IMPRESSIONS OF HONGKONG, SHANGHAI, ETC.

cmigratiiif; to South Africa, and during 11)04 an extensive depot was established for the accommodation of live or six thousand men. ■^ THE NATIVE CITT WATEEWOEKS. LTD. The Native City Waterworks Company, Ltd.. of which Messrs. Arnhold, Karberg & Co., Ltd.. are the agents and general managers. was formed in 1902. and commenced to supply water in April of the foll(5wing year. The shareholders are both Chinese and foreigners, and the board of directors include Messrs. J. Boyce-Kup, A. Walte. Sun Chung Ying, Chen Chi-i. Jui Yu-Kun, and Ma Yu-Ching.

Water is taken from the Grand Canal, outside the native city, and is carefully treated in filter-beds of sand. It is distributed through 25 miles of mains of various sizes to the native city and to the Japanese, Austrian, Russian, and Italian Concessions. More than three hundred houses are connected with the service, and there are one hundred and fifty public hydrants for fire purposes and for street supply. The water is sold at 70 cents per i.ooo gallons, with special rates to large consumers, and the annual consumption amounts to some 200,000,000 gallons. The waterworks occupy about 15 mow of land. The manager and chief engineer is Mr. J. Holmberg, a native of Denmark, who, after qualifying as a constructing and civil engineer, received a first-class certificate in 1902. He came to Tientsin in the following year to take up his present duties. He is an associated member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, Denmark.

THE UOLKESEI OBEBHOF. LTD. Ix a country in which there are no laws en- forced for preventing the spread of cattle diseases, and practically none governing sani- tary arrangements, it is obviously very difficult to obtain a pure milk supply. Several dairy farms have been started in Tientsin, but owing to the prevalence of rinderpest they have not proved successful. The Molkerei Oberhof, Ltd., however, is an exception to the rule. This enterprise has been prosperous from a financial point of view and its butter, cheese, and cream will compare favourably with the best home produce. The dairy is situated about two miles from the centre of the Tientsin Settlements in the direction of the racecourse, and the cattle have the advantage of grazing upon the plain during the summer months. The buildings are modern and are replete with every convenience for the con- duct of a dairy farm, and the extreme cleanli- ness of the establishment is such as to inspire complete confidence in it. The dairy is under experienced Kuropean management, and, periodically, a veterinary surgeon inspects all the cattle, which are selected from Cali- fornian and Australian herds, and brought to China at considerable expense. Mr. Wilhelm Kleeschulte is the principal share- holder in the enterprise, and exercises a personal supervision over the conduct of the business.

THE JANGSTUN STEAM BRICK WORKS. Dl'RiXG the summer lime, wlien the manu- facture of bricks is in full progress, some 600 native workmen find employment in this large industrial enterprise, owned by Mr. V. Ivleescliulte. The works are planned on the most modern scientific system, and cover a large area. Among the many buildings, the Hoffman brick oven is, perhaps, the first to attract the attention of a visitor. It is a huge pile of red bricks several feet thick, and consists of two parallel ovens, 170 feet long, in the shape of concave vaults. Six- teen doors give access to as niaii- compart- ments, and each compartment is separated from the next by an iron partition which is

[See page 742.] E. MARZOLI'S BRICK FACTORY.


dropped from overhead. Each compartment is capable of holding 25,000 bricks, so that the total capacity of the oven is 400,000. Eroiri the centre a large chimney rises to a lieight of 165 feet. At one extremity a furnace is started. The heat from this ignites coal which has been dropped through overhead ducts into the first compartment filled with bricks: the heat of the first com- partment ignites coal in the second one; and so forth. This automatic process of ignition may be continued indefinitely — as long as the lifetime of the oven, if necessary. The output capacity of the Hoffman oven is about 10,000,000 bricks a year. The equip- ment of the works includes, also, a pressing- machine, a steam-driven mud-mixer, drying sheds, carpenters' and blacksmiths' shops, and six large double mud kilns with a total yearly output capacity of 8,000,000 bricks.