Directory_and_Chronicle_1931 — Page 958

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

886

WUHU

Another road, from Wuhu to Tangtu, is well on the way to completion. The water- tower has done excellent work, and an additional fire-engine has much increased the efficiency of the fire-brigade. The Municipal Council has made every effort to further such work as widening streets and improving the system of drainage, but, due to lack of funds, the work has progressed slowly. From the 16th June, 1929, control of the Native Customs stations within 50 li of Wuhu reverted to the Commissioner of Customs, who was also placed experimentally in control of additional stations beyond this area from the 9th September.

The value of the trade of the port for the year 1929 was Hk. Tls. 52,404,006, as compared with Hk. Tls. 43,428,377 in 1928, Hk. Tls. 33,656,178 in 1927, Hk. Tls. 49,560,411 in 1926, Hk. Tls. 63,225,860 in 1925, Hk. Tls. 37,797,626 in 1924, and Hk. Tls. 30,550,011 in 1923. Coal may some day become a considerable article of export from Wuhu, both native and foreign capital having been directed to the great coalfields of the province. The China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company are interested in several coal districts and have expended large sums in the opening of their mining property; the output has thus far been small, owing to the lack of proper machinery and management. The Chin Kang Company, a wealthy native syndicate, have a Govern- ment permit to open mines in several districts. A number of smaller companies are operating at present with the sanction of the above Corporation, to whom they pay a royalty. Two companies representing foreign capital-the Yangtsze Land and Investment Company, Limited, and the I Li Coal and Mining Company, Limited- have purchased a number of the most valuable mining properties in the immediate neighbourhood of Wuhu. The Yu Fan Iron Mining Company completed a mountain railway, about five miles long, from their mines to the river bank at Tikang, a small port 30 miles up river from Wuhu, in 1918.

The tract of land selected 30 years ago for the Forcign Settlement was definitely ceded in 1906, and sites were allotted to the Anhwei Railway Company and to various shipping companies, each lot having a river frontage of 600 to 1,100 feet. In 1914 the Ministry of Communications took over the Anhwei Railway Company with its entire assets and liabilities. Large godowns have been built by Messrs. Butterfield & Swire on their ground in the New Settlement for storing rice, and Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd., have also acquired property in the vicinity. On the plots of ground acquired by the Asiatic Petroleum and the Standard Oil Companies below I Chi-Shan, a hill which forms the lower boundary of the Foreign Settlement, the former company has erected oil godowns and the latter, also, has established premises. Customs buildings on the foreshore near the Foreign Settlement were completed and occupied in 1919. The Electric Light Co. appears to be doing well. The Chinese population of Wuhu is estimated at 130,706.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1931 — Page 958

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