The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-29
Japanese Industrial Methods.

In my rambles one day was attracted
to the place where Matchmaker was bus
lily engaged at his work. He was squat
ted on the ground; his forge fire was be-
fore him; his anvil was only about six
inches high, and his bellows power was
confined in a box. As he squatted on
the ground one of his limbs was extend
ed, with his heel resting on a grooved
block placed under it; between his big
toe and the one adjoining it was the
handle of his bellows, which he worked
by the movement of his foot, bringing
the toes back by 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
loning of nails only to put one rod in the
flre and take out another. watched
him 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. l left him still working
his bellows with his toes and making
nails with his hands. He appeared as
if rooted in his position, which must
have been anything but comfortable, and
the action of his toes and foot afterwards
intruded 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
to see girls, certainly not over nine years
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-
rative 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
ed from the other, the body being sell
dom moved. The loom is made to weave
a cloth that is of regulation width, not
exceeding fifteen inches, the lifting and
lowering of the warp being effected by
the foot, and the shuttle being passed by
hand. They make slow progress at this
tedious work, but they produce a cloth
that has merit to it for substantial wear
This domestic factory occupies but
very small space, and the plant don't
cost fortune.
The farmers use the same old-fash-
Toned hoe their fathers did, and they till
the soil in the way handed down from
century to century. The same methods
of transportation, by the packing of
cargoes 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 considera-
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, i. e., the floor, as
he planes his material, and what is
known as a 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 fioor-never upon an
easel before them. The boatman uses
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 a pestle eighteen inches long, with
which to pound the rice that is placed in
large wooden mortar, nearly bushel
at time. This beam of wood is fixed
upon pivot running between two up
rights, at such distance from the CEN
ter of gravity that the weight of a man
is required to lift the pestle, and you
have rice-cleaning outfit. At the butt
of this beam stands the man, and to
raise the pestle he places one foot upon
it and throws his entire weight and force
into the action, The pestle being ele-
waited, he steps from his position to allow
it to descend upon the rice, and this is
kept up all day long. You may be sure
these men develop the muscles of their
limbs and sweat like Turks, while they
do not hamper themselves with any
extra clothing. - Yokohama (Japan) Cor.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Eranoh Morrioun