The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-08-19
Japanese Industrial Methods.


In my rambles one day was attracted
TO the place where Matchmaker was bus
ny engaged at his work. He was SQUAT,
ted on the ground; his forge fire was be-
Tore him; his anvil was only about six
inches high, and his bellows power was
confined in box. As he sauatted on
the ground one of his limbs was extend
ed, with his heel resting on grooyed
block placed under it; between his bio
toe and the one adjoining it was the
handle of his bellows, which he worked
Dy the movement of his foot, bringing
tne toes back by a movement of the
ankle joint This man kept three irons
IN the fire, and never lost a minute; he
never let up his hammering and fash
ioning OF nails only to put one rod in the
nre and take out another. l watched
MN for over an hour to see if he would
change his position or rest his ankle or
toes; or puff because of fatigue, but he
tired me out. / left him still working
his bellows with his toes and making
nails with his hands. He appeared as
u rooted in his position, which must
have been anything but comfortable, and
the action OF his toes and foot afterwards
lntruded themselves into my dreams.
Cotton-spinning and the weaving of cot
Ton fabrics is to be seen everywhere in
The country. 1t is no uncommon thing
70 see girls, certainly not over nine wears
OF age, spinning with their little wheels
and spindle, and making an elegant
twist. while their mothers are weaving
at the looms. While spinning the ope-
ratlve sits upon the floor, and the length
OF yarn spun is measured by the play of
the arm, the wheel being turned with
one hand while the cotton is being twist
Gu from the other, the body being sell
dom moved. The loom is made to weave
cloth that is OF regulation width, not
exceeding fifteen inches, the lifting and
towering OF the warp being effected by
tue foot, and the shuttle being passed by
nand. They make slow progress at this
tedious work, but they produce cloth
snat has merit to it for substantial wear.
This domestic factory occupies but
very small space, and the plant don't
cost a fortune.
Inc farmers use the same old-fash-
ioned hoe their fathers did, and they till |
tne SOIL IN the way handed down from |
century TO century. The same methods |
OF transportation, by the packing of |
ca>goes on the backs of horses and bulls. |
and the shoulders of men and women. |
Is adhered to with. conservative strict
ness, outside the limits of the foreign
settlements, and taking into considers
ton the character OF the country and |
the facility for road making, it is ques-
ton for the future to solve whether it
can be much improved. The carpenter
and worker in wood holds to his old
style of tools. He pulls his plane to-
ward him instead of showing it from
him. His bench Is the floor of his work
SHOP, which is usually part of his dwell
ing. he uses a saw that cuts from the
upward stroke, and of course it is pulled
upwards instead of driven downward.
He sits on his bench, 1. e., the floor. as
he planes his material, and what is
known as sawhorse he does not admit
into his premises. Fashioners of wood
enware sit among their slaves and do
their work. Painters of pictures put
their work on the hoor-never upon an
easel before them. The boatman uses
a scull-never an oar, or at least, he
never pulls an oar, but always SOULS his
boat, and is master of the best method.
The cleaner of rice is one who stands to
his toll, and toll it is. Fancy beam six
to eight feet long. and eight inches in
diameter, upon one end of which is af-
fixed pestle eighteen inches long, with
which to pound the rice that is placed in
a large wooden mortar, nearly a bushel
at time. This beam of wood is fixed
upon pivot running between two up