Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-02-16

India. men taking the place of .tesm aud
water powe,. ..... s..y.i-,s
The mosons 10 India are supposed TO ts
stone mssons, brick-layers and pisstersrs!
As our Chapel is . slvne building, I have
bad no opportunity Of seeing with wha, skill
these men handle bricks. With stone thsy
are OF course sloT. but pretty sure sni fub-
stantisl workmen. The stones ussd here
for bu Ilding are 81 hard snd hinty that IL 10
imp issib'e TO dress them smoothly, but thea
masons BY bsmrnering of rough curnprs, AID
using mortar very freely can mikc very
smooth and firm. wall. The mortar when
dried is almost ss hard as stone, go thst It
can be safely used to almost any extent.
The plsstering is a more simple ard By
far more cufious performance 10 On, hmsri.
car. ln making the mortar, lime il used Iu
about the same proportion as in Americs.
Instead OF sand they nse a substance found
in these hills which resembles common
earth mixed Nth ro'ion sosp.stone,. IL. 10
sifted over rope net work, and the dirt ana
small particles Of stone are put with the
lime. Next hemp is put ia instead OF hair.
and to complete all, coarse -four and dry
sugar are odted, the hnIe making a very
tough cement. The manner OF plsstering
on the mortar il about the s,me a. In
America, but the treatment OF the mortar
before il dries is very peculiar. A set Of
men are supplied siih switches with which
they beat the 9'fi plaster for hours. This
switching is a very laughablv operation,
but it 10 by no nsan' useless. II works the
mortar s, tough and hard thst as soon % Il
is dry, it becomes ike stone. They put ON
three coats OF plaster, the last OF which 10
prepared with CREST care. The soft stons
before mentioned il taken aud soaked 10
water, then mixed with a small quantity Of
lime and the compound is ground bct.een
two stones unii! it re=embls sof, pYity.
This when dry is nearly white and give,s
beautiful finish 10 :he plaster. Upon tbs
whole must say that these men cannot b.
excelled in plsslerng, provid, d they Sc,
enough time and their own way
The coolies were employed ss nod car
rlers Obey do not use hods.) wood and water
carriers and burden bearers generally. All
kinds Of burdens which one man csn csrry
are carried on their heads. The women will
pile up little heap OF stones on their heads
and walk up ladders without putting hand
to them. very seldom do :hey ever let one
fall. Dirt. mortar and small stones are car.
ried in baskets on their heads. n this way
all the dirt and stone has been removed In
digging for the foundation of the building.
They use no shoves but their hapds, ard no
tools for digging, excep, . clsnsy. >,hiuy
u IA L.
they have heavy load to carry. they fas,ea
handspikes under il, and carry il on their
shoulders, but they only do this when sbso-
iutely necessary. always preferring to carry
their loads upon their heads. .,i.
Any one who has never been In Indie, esp
form no ides Of the amount OF patiencs and
watchfulness necessary for one who hiss 1,
spPern'end such worknen. II nigh, bs
supposed from the number Of oversesrs ws
have, that no further care would bs mecca.
sary., Blu. this arrangement 10 of little or
no use to the employer. The n,istriss ant
n1k are generslly the --latest snd moe,
trIfng men Of the lot. and they invariabis
try to favor the men under them ss muchas
possible. for which they receive regular
pay Indeed 60 highly do he men prss
their services that il Is impossible to keep
Them any length Of time without their over
seers. When the employer 10 In sish,, tbs
mistry makes al. possible noise. gives orders
right and left, and beats his men like doys
But this is oil for effect and the men under
stand it very we'll. so that they never resent
it. Owing to this state of things, Il is
necessary for the employer TO epsrs;e tAs
operse:rs. or no work will be. done. /. Is
quite common among the English TO hog
their men Ike negro slaves, and some even.
think that they can get work out Of them in
no other way. It is quite certain howevar.
that ihisis not necessary. II 10 true the
men are mere children, and must In, many
respects BE- trested like children, bui .hru,.
ness and patience are worth more tbsn raw
hides in marsging them. TIE poor fellows
have been 90 long used to such trsstpsSt
thai they seldom resent It, -s.,,,'-
The women in these hills sre pepsyaDy
better workers than the men. They aome.
times take advantage of the respscr shown
them BY the English, so,as to neglect thsi,
work, but when working for themselves.
they can do much more than the men. The
other day tried to shame q man who wss
carrying about two pounds Of dirt on his
head, BY pointing out woman who had her
basket full. and telling him that the woman
could 90 more work than hs could. The
man looked at me with honest surprise, a.
If saying, "she is a woman and of course
she can" In making written ssgresmsnts
with persons for wood, stone, lime, &c.. the
moonehee draws up the article. He then
dips the end Of the penhandle In the ink.
which the native contractos touches with
the end Of his finger and daubs the ink on
the paper. The English employ or signs his
name in the usual way. and the bargain 10
then considered fairly closed. ,7-
Should any one who resds this rambling
letter be saying to himself. "If l were there,
! would make them do things differently. {.
would not submit TO such triflng. I would
show them how to do things right, &cg' let
me -sssy to HIM softly, that he would do
nothing Of the kind. II he wsnted work.
done. he would be compelled to let them do
it their own way or not get il done at all.
If he had plentv of monev nd time IN sn.re