The Portland daily press., 1870-06-22
'rres .onlence Nes York Tlibune.l
NORTH ADAMS, Mass, June

their Benches-ho,o neJ iean-what then
cost.
ICorres .onlenee New York Tiibunel
NORTH ADAMS, Mass, June 1G.
There are many reasons why the expert
ment just begun, OF the introduction OF Chi
hese labor into the shoe shops of Massacba-
sets, Is especially interesting. 1t is the des-
peiate resort OF the manufacturers against
the growing and uubearable exactlons of the
hnignts OF st. Crispin-the most formidable
combination OF labor ever formed in Massa-
chusetts or New England and the strongest
In The country except the coal miners of
Pennsylvania. 1t is serious check, il not
checkmate, to the hope OF that Order, which
hau oegun to count on the entire control
of the shoe-trade of the country. Il orings
lace 10 tace labor which compsands from 81
to ST day, and labor whsffy content with 10
cents day, and a-6unk in a barrack. And,
moSoouer it IS the first real attempt to bling
the oyerflowing population of China into con.
tact with American Civilization in its best
form. The Chinese are in California under
protest; thev are all "John;" they are taxed
out of existence; they are pelteS in the
streets; they ale demoraized by prostitution;
they are condemned without hearing. In
New England it is Mr. Sine," hearty hand
grasp is given them, the children run to teach
them to read English, the Sunday-schOol
ana they would be welcomed as voters in the
town meeting tomorrow. Jean and Pierre
and Patrick and Bridget look at the N iroan-
ingly, and declare that their coming will be
the run of place which bias stood one class
OF immigration so well; but the Berkshire
Yankee IS quite willing TO put his civilization
to the test Of assimiating them, and is quite
sure that kind treatment on the basis of per-
feet equality will have with Ah My very
different result from any that has been devel-
oped ON the Pacific coast.
An inspection OF the cheerful little colony
Just established in the factory of Mr. CALVIN
L. sampson certainly produces different i'm
preston from that received by accounts from
California or China itself. The quarters pro-
vided for the strangers ale filled with young
men OF small stature, all chattering in
tongue which seems to have no syllables, all
smiling in a superabuDdance OF good spirits
and good nature, and all neat as wax. 1t
seems impossible that these can be the elass
who built the Pacific railroad. slender and
,iS,t as s''"p are, with faces sparkling with in
tellSence, anu hanaS --.aaller and more deli
cate than these OF the average Or American
women. And indeed they are not fair av-
erage of Chinese laborers; for Mr.. Chase
(Mr. Simpsons AGENT obtained picked men
from company of two thousand, selected
especially for their quiclness and adaptation,
to a business requiring skill and intelligence.
But it gives novel and agreeable impression
TO u New Englander to see party oil emf
grants freshly arrived ou American soil, en-
ploying their first days OF rest not in smoking
and drinking, not in quarrelne or sleeping
but in reading diligently books i'll their own
language, in writing diaries in blank books
they have brought tor the purpose, in study
ing arithmetic with their national "sum-do-
Irg' machine of beads on wires, and in earn
ing to speak Eusli IN with an eaoeTne;s almost
painful in its intensity OF application. Re-
mind Berkshire man that these are Pagaps,
representing a nation cursed with peculiar
vices. with no conception of republican ideas,
and he points you triumphanly to Mr.. All
Sing, the leader of this company, who after
eight years in California wears the garments
of our civilization down to his boots, speaks,
reads and writes English, is courteous and
digni6ed in manner and belongs TO the Meth
odist Gnu ch The North Adams philosO-
pher is entirely confident of bringing every
one of these strangers up to MIR. All Sings
standard in much less than eight years, and
that once accomplished will be quite ready to
take them into his church or his parlor.
But OF course The first great question TO be
answered in regard to these men, Is nee
whether they will become Christians and
American citizens, but whether they can
learn to make shoes. There ale manifeslly
two difficulties in the way. To be taught,
they must have Instructors, and the Crispins
direct their whole attack against this point,
striving to frigbten and bribe away the shoe
makers who come here to teach, aud threat
| ening all sorts OF measures against them. But
there are men of pluck and independence
enough in Massachusetts, even in the shoe
| making trade to resist these methods OF per-
suasion. and l think Mr.. Sampson will be
able to induce them to stag with him, Then
| it is not easy to teach an apprentice so elabo-
rate and nice an operation as bottoming a
shoe, when by his ignorance OF the language
he becomes as inaccessible by words as if be
he Were deaf and dumb. Everything must be
done by example, nothing by precept; the
simplest question cannot be understood, the
briefest explanation given. But with a race
proverbially apt at imitation, with eagerness
to learn on one side and patience in teaching
on the other, even this obstacle diminishes
materially; and a manufacturer who has in
structed body of Frenchmen to make shoe
before they could speak an English sentence,
only to see them captured even more quickly
by the Crispin oider, need not shrink at the
task of educating Cinnamon. AS 10 the nat
ural facility of the new bands, there can be
no question whatever. They are def of mo-
tion and keen of sight to begin with. They
are not appalled, by the intricacies of machin-
| cry. They learn slowly enough never to for
Il y
ready in correcting mistakes once pointed out
L As write, the first learners have been epgag
ed but few hours; it being thought expedi-
| eut, with the limited force of instructors al
| Mr.. SIMPSONS command, to teach but lew
| at time, and let the rest gather from them
more gradually what they have gained. But
| already one has undertaken that most delicate
| and difficult of machines, the pegglny ma.
| chine, an operator of which is very rare and
| can command high wages. and has made mar.
velous progress in controlling its devious and
| peculiar motion, which requires the hands
and foot and eyes to be all on the alert. An
| other has lasted a shoe, after seeing several
completed by the instructor, and except some
slight imperfecton in rounding the toe has
turned out creditable piece OF work. Any
one familiar with the business can testify that
these are nice and difficult operations. requir-
ing long practice and close study on the part
of an apprentice of whatever color, especially
in fine work of the grade that Mr.. Sampson
does, not coarse brogans, but elegant shoes iol
ladies' wear.
A few details as to the terms of the CONTRACT
which Mr.. SIMPSONS agent made in San Fran
cisco with the commission house acting tor tn,
Chinese laborers must complete this hasty let
ter. Seventy five men are engaged. A fore
man to keep them in order and up to thei
work, provide for their needs, and command
l JucIu SSueTdiIy, dI SOO d uOubu duu tWO COOh
who act also as counsellors and ADVISORS. belni
men of rank and experience. at the wages o
,aborers, are all the non producing members o
the company. The rest will all stand at th'
bench and make shoes" They will receiv,
S23 4 month each the first year, and $28
month the rest OF the three years they ar
bound to stay. In ADDITION to this, and to tn,
expense OF bringing them here, Mr.. Sampso,
| snpPiios tho boat tor their cooking, and thei
hunks, ranged in four tiers at about u a dis
lance Of an ordinary sleeping car, and furnish
ed with mattresses. All the rest the me-
1 themselves provide, boar0ng themselves az
cordng to their own taste and fancy. The em
ployer has advanced money to furnish ther
with hats, underclothing, stockings, dishhs
Though most of these they brought viii
them,) and cotton cloth tor various uses; bu
this is to be worked out" and deducted iron
the first wages paid. II any Chinaman dies
| his boCes aIe to be sent home by express.
is not an experiment to be cheaply tried, o
| course. but Ii is not so costly as would be i'm.
| apinel Mr.. Sampson determined to sinl
| $4,000 if necessary. in carrying the thin,
through; he is not likely to'have invested one
| fifth OF that amount before the profits begin u
come IN. He doubles his pight-wa lllumi
mates the grounds about his building by DOW
erful refectOrs, laughs at the threats OF tbs
| Crispns, and is as confident of entire success
as OF the rising OF the sun tomorrow.
| To COnsracfOrs