The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-07-19

United States, as design, from which
the "Stars and Stripes was afterward
adopted, took place under the personal
direction of General Washington, aided
by committee of Congress 6 authorized
to design suitable flag for the nation
at Philadelphia, June, 1777.
This took place at the residence of
Mrs. Ross, relative of Colonel Ross,
in Arch Street, between Second and
Third, where General Washington and
the committee completed the design, and
employed Mrs. Ross to execute the work
The house is still standing (No. 239).
Mrs. Ross was afterward Mrs Claypool
Her maiden name was Griscom, and
according to the fashion of the times,
she was called Betsy"
Betsy Griscom had, before the Rev.
olution, acquired some knowledge of
the "upholder" trade, as it was then
called-an occupation synonymous with
that of the modern upholsterer-and at
the time mentioned was carrying on
business on her own account in her lit
tie shop. One day, probably between
the 23d of May and the 7th of June,
~ 1777, during which period Washington
was in Philadelphia, there came to her
the commander-in-chief, the Hon.
George Ross, and other gentlemen,
members of Congress, who desired to
know whether she could make them a
flag according to design which they
wuold produce. She intimated her
willingness to try. The design was for
flag of thirteen red and white stripes,
alternate, with union, blue in the field,
spangled with thirteen appointed stars.
Mrs. Ross expressed her willingness to
make the flag, but suggested that the
stars would be more symmetrical and
pleasing to the eye if made with five
points, and she showed them how such
stat could be made, by folding sheet
of paper and producing the pattern by
single cut. Her plan was approved,
and she at once proceeded to make the
flag, which was finished the next day.
Mrs. Ross was given the position of
manufacturer offags for the government,
and for some years she was engaged in
that occupation. The business descend
ed to her children, and was carried on
by her daughter, Clarissa Claypool, who
voluntarily relinquished it on becoming
member of the Society of Friends,
lest her handiwork should be used in
time of war.-Harper's Magazine.
LABOR AND CAPIToL.-I have been
watching some stonecutters at work
next door, The boss is absent. 1t is
ten o'clock in the forenoon. Three
men have been at work all the morning
splitting off a mass of granite. 1t is
very plain that if one of the men had
taken the separation of that mass of
granite by contract, he would have done
it in half an hour. But these ingenious
creatures have already given three hours
to it, and it is pretty clear that they in
tend to make half day of it. l don't
know what the workmen themselves re-
ceive per day, but the occupant of the
premises has to pay five dollars per day
for each of these skilled laborers. So
the cracking off of that piece of granite
costs him seven dollars and half |
would make wager of five to one that
either of the three men could do it in
twenty minutes. | am not writing the
paragraph to complain of the lack of
honor and manliness among workmen,
for perhaps L and q beg your pardon,
dear reader) you under the same circum-
stances might be guilty of the same
mean, sneaking theft, but my object is
to say word on the system of work by
the day. 1t is utterly demoralizing.
1t is bad altogether.
Last summer | resolved upon two
small sub-cellars under my own house
They were of the same size, and SINH
larly circumstanced in every way. The
first was excavated under the manage
ment of a boss, who charged me by the
day for his men. His bill was S39. so.
Failing upon an unemployed Irishman,
l asked him to dig out the other cellar
for definite sum. He suggested $50,
but we finally fixed on So. Patrick tried
hard to finish the job in one day, but
he failed, and had to work two hours
next morning to finish it.
Nine-tenths of the troubles between
labor and capital would disappear at
once if we who need labor could get at
the workmen directly, and not meet
everywhere boss who so manages that
the laborer shall perform but half days
labor, while we are required to pay in
many cases at least three times as much
for the work performed as we should
have to pay if we could make our con-
tract with the workmen themselves, who
in their turn would often double their
wages, and, what would be even more
precious to them, preserve their sense
of manliness.
My own experience with plumbers
and steam piping would prove still
stronger illustration of the value of the
idea l am urging.-Dio Le,cis an To-
day.
THE ADVANTAGE OF PRINTING.-Mr.
b., well-known Metropolitan printer,
once told us that on one occasion an old
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