Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-11-02
WORKING FOR THE PUBLIC.

How tho Average Street Lsborer Man.
ages to XIII Time in the City.
brooklyn Eaglel
The effete aristocrats of the east about
whom we have read so much and who take
such ordinary pains to kill time, should take
lessons from any Of the workers in
the public department of New York.
The average street laborer kills time
with less effort and more success
than the most accomplished Of the
effete monarchs of the east One day sat
near front window and observed the &C.
tious Of a gang of four men who came to
open up portion Of the street. It was a
day that was alternately sultry and
rainy--just the sort OF day
to stay in doors-and had an OK.
tended opportunity Of observing the actions
OF the gang. 1t was about 8 o'clock when
first went to the window. They were all
four sitting in row on the curb stone like
so many blackbirds on the bough Of q tree.
They wore overalls, flannel shirts and
various head-gear, and, as they chewei
tobacco. the four jaws rose and fell In
unison. A picturesque assortment of picks
and shovels was piled In front Of them.
When l glanced out an hour later they
were still staring thoughtfully at the pave
ment and moving their jaws mechanically.
Then the boss after much effort, succeeded
in getting q jointed foot measure, about the
size Of penknife out Of his overall pocket
and began to measure Off section Of the
street about ten feet long and six wide. The
others looked at him with the casual interes
OF men who were about to 60 to work.
Presently the foreman few into great pas
sion, scowled and be gan to blow up the men.
d., 10 hon tat la lr-
guarded tho men roundly and then abruptly
went over and sat down besides them, and
then the others paid not the slightest atten-
tion to him. At this point 1t began to
sprinkle and the quartette journeyed heavily
to neighboring area, where they sat down
comfortably ON the stones and lighted their
pipes 1t rained about fifteen minutes.
Two hours later the men we're again at
"work" They had by this time, amid a
perfect whirlwind Of words, succeeded In
mapping out their work. and they were
yanlking up the stones by means Of crowbar,
and pickaxes. The boss sat on neighbor
boring freplug and yelled at tom enoour
agingly. After O mighty effort they sue
ceeded in loosening the stones, and Their
they all journeyed to the area again and
spent an hour eating their dinners. After
this they came out slowly. one after an.
other looked at the stones, looked up and
down the street. stretched, yawned and be-
gan to pile up the stones In the middle oil
the street. This was designed to protect
horses from stumbling into the hole.
1t also served to almost entirely blockade
the street.
There was now a rectangular piece Of
about six by ten feet from which the stone:
had been removed, and which gained
thereby a depth Of about six inches. Hav
ing cleared all the stones out OF the space,
the gang sat down again on the gutter
admire it. and suddenly 1t began once more
to rain. They all retreated into the area
and presently the boss sent two of the n
forth armed with bailers. One had al
old tomato can and the other a sauce
pan. 1t was raining hard and the hole was
full of water One of the laborers tool
up a position at either end of the six-inot
excavation and began to bail 1t out The
rain beat down upon their broad backs
but they bailed on faithfully for nearly
two hours, not the faintest effect resulting
from their efforts; they might as we'll have
tried TO bail out the Atlantic ocean with 4
couple Of thimbles When the rain stoppei
they stopped, too, and went back to tbs
area, leaving the space completely fllet
with water. Later on they succeeded II
loosening the earth little and then they
shouldered their picks and shoyels and wen
stolidly away.