Arizona silver belt., 1884-10-11
SWISS lgooD CARVING.
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The London Times, h a letter from one ofits correspondents referring to the removal of a number Of Swiss car yers to the United Slaiss says that they earn as much as eight dollars a day-morc than theycau earn at home in a week This turned into francs sounds a good deal. and is, indeed, an undeniably high wage, eight dollars 3 day being nearly ten pounds a week, only a litsie less, saysthe writer. than the salary of the President of the Con federation.
 Swiss wood carving is much younger industry than Swiss watch making. It was introduced into the ] Bcrnese 0berland seane fifty years ago by Christian Fischer, a sclf-taught artist of Brlenz. Bat he was more peasant than artist, Getested working indoors. and bis ambition did not ex- tend beyond carving rings for table napkins, cutting wooden egg cups, and adorning them wlth aowers. He was also a musician and village bone set ter. and altogether, 3 man of versatile genius But his great merit was be- ing the creator of 8 new industry, for though Fischer did no great doings himself, be put into practice valuable idea, and founded 9 school. Peter Baumann, of Grindelwald, and man named Flenz, belonging to the same country, improving on Fischers idea, began the making of those charming Swiss chalets. now SO popular, and which is now almost de rigeur for tourists in Switzerland to purchase. What vas more natural than for these peasant artists to model, first of all their own picturesque houses with their overhanging roofs. their quaint galleries, their painted ornaments. and crrved figures, brown with age, stand ing on a plinth of white stones over shadowed with trees, within sound of a rashing torrent. and sheltered from avalanehes and the north wind by the rocky rampant of some Alpine height?
 Peter Baumann, who seems to have been more thrifty and steadfast than bis predecessors, settled at Meyringen and taughi his art 10 his three sons, one of whom. Andreas. became the facile princeps of wood carving His work is deemed uEapproaehable, and his b0uquets of roses still serve as models for aspiring scoiptors. The success and celebrity acquired by the Baumanns caused the industry to spread, and wood carving soon became the winter occupation of every house hold in the vale of Hasli. But there was ro regular market for their pro- ductii5ns. their only customers were casual visitors their only agents hotel porters and small shop keepers, who took ihe lions share of the profits The trade wanted organizing in fact, and, after several tentative efforts in this direction, the Brothers Wirth es- tablished their extensive workshops wherls several hundred seuiptors of the oberland now find regular em- pIoynlent In this industry. as in almost every other, the best results arc olltained by division of labor Every carver has his cr her speciality. Some prefer to shape groups ofs alli- mals. others like better plants and flowers, others again take to buildiDg miniature ehalets, and making euaons easksts and what tlley like tha best is generally the best done Elaborate arlistic furniture is also made in great variety in the establishment of the Bfetbers Wrth n lse2 the indus.