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Gerow D. Brill papers

 Collection
Identifier: 1379

Abstract

Correspondence, diaries, accounts, and manuscript articles and reports, pertaining chiefly to Brill's work in Wuchang, China, as head of the Hupeh Agricultural College and Experimental Farm and as a scientific explorer for the United States Department of Agriculture (1897-1901) and later in a similar capacity with the Department of Public Instruction on the Philippine Islands (1901-1902).

Dates

  • 1884-1924.

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material in English

Conditions Governing Access

Boxes 12-22 are closed for digitization project.

Restrictions on Use:

Restricted use of map due to fragile state

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Agricultural economist.

Cornell University Class of 1888.

Extent

3.4 cubic feet. (3.4 cubic feet.)

Additional Description

Physical Description

Correspondence, diaries, accounts, manuscript articles, reports, lecture notebooks, pamphlets, newspapers, Chinese grammar notebooks, photographs, and other items.

General

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections 2B Carl A. Kroch Library Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-3530 Fax: (607) 255-9524 rareref@cornell.edu http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
M.E. Warren
Date completed:
Sept. 1987, rev'd Mar. 1990
EAD encoding:
Ann Hubert, Aug. 2002
Last modified:
Jude Corina, September 2018

General

Calendar of the letters Brill wrote to his aunt, Mrs. Statia Dodge, approx. 75 items, 1897-1901; Letters dated Sept. 24, 1897-Nov. 27, 1897 describe arrival and first experiences

Aug. 30, 1897
- On Steamer Peru to Pacific
Sept. 24, 1897
- Japan
Sept. 24, 1897
- Shanghai
Oct. 10, 1897
- Difficulties of learning the language; walled cities, crowded streets; abundance of unexploited resources - coal, iron, coffee, tin, gold
Nov. 5, 1897
- Comment of background and character of Sidney Partridge; foods available; lack of patriotism among people, French, British, German rivalry; difficulty of working for improvements
Dec. 5, 1897
- Trip on Yangtze - homes, daily activites of people living along river; fish-traps, hooks, nets, spears, cormorants; reaction of peasants to foreigners; use of cash for transactions in hinterland
Jan. 2, 1898
- Administrative difficulties encountered by the Viceroy; plans for experimental farms - 50 acres; unrealistic plans of Viceroy; more on French-German-British rivalry; corruption in government - justice only to be bought; RR building; Religion - much superstition and ceremony; disregard of Confucian and Buddhist ethics - need for Christian example; Model farm - change in plans for
Jan. 25, 1898
- Formalities involved in getting pay for foreign dinner; first Chinese dinner - foods, serving practices, etc; New Year's celebrations - lanterns, firecrackers, gay costumes; begging - "It is a regular profession and the merchants pay them a certain amount each month and then they paste up a slip and the rest will keep away; but if they are not paid all will come until it is a great nuisance;" foot binding; need of China to borrow money for RR construction; inter-power rivalry [see earlier letters]
Mar. 3, 1898
- Unfavorable conditions around Wuchang - inundation of 1,000's of acres; request of Viceroy to be near city - need for strong government; workers stealing parts of machinery in Shanghai cotton mills - variety of troops; city, provincial, Viceroy's, military schools; resistance to innovation
Mar. 22, 1898
- Comment on various cliques in European and American colony in Hankow - gloomy outlook for school; unreliable Chinese aids
Mar. 31, 1898
- Hope for land about seven miles from city - could get more and better land in Szechwan Province or near Nanking; tax and multifarious customs duties paid - to be turned over to foreign customs to secure loan; what will Viceroy do for money?; difficulties Viceroy having with military school; indifference to Brill's urgings that work be started; foreign goods available; protection against anti-foreign riots afforded by English gunboat; death and burial customs
Apr. 16, 1898
- Extreme heat - how Chinese dress for it; work at standstill; no land - no funds because taxes being paid to foreign customs to secure loan; possibility of war - English fleet - Russian troops - restlessness among Chinese because of crediting land to foreign countries; no danger in Wuchang: English gunboat
Apr. 24, 1898
- Hankow's preparation for visit of Prince Henry of Germany, brother of Emperor; Dowager Empress' proclamations; contrasts Japan and China - Japan cleaner, but more dishonest
May 8, 1898
- Has formal agreement with Chinese; German interest in provincial affairs
May 14, 1898
- Riots in Sha Si - foreign buildings burned - due to foreign customs taking over salt and other tax proceeds - places blame on literate and officials; Chinese women - smoking pipes, check corruption and graft in government
June 6, 1898
- First interview with Viceroy; work being done on school, but useless without land; corrupt practices in customs, etc.; friendly terms between Viceroy and British Commissioner of Customs; dance in Hankow - international society; anti-foreign feeling
June 18, 1898
- Superstitions - small pox epidemic, 6 pp. Mss.
June 27, 1898
- Status of married women; funeral customs; misfortune of no sons
July 7, 1898
- Dismissal of Professor R(?); would not submit to "tricks" of Viceroy' aides; extreme heat
July 19, 1898
- Viceroy's plan for soap and candle factory; silk mill idle
Aug. 7, 1898
- p. 2 missing? routine letter
Aug. 21, 1898
- Heat, drought; Viceroy went daily to the dragon temple to pray for rain-punishing gods for not sending rain; other superstitions: serpent hill, spirit's liberty
Sept. 9, 1898
- Routine
Sept. 13, 1898
- Empress Dowager squeezing Viceroy for 1 million taels ($750,000); Viceroy wants Brill to be able to run school on paying basis; very pessimistic about government doing anything; British customs with Sir Robert Hart OK; Chinese RR building - Sheng, Hankow-Canton RR; resignation of the Emperor so Dowager Empress, "6th concubine of Emperor's father," can place 9 year old boy on throne; possibility of Japanese, Russian, other foreign interference; sex mores - Oriental mistresses, etc.; Japanese-Russian animosity; Japanese encroachments on China
Sept. 19, 1898
- Difficulties plowing with oxen; city boys with no knowledge of farming
Oct. 5, 1898
- Comment on Dowager Empress - beheading six of most progressive men; escape of leading reformer to English protection; conservatives completely in power - but reform must come or China will disintegrate; H.E. Chang Chi Tung not yet touched; fire in Hankow - missionary aid for the destitute
Oct. 21, 1898
- Skill of Chinese flower gardeners - their sprinkling methods!; Viceroy on guard because of Empress - no progress - no certainty of getting desired land; comment on foot binding; superstition; more fires
Nov. 13, 1898
- Haggling with boatmen on six mile trip on lake, walk back - gates of city closed - let in for 20 cents!; arsonists in Hankow fires caught and beheaded - heads exposed in public
Nov. 27, 1898
- More on Empress (Manchu); RR's progressing; English survey line to run to Berma; Americans - Wuchang-Canton lines; political anarchy, crop failures; superstitions
Dec. 14-15(?), 1898
- French in Nanking - demands for extensions of Shanghai concessions; visit of American party to Wuchang; [part of letter missing]
Jan. 1, 1899
- Chirstmas at Wuchang; continued drought; bridal procession
Jan. 15, 1899
- Status in Chinese society; Hankow and Wuchang street scenes; firecracker industry
Jan. 30, 1899
- "We started the first Agriculture School in China..."; Crop failures - plans for dykes and windmills - high price of rice; organized and hereditary begging class; discrimination against admitting sons and grandsons of coolies, barbers, etc. to civil service jobs
Feb. 10, 1899
- Chinese New Year ceremonies and celebrations
Mar. 5, 1899
- Rebels - French priest incident; transportation difficulties - no RR's to transport troops; Americans interested in RR's having reached Canton; missionary activities
Mar. 26, 1899
- 500-600 applications for school, only 5 or 6 can speak English; "...any Irishmen with blackthorn sticks..." Sir Robert Hart; Russian brick tea factory
May 4, 1899
- Visit of Prince Henry, brother of German Emperor to Wuchang, gala decorations - banquet; French-German rivalry; parition of French-Catholic missionaries; new rumors re: land appropriations
May 27, 1899
- Position of Eurasians; grand opening next week (June 3); wheat harvest; drill ground, which is being used as farm, to be returned to Viceroy; Catholic missionaries - own property where largest line of river and coast steamers land
June 30, 1899
- Difficulties of learning language; superstitions re: eclipse of moon; anti-foreign riots; Roman Catholic; French influence around Peking
July 9, 1899
- Looking over more land - same difficulties
July 12, 1899
- Dragon boat festival; drought
July 16, 1899
- (from Shanghai) about to leave for Japan; comment on life in Shanghai
Aug. 3, 1899
- (Tokyo) style of dress - meeting with Schurmans in Tokyo; impressions of city
Sept. 2, 1899
- (Shanghai) contrasts Japan with China in favor of the former
Sept. 27, 1899
- More confusion re: land
Oct. 6, 1899
- Hopes to influence Viceroy indirectly through United States Consul; Roman Catholic activity - dependence on French influence; difficulties with Chinese over discipline of students
Oct. 17, 1899
- Difficulties with translators of reports of Viceroy; expects new Chinese director for school
Oct. 27, 1899
- Funeral-death customs; Chinese fire fighting
Nov. 5, 1899
- Attempts to get American Consul to push things with Viceroy; erroneous reports in Occidental press re: China: foot binding still common, etc.
Nov. 20, 1899
- Drill hall and German-trained drill master for boys; Mrs. Little's lectures against foot binding
Nov. 26, 1899
- Requests coming in for Chinese students trained in foreign methods to manage farms in other areas - no one to recommend yet; "Foreign Devil" incident - Japanese infiltration - Brill and Gilmore asked to resign
Dec. 12, 1899
- Routine note
Feb. 1, 1900
- School to close Feb. 1, 1900 - plans for trip home - circumstances of his resignation (Tao Tai's opposition)
Dec. 25, 1899
- Engagement to Mary Williams; comment on why leaving China
Jan. 21, 1900
- Has receievd telegrams from United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.; describes trip to country; 60 miles downstream; describes city - Wuchang, Hsien; relations of missionaries with people; Roman Catholc infl.
Feb. 3, 1900
- Unusually cold winter for Wuchang - beggars dying; Dowager Empress; if England stays involed in Transvaal, Russia and France may move in China; no further words from Washington
Feb. 11, 1900
- Viceroy's troubles; Japanese successor to Brill coming
Feb. 11, 1900
- Postcard: going to country for month
Feb. 26, 1900
- From Liang [Tiang Jon Wan]; travelling with Wesleyan Missionaries; prices of accomodations; poor roads - travellers met; cotton and wheat country; gathering agricultural information
Mar. 25, 1900
- Wuchang - contrasts Episcol and Wesleyan proselytizing techniques; desires of many to join Christian Church (especially Roman Catholic) for protection it affords from Chinese officialdom; further describes trip; Sacred Hill of Hupeh - 3,000 ft. above Yangtze; trip down river on house boat; food "poached eggs in sugar syrup;" has made arrangements to stay in China for awhile - going on plant collecting trip
Apr. 2, 1900
- Living at American mission - expects to leave soon on 8 month trip for Agricultural Department [Brill appointed Agricultural Explorer, Apr. 2, 1900]; fears rioting in No. China; Russian encroachments
Apr. 13, 1900
- Comment on friends at Episcopal compound, Wuchang; Viceroy's military reviews; partition on China
May 8, 1900
- Trip to tea country; friction between Japanese and German officers - Japanese in ascendary because they flatter Chinese; riot among workmen on Hankow-Peking RR
May 29, 1900
- On board ship: trip upstream - hopes to reach Chunking; describes rapids - high narrow gorges; may go to Tibet
June 25, 1900
- "Just below Chunking;" travel up rapids - "tracking;" (missionary friends); much traffic but no regular tow paths; at 8 miles below Chucking, heard at Customs station that there had been an attack on Taku Forts, July 2nd - staying at China inland mission; precautions being taken against possible uprising at Peking, but not likely
July 6, 1900
- Preparations for evacuation, if necessary
July 30, 1900
- Possible evacuation of missionaries at Chucking; French-British rivalry in west China
Aug. 7, 1900
- Further evacuation preparations, Chucking
Aug. 29, 1900
- Women and children have left Hankow, Ichang, etc.; all quiet; murder of 100 Roman Catholics and priest - 10 days travel inland - wating for more missionaries to arrive from hinterland before leaving Hankow
Oct. 1, 1900
- Ichang, explains cancellation of trip beyond Chucking (evacuation of missionaries); whole China buisness has added to Russian prestige - French policy towards Empress; comments on Chinese reactions
Oct. 21, 1900
- Hankow, [W.W.] Rockhill at Hankow [See Straight Papers, #1260]; Viceroy has new camps, more soldiers, since May; new government very pro-Boxer; war party lead bu Tuan Yung Tu
Nov. 4, 1900
- Hankow - factions around Empress; preparation for peace negotiations; rebellion in S. spreading - Russia poses as friend of China - but infiltrating Manchuria - thinks atrocity stories in Occidental press exaggerated
Dec. 17, 1900
- Postcard: leaving soon for Shanghai
Dec. 29, 1900
- Hankow - delay in leaving; sinking of German steamer abover Ichang (struck rock); famine in Shensi province; Moslem rebellion in Kansuli??; Russia in Manchuria
May 20, 1901
- Manila, decsription of city ; conditions, etc.; has declined offer to stay on with Superintendent of Public Instruction (last letter)
undated 9 pp. letter
- Characteristics of Chinese people; corrupt civil services; ancestor worship; position of women; confidence of Chinese Viceroy in Mission schools; famines - due to faulty distribution

Processing Information

Glass plate negatives in boxes 12-22 were assigned sequential numbers beginning at 1 in box 12 and ending at 995 in box 22 for digitization purposes. These numbers are in pencil, and as much as possible, are located on the bottom right corner of the envelopes. These numbers are different from the numbers that Gerow Brill assigned to the negatives.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Status
Completed
Author
Compiled by M.E. Warren
Date
Sept. 1987, rev'd Mar. 1990
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Repository

https://rare.library.cornell.edu/
Contact:
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
607-255-3530
607-255-9524 (Fax)

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