Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Chu Ta-ch'un

Mr. Chu Ta-ch'un

訊大桥字前

(Chai Laifong)

Mr. Chai Lai-Fong was born in Wusih in 1855. He came to Shanghai in 1872 and in course of time established the Yueng Chong Company, trading in coal and other minerals. The enterprise proving very successful, he directed his attention to shipping and operated a number of steamers between Shanghai, Singapore, Japan and ports on the China coast. With the profits made in these ventures, Mr. Chai made big investments in mills, among which may be mentioned the Yuen Chong Silk Filature established in 1895, the Wah Shing Flour Mill with a capital of Tls. 300,000, half of which was subscribed by himself, the Yuen Chong Rice Mill, established in 1888 and later amalgamated with the Shanghai Rice Mill, and the Kung Yih Cotton Mill with 182,000 spindles and capitalised at $1,000,000 of which Mr. Chai owns two-thirds. Mr. Chai has also inveested heavily in land and buildings, holding shares in many commercial enterprises and banks. He is compradore for boeh Jardine, Matheson and Co. and the Shanghai Electric Construction Company. He is a member of the Shanghai Paper and Oil Mills, chairman of the Wusih Chamber of Commerce, and Director of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai.