Stories from Deli

LOCATION AND EXTENT.
This line starts at a point on one of the branches of the Han River across from the city of Swatow , and runs in a northerly direction to Yeekai, a distance of about 27 miles. Yeekai is about 3 miles past
Chaochow, a city of some 400,000 people. The population of Swatow is estimated at about 31,000, of whom several hundred are foreigners.

HISTORY.
The Chaochow & Swatow Railway Co. (Ltd.), a distinctly Chinese company, was organized about 1903, when concessions were granted to a Chinese merchant named Chang Yu -nan , who had amassed a
fortune in Java. The company is registered under the Hongkong ordinances and has a director residing there.
Construction work was started in 1904 and carried out under the direction and management of the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha ( Japanese ).
The line was completed in November, 1906 .

The business consists largely of passenger traffic, and only a small amount of freight is carried. This is largely on account of the fact that the line competes at all points with the Han River transportation lines.

EARNING CAPACITY
It is stated that in some years this railway does not pay operating expenses . No dividends have ever been paid , and it is not probable that the line will show a profit until extensions are built to develop
districts where water competition will not prevail, particularly for the handling of freight. It appears that this is a district where electrified lines would be much better adapted to serve the traffic , a large part of which, in any event, would be passenger business.

EQUIPMENT-ADMINISTRATION
The track materials came mostly from American. sources . The ties are Japanese hardwoods. The line was cheaply constructed, with a small amount of ballast . Most of the rolling stock is of American manufacture. The line is under the administration of a managing director general , Mr. Chong Hong Nam , who is located at Swatow . Mr. W. T. Ching is secretary. Purchases are made by the managing director general.

SWATOW-CHAOCHOW (CHAO- SHAN) RAILWAY .
Chaochow & Swatow Railway Co. ( Ltd. ) . Head office: Swatow. Cable address : Railway.
Managing director general. ..Chong Hong Nam , Swatow.
Acting director general .. Chong Chee Hain, Swatow .
Director .. ..Chong Cheong Hong, Swatow .
Secretary ..W. T. Ching, Swatow .

The Merchants Fukien Railway Co. was organized in 1905 by Mr. Chen -Pao-chen , and it was proposed to build lines from Amoy to the Provinces of Kiangsi and Kwangtung.

Far Eastern Markets for Railway Materials, Equipment, and Supplies
Volumes 180-189
By United States. Department of Commerce, Frank Rhea · 1919