Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-21
HUMAN BEASTS OF BURDEN
Cinnamon Hitched Up as Horses in Parts
of California

of California.
An astonishing sight has been presented
recently to observant travellers over the
narrow gauge railroad to Santa Cruz while
passing through the great market gardens
near Newark, in Alameda county. 1t is
nothing more or less than the utilization
of Chinese laboTers as beasts of burden,
and of their own volition, too.
Along the railroad near the station men
ito I'd bands of coolies have rented large
tracts of land for the purpose of raising
vegetables for the San FIincisco market,
For the past few weeks Chinese have been
engaged In planting beets, onions and 9TH
er vegetables, using large drills In doing
the work. Horses have usually been en-
plOyed to pull these drills, but here the
Chinese laborer5 substitute themselves for
the usual beasts Of burden, hitch themsel-
selves up In their stead, and are by another
coolie guided like "dumb driven CATTLE
The large seed drill somewhat resembles
piow. 1t has handles like that imple-
ment, and from the front Of the drill ex-
tends rope six or eight feet long. On
the end Of this rope pole about eight
feet in length is Tied. Two Cinnamon
place the pole In front of them, about the
middle of their tOjies, and bending to
their work, they pull the drill about the
field In response to the commands of the
man at the handles.
In some cases, instead of using the pole,
two ropes are attached to the drill, and the
cooley beasts of burden take the ends of
these lines over their sholders and plod
over the fielb. Backward and forward
they go, just like horses, and apparently
as contented with their lot
Certainly IN no other part of the United
States is such a sight to be seen, that of hu-
man beings voluntarily taking the place of
work animals.
When the Mormons founded Salt Lake
city and populated the country thareabout
the working of women In the field was
common, and even until few years ago
many an old Mormon could be seen from
the cars driving heard of his wives hit
ched to piow like oxen, and like them
staggering under the yoke, receiving but
his curses If they stopped to rest. The in
fux OF Gentiles has, it is supposed, put an
end to this inhuman treatment of the Nor
mons female slaves.
In some Older countries, where the poor.
er classes are downtrodden and animals.
are scarce and fodder dear, SUCH conditions
still exist, though even there they are fast
becomming rare.
In Holland women, aided or hindered by
dogs, are compelled to draw canal boats,
while their lords or masters sit complaceDt-
ly on the boats smoking their pipes, re-
moving them only to yell at their beloved
and admired holpmates if they lag in their
heavy task.
In the north of Germany women are
compelled to do similar work to that of the
coolies In Almeda county and hitch them
selves up with horses or COWS to be driven
either by other women, who change off to
give the first a rest, or by their husbands
who consider that their position is at the
"helm, and never change. In the north
OF France women can still be seen harness.
ed in carts with dogs dragging the pro-
ducts Of the field into market, but this is
becomming extremely rare, though former
ly Of common occurrence.
The f9llahs of Egypt are the only other
class of degraded human beings that are
forced to do the work of beasts and the
only men SO employed, and they probably
have the hardest time Of it. Trey are still
compelled to draw the primitive pillow,
made Of two wooden sticks, one of which
serves lor handle and the other pointed
down into the ground.
But in this land of plenty, where ami
mails of all kinds are in abundance and
cheap and the fodder for them can be raised
at a nomial cost, 1t is indeed a peculiar
thing for Chinese even to consider them
selves cheaper than beasts; and it is all the
more astonishing that this should occur
but few miles from San Francisco and in
q country of fertile and very remunerativs
fields
1t is difficult to understand by what idea
of economy the Chinese see an advantage
in employing their own fellows latter the
manner of beasts of the field, - but it prob
ably has its basis in the fact that in China
men do about all the field work.
But tt ere thay have no farming machin-
cry and few horses and all the work is done
by hand.-San Francisco Chronicle.