New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-23
Japanese Mechanics.

HIS Imperial MAJESTY tne Mihduo Vi
Japan, through his deputies, a squad of
japanese mechanics has begun operations
on the slope of Georges hill upon a bam-
boo structure. TO be used as dwelling Gur-
ing the centennial bv his ma j-sty's COM
missioners and exhibitors. There are twelve
sturdy japanese artisans. some clad IN
American costume from the neck upward
and others from the ankle downward, the
intervening space being covered with
close-titling tights ct blue stuff for
the legs and great baggy tunics of the
same color and material reaching to the
middle of the thigh an . girdled at the waist
with what would pass for longitudinal
strip of Joseph's coat. Ga the back and on
the breast of the tunic is shield-like patch,
as large as the head of nail keg,
covered with tirecracker hlerog glyphics
indicating the rank and family OF the
wearer. These Japs in their own country
rank seventh in caste, the grades being
as follows: Princes, priests, soldiers, civil
officials. traders, artisans and laborers.
A few DAYS ago the tol olemaD, who seemed
to be mandarin. as his shields of patches
were of unusual size and he wore no hat,
spent much of his time in saving nails,
while strapplng up something like fence
to keep bad "Melcan boys" from running
away with the cases Of bamboo, which
weigh about half ton each. There are a
these saved posts, the Japs made their rails
stretch toward every availa BILE tree. The
foreman took bits of rope made of Japanese
grass, and began fastening the rails with
them to the trees, turning now and then a
look of celestial scorn up; certain OtficiOus
ignoramuses who offered him a few
ails, which they had begged at Queen Vic
turias houses, t. win the favor of the Mi
kado's mandarin foreman. Many scram-
= Il
mirthful boys anx ous TO grab up fragment
of the grass rope 10 preserve it as Japanese
relic OF the centennial. But the most Gu
rious part of the da. Is work was the driving
of a number OF piles, each SIX feet long aud
ten inches in diameter, upon which Is to
rest, like u corn crib d rectangular struct-
ure, eighty-four by to'ty-.O feet, and IN
G. neral appearance like the pictures
OF Japanese houses that children see
the Japs managed he pile driving
brought mang burst OF laughter from the
bystanders. They b al portable iTipod,
about twenty feet high, with two fixed
pulleys uuder the apex, from which WAS
Suspended by grass rope a cN lindrIcal iron
hammer. weighing 800 pounds. SIX Japs
on each side OF he machine seize a grass
rope when passes over one OF the puileys,
the foreman stands to one eide, h lids up
parently not satisfied with this, picks up a
short stick. holds it IN q vertical posi-
ton between his two fOletiDgers
sights the pile with it, and at last
wink with both eyes as signal to the
wurkmen that the ceremony OF Japanese
plumb -bodding is concluded, whereupon
the hammer moves up and down very rap
idly. driving the Pile an inch into the earth
at every descent, until it ,s time for the
= > al, mol
One pile struck u rock, and while every
body was wondtriug now things were goi"g
to be managed. enc Of the gang ran OFT and
brought some thing back that had t. q h like
cav, but which Was shaped like
butchers cieaver, but the painting p had
severed the stick in about half the time re-
quired tor a saw of American make to do
the same work.
The Japs draw their planes toward them
instead of pushing them from them. and
use an ink-iue instead of chalk-tiae. 1t
resembles Il tape-!'ns case, and contains a
sponge which may be saturated with Ink of
any color; through this sponge the cord
may be drawn aud then wound up, dlspens-
ing with the tedious process OF chalklng
The holes for the piles were marked out III
this odd way: Two posts, one a. each end
of the foundation, were connected at the
top by a tightly drawn cord; trOun end to
with his rule, measuring off spaces,
which he marked hy tying bits of string in
bow knots to the main cord and then stand
ing on to go through his delicate operation
of plumb bobbing, which lie repeated every
time that his men removed the tripod to
drive new pile. Their aGze is r-mark-
able tool. CHI, fly on account Of its handle,
which is shaped as Hogsrrhs line of beauty
might be- if warmed by torr,d weather. the
wi-lder If this tool etanjs over his timber
aud hacks away, driving the steel far un-
derneath his foot at every blow. When the
ropes of tn. pile drivers were too long the
foreman faslened blocks of wood III slip
knots to shorten them, hut one OF these
slipped and dropped on the head of young
Jap. causing him to let 60 the rope. fell
backwar and roll over to big log, upon
which he sat down to rest himself and laugh.
The Japanese square ia eighteen and =
half inches long and nine and quarter