Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-12-29
HOUSES WITHOUT NAILS.
Japanese Govcrnmctt Structures at tho
Worlds Fair.


Japaucso Government Structures at the
Worlds Fair.
Jolly men from Nippon land are hard
at work at jackson park. They work
hard because the Japanese government
headquarters must bc completed for the
opening Of the exposition, and the time
is short for the undertaking,
Something about the quaint costumes,
the good nature Of the workers., the pc
,....a- forms of the structures under
way drew III. crowd Of visitors 10 the
north end Of the Island TO watch the
proceedings
The toilcrs are rs picturesque as n bit
Of old Japan can be. They were at work
on a temporary house that looked like
Joke. Tho timbers were solid enough
but there wasn't n nail In the whole
affair. The cross.pioces were fastened
with pieces of jutc rope. The carpen-
tcrs used no ladders of any sort, but
climcd from ground 10 top and back
again with the agility Of professional
trupezists The men who worked nloft
had lunches Of rope about their wrists,
with which they fastened the timbers
passed up 10 them.
Over In another corner of the In
closure, which prevents the workmen
from being overrun by spectators, is n
shed full Of curiositics, There arc
planes that look like toy tools and that
are drawn toward the workman instead
of being pushed from him. The AIDES
have long, curved handles and broad,
curved blades. When the Japanese car
pcutcr wants 30 cut with his ada he
holds the end Of the curved handle with
both hands, turns the blade edge up
ward and chops AK brislSly as n he really
were working the right way instead of
upside down. But the handsnws
are the great cnrios Of the collection.
They are about as long Us IL butchers
clcavcr and the teeth are set with II
slant toward the handle, which In only n
strong round piece Of wood bound 10
the saw with fiber wrap.
For all their implements seem but
toys the men achieve surprising re-
suits They already have the founda-
tons Of the three Japanese tcmplcs
ready for the upright columns and were
busy asserting the finished material
that was shipped from Japan 10 go into
the supcrstructurc. The working cos
tunes Of tho men were us curious as
their implements. A blue.colorcd cap
with car mullcrs, heavy blouse over a
| uRht-ftting shirt; trousers that would
do beautifully for bicycling, they III 80
close; felt or cloth shoes, some with
tapping solcs, and all devoid Of heels
that is the garb Of the lnborer from
chrysauthcmum land.
Watching the japanese at their work,
one can understand why they captivate
the foreigners who visit their country.
With all the urgency Of the contract,
there Is an amazing absence Of foremen,
Of loud commands and violent impreca-
ton. The laborcrs move about as
screnely as II II were pleasure 10 work.
/ When they address each other II Ia with
an infection Of courtesy and good ma.
| ture that would drive an American
boss into frantic suspicion Of an i'm
pending strike While the artist was
| slctching some Of the men, the Others
quit work long enough 10 pass judg.
mcnt on the sketches and then went
back TO sorting timbers ms though such
pauses were the proper thing, even In q
/ rush