The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-05
LABOR IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Primitive Methods of La6orers in Chilli

HUTniIV6 MSINOQS Oh Law Clio IL ~iiiit'
The next day we were anchored in
the bay Of Coronel. The Osiris was
surrounded by lighters laden with
coal. which was being rapidly show
elled into the hunks by dark skinned
natives. The white mist that hung
over US made the water look like
dull silver; in the foreground were
ships at anchor and small lighters
provided with wnches and nets for
dredging up the bits of coal that fall
into the water while the steamers
are loading; in the background were
the winding wheels of the coal pits;
the moles surmounted by trains OF
coal trucks; the sickly sulphurous
smoke streams of the inevitable
smelling works: the small town of
Coronel clustering along the sandy
black beach; and, behind, the green
hills diapered with mule paths and
patches of red or yellow earth. The
meals of the coal-heavers on the
foredeck interested us. Great
bowls Of beans, Jumps of salt beef
and fat, piles of biscuit, and gallons
of coffee were served out to them.
Each man took what ne needed of
the solids, chose his corner on the
rail, over the matches, or simply on
the bare deck, and ate with no more
comfort than a dog. Then each
man produced large violet mussel
she'll, which he used in lieu of a
spoon to scoop up the beans and
drink the coffee. Let it be remarked
that these coal beavers earn high
wages, as much as five CHILEAN dol
lars, or saw ten shiilings gold, day,
and their food gratis; and yet they
remain little better than gOod-na-
tured brutes, taking no strong drink
while they are at work, bat ready
for any quantity of dissipation after
sunset, improvident ia the extreme.
and willing to work, and to work
well, only when they have no money
left to spend. While watching these
strong muscular fellows, / had some
conversation with the Russian tim
Der merchant about his experience
of men and things in Chill, the sub
ieCt having been led up to by my re-
marking the frequent evidences Of
primitiveness in CHILEAN methods Of
working. Speaking of the great
strength and hardness of the Chilli
an native laborer, Herr C.. said that
this was still more noticeable in the
more southern forest districts. At
Puerto Montt, for instance, which is
one of the most important timber
ports, the work is done entirely by
hand. The trees are feiied with
axes, sawn into planks on the spot
by hand, and the planks carried to
the port from distance Of ten or
twelve miles balanced on the Shout
der of man, who goes along under
his burden at a run. None but ma
tive Chilians could do such work,
and, given the absence of roads, and
above all the nature of the work
men, all attempts to modernize the
methods Of getting out the timber
have failed. Experiments have been
made IN introducing North Ameri-
can machinery, but without success,
The innovators have invariably lost
their money, and the natives, ascus-
toned to do everything with their
hands, have in the end wilfully bro
ken the machinery, in order to have
done with it. l mentioned the fact
that the Gillian government as l
had been informed, meditated the
essay of Norwegian and Swedish
colonists in these southern forest re-
gions. Herr c. was of opinion that
this scheme is utterly impracticabfe,
for the simple reason that Scandina-
Wan Colonists would refuse to live
like pigs, as the Chilians live The
present primitive methods are the
cheapest and the most practical
From "Smyths Channel and the
Strait of Magellan" by Theodore
Child, in Ha1per's Magazine for
February