The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-07

THE CHINESE sHOEMAKERs AT
NORTH ADAMS.
Their Real Condition-.-Thelr Clean.
~ HabitS...ProgreSs Of the Expert.

,rportlenoe ofNo ~ y StqulQrI,

NORTH ADAMS, MASS, July !.
Imust confess that l came here thor.
oughly saturated with prejudice against
the Chinese, Mr.. Sampson and the now
Massachusetts "Coolie slave trade" fol-
all the eminent and reliable sons Of
Crispin had told me the abomination OIL
desolatlon that these things had wrought,
After sufficient preliminary skirmishing,
exteriorally, Iapplicd TO 1Ir. Sampson
for permission 10 scrutinize the inside
arrangements. He Is agentlemanly per.
son Of perhaps forty years old, dressed
elegantly, but in perfect taste. A high,
broad forehead, a massive chronological
development, indicating q strong mind
and benevolent disposition, without any
trace Of meanness; auburn hair and side
whiskers, a clear white complexion and a
frank, open, pleasing expression Of face
including "talking blue eyes" render him
altogether progressing. He is exceed.
ihgly bitter against the keyhole sensation
reporters especially those whom he treat
cd with kindness and courtesy, and who,
he claims, have almost to- man entirely
misrcprcsentcd him; writing, against facts,
TO create morbid sensations In the public
mind TO please the discontented Crispins,
The factory is fine large tour.story
brick building, located but few rods
from the business centre Of the town.
Numerous windows afford excellent light
and ventilation, blue shades efTectually
shielding off the hot sun. The surround
ings arc very pleasant. A picket fence,
newly painted, Is the only enclosure, and
this Is low enough for mo to leap by q
handspring. A wide lawn on three
sides, and q flourishing garden on the
fourth, with nicely grayeled walks, really
eclipscs the taste and ncatness around
many more protentious family mansions.
A fountain, flower beds, etc., arc to be
added. These are their play grounds,
over which the Coolies have free scope.
Last evening they were all out, enjoying
the cool twilight, merrily, but without
noise. Nimble chasing, Jumping games,
and hearty, pleasant laughter-with no
trace of OisterOusness-made the echoes
chime with happy sounds. Ono Is struck
with the neatness and taste Of their per-
sons and attire. Their light smooth olive
complexion, jet hair, twisted inevitably
into their national tails, set off by their
blue jean gowns and broad calico trous:
ers, with their homemade cloth and wood
shoes; their smiling faces, lit up by gilt.
tcring eyes, always good natured, and
ready to laugh, and their white regular
teeth put to shame many Of the American
workmen, with their slouclly and unkempt
habits and dress. They are exceedingly
particular about likelihood, and never eat
rats and puppies, us some Of their SLAM
lercrs may have uncOnsciOusly done in
partaking OF the unknown ingredients Of
boarding. house hash. Their cooking Is
clearly and even daintily done. A large
range, built expressly for them, with
utensils made to order, are kept scrupu-
lousy nice. they sleep in hunks newly
made, and covered with calico. There
are five tiers Of them, reached by ladders.
Cool drafts of air IRE circulated by win
dows and ventilatOrS.
All these arrangements were made un-
der their own Superintendent. Every
thing is kept clean, except the floor, that
is impossible, because Of the many visit
ors who constantly tramp over it. They
take all the curious looks Of their Yankee
neighbors with evident good nature, and
stare bAck with pleasant wrinkles OF their
eyes, All Sing understands and reads
well, but cannot speak very aucntly in
the English dialect. Hc reads all the
newspaper reports about his company,
and intcrprets them, but shrugs his shout
ders with light gigglc at I'm introduction
to u reporter.
He hHs complete control, and they obey
him rs they would mandarin. There
are two highly educated counsellors, who
arc also Judges among them. They arc
by no means uncduCate0, anl some of
them arc highly accomplished-more SO
than many Of us. They have quite all
assortment Of their own printed books on
various subjects.
1t is not true, as lias been stated, that
they arc adopts at imitation, but barren
of inventive genius. They propose to
show what they arc in the kind OF shoes
they will make. This is the tenth day OF
their residence, ind some Of them arc
now working independent Of instructors,
making rs good d shoe as tho Crispins can
after all their years OF apprentice and
iourneyman experience. Three work TO.
gcthcr' in "team." Ono places on The
upper, the other lasts, and tho third puts
on the sole.
Dir. Sampson refuses to make any more
statements to reporters, and character
ICES certain Of them that have been print
ed us altogether false. lie proposes to
prove in q few days before experts what
these Asiatics can do in sllOemaklng. He
has large number Of American girls
employed In binding Shoes These did
not 70 with the Crisptn movement, and
recently without their asking It, their
wages were increased about fifteen per
cent. They make from nine to fourteen
dollars per week. a number Of men who
stood to their work thrOughOutall the diff
flculty, are now instructing the Celes-
tials. Mr.. Sampson claims that he Is pay
ing them full priCcs-cven five dollars
per dny-whcn he could get the work
done for dollar day. But he proposes
to stand by these men who stood by him.
Their own testimony endorses his claim.
The truth is, TINT the Crispin Society have
acted the part OF discontentcd Conspira.
tors, and their attitude Is that Of an en-
thusiast union or guild, determined obsti.:
nately against every force Of argument, to
pitch in battle labor against capital. In
this they inaugurate among their crafts.
men reign Of terror, and many whose
suffering families urge them to work at
reduced rates dare not for personal safety.
They even fear to speak their mind In the
matter, and those that talked with me did
50 under pledge Of secrecy on my part.
Crispins in other towns who came here
and worked awhile, well satisfied with the
reduced wages, which were more than
they received elsewhere, were compelled
by fears Of personal violence, to leave tho
n n,nv hn we'll 10 atntn lcrn TINT all the