The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-12-10

and oSligtnS die his best TO lay bare the whole
process of nlanufacture of the lovely fabrics and
TO reveal to us how these wonders in enlbroid
cry and coloring are done. He conducted us
over his entire establishments and gave us cards
of admission TO his factory situated in g difTef
ent part . { the city, . privilege seldom granted
to visitors. lie Informed us chat he was now
engaged upon elaborate worl. Intended for the
Columbian Exhibition at Chicago in 1893 One
piece is d landscape scene, which will require a
year and a half to complete. Mr.. Nishemura's
business is not confined to the special art work
of which have spoken but embraces a 50 an
extensive lire Of silks, grapes and brocades OF.
such styles and bilsts Is European manufactures
have never known lie employs g number OF
the most famo9s artists in Japan. at rate Of
wages quite extraordinary for this part Of the
world.
Art embroidery seems to bf the best paid labor
in Japan, the best artists commanding q rate OF
wages as high as four AID fTe dollars q day
This, Of course is exceptional and we Were in
formed that Kioto furnishes hut seven artists In
this particular line whose services command
these high figures. GOOD embroiderers can earn
one dollar day and women from twenty to
thirty CENTS. The men are much the most skill
full at this work. The women are employed on
coarse work mainly. for which there is an i'm
mense demand for EXPORT. These embrace the
flashy, highly cOlored embroideries and are
sent to Europe and America but are never seen
in Japanese home.
In addition TO the Grape and silk industry of
Kioto, there are extensive manufactures of
porcelain, lacquer and bronze, besides many
others for the manufacture OF the lighter arti-
Giles OF tla1e f<ioJo not being one of the open
ports OF the country, the foreign population OF
the city is quite Insignificant and does not ex-
eeed fifteen persons all told, ANA is made up of
those having charge of the foreign missions and
the mission schools. Among the number is the
Rev. j. C. Amber iii charge Of the American
mission whose acquaintance we had the pleas
ure of making during our brief sojourn in the
city and whom we found to be most courteous
ana agreeable gentleman. Mi. Amber is from
your own State (Fauquer county,. His father
think was prominent in Virginia politics TWEEN
ty five years ago and if I mistake not had some
connection with the Mason and Slidell mission
to England in 1862. MI. Amber is making a
gallant fight here with Buddhism and his
friends can feel assured that they have not only
an able but an active ana willing representa-
tive in this field, the very hot bed and cradle
Of Buddhism in Japan From personal obser-
walton I do not think his bed is one of roses.
Returning from Kioto we visited the city of
Nagoya, (since wrecked by the terrible earth
gllph of Dwarf, a place Of great commercial
Importance. 1t is manufacturing centre and
is noted also as being the best laid out and best
built city in Japan. 1t has population of $780,
900. The principal object Of interest in the city
of Nag oya is the castle, which is still in good
state of preservation, although 500 years old. 1t
is at present used as a barrack for the military
forces of the garrison and the extensive grounds I
and gardens connected with it for the drilling
grounds of the cavalry. The place is strongly |
fortified and the castle Which occupies the |
space within the inner mote is "a fine example |
of a Japanese fortress. Adjoining the castle is
a fve-storied pagodG, the roof of which IS
adorned by a pair OF golden dolrllins. They |
measure feet high by feet inches in length
and are valued at s.so,0oo for the pair. One OF
them was taken down and sent to the Universal
Exposition in Vienna in 1878 and on its way
back the ship was wrecked but the treasure was
recovered with much difficulty and finally re-
stored to it's original position II UGH to the sat
isfaction of the citizens. The manufacture OF
porcelain is carried on extensively at Nagoya,
and there is no place in Japan where SO fine a
display Of these wares may be seen or where
they may be purchased to so good an advan-
tage.
The place is also celebrated for its manufac-
ture of Shppo or Cloissone pronounced claw
SOH-lld) ana tltG eSUGbllSuiHGlU VI Lava
nouchi in this particular line of Japanese art is
as famous as that OF Mr.. Nishemura's at Kioto
is in his line and 10 visitor to Japan should faii
to see both. You have doubtless seen and adj
mired the beautiful Ciossonc, but you probably
have but faint idea Of the time, patience and
labor it required to make it.
From fifty to two hundred days is quite an
ordinary TINA to spend upon single piece and
it must pass through at least q dozen pairs OF
hands Lefore it is finally completed. First,
those of the coppersmith, who FORCES the found
alton for the vase plaque bowl or whatever the
artist has designed and which Will be worth a
years income when it is finished. Next the
tracing Of the designs on the copper, more deli
cate than q hair and with the intricacy of a
SPIDERS web. The next process is by the wire
worker who clips off little bits of gold and sill
yer wire and lays them on the delicate tracings
and hair-Iike lines until the entire design in
tracing has been brought out as it were i'll re
lief. These little bits OF wire are held in place
by subtle cement which the later process OF
burning only makes more tense Then comes
the coating of enamel of various colors, and
then the burning which is repeated two, three
and often seven times, before the enamel is
completed. And lastly the polisher who rubs
away day by day, every process is by hand, go
machinery Of any KIND being used in its manu-
facture) on the same piece with combination
Of patience and Interest worthy of a governess
teaching baby prince But the artist finally
has his reward for If all of the various processes
through which the piece has gone have been a
success he is in possession of gem that king
might envy. Cioissone is the most expensive of
all of the beautiful wares made by the Japanese
and to my fancy far the most lovely Mr.. Taca
nouchi showed through both his extensive
sales rooms and his factory, where we were en-
oPY, 20. t,pa 1f
these beautiful wares He, too, ike other lead
ing artists in Japan, has received the highest
medals for his productions wherever they have
been exhibited
But am warned thar have carried this let
ter to quite an unusual length and though there
is much more that | should like to tell you l
shall defer it for fut ure letter.
In conclusion regret to add that many of the
pleasant recollections of this journey through
Japan have been married and saddened by the
terrible visitation of the 18th of October, of
which the telegraph has no doubt advised you.
1t is the more appalling TO us as we had but just
left the scene where the greatest loss OF life and
destruction of property occurred and only es
capped the fury OF this death dea ling catastrophe
by being few days in advance of it. The vii
lage of Ogaki especially which was totally de-
stroyed and 700 of its 5000 population instantly
killed, is but three miles from the marble quar-
rieS where we are interested and where we
spent some days return from Kioto In
addition to the killed, 1866 were badly wounded
and every house and tenement in the place
overthrow. Gifu, in the near vicinity city
of 20,000 suffered even more seriously, having
2, 300 killed, 1900 wounded and 1900 houses to-
tally wrecked The city of Magoya, Ito which
have referred IN another part Of this letter.
thirty miles from the quarries suffered heavily
in loss of life and destruction of property. No
foreigners were killed at Magoya but among
the wounded appear the names of Dr.. and Mrs.
Van Dyke connected with the American mission
at that plate FRANK WINFIELD.
What They Said.
In the Alliance caucus in Richmond
Monday evening, while the Railroad bill.
prepared by Mr.. Kent, of Wythe, was
being considered, the members from Au-
gusta and Allegheny and Bath, spoke as
follows