Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1893-01-25
JAPAN AT THE FAIR.
Japanese at Work on Their
Headquarters in Chicago.
Artisans With Quaint Cos
tunes and Curious Tools.

Jolly men from Nippon land worked
"'i day Yesterday at Jackson park,
says recent issue of the Chicago
News-Rccord. They worked because
inc Japanese government hcadquar-
'crS must be completed for the OPEN
ing of the Exposition, and the time is
short for tho undertaking.
Something about the quaint cos
Tunes, the good nature of the work
els, the peculiar forms Of the struc-
lures under way drew the crowd of
!, e.; -iLors to tho north end OF the island
to'wa'ch tie proceedings.
The toilcrs arc as picturesque as a
bit Of old Japan can be. They were
at work on temporary house that
looEcl like a joke. The timbcrs were
soil enough, but there wasn't nail
in the whole affair. The cross. pieces
werc fastened with pieces Of jute rope.
The carpenters used no ladders of any
sorI, but climbed from ground TO top
and back again with the agility of pro-
fes'ional trapezists. The men who
worked aloft had lunches of rope
about their waists, with which they
fastened the timbers passed up to them.
Over in another corner of the III
closure, which prevents the workmcn
from being overrun by spectators, is
a sled full of curiosities. There are
planes that look like toy tools and that
arc drawn toward the workman in
stead of being pushed from him. The
ad2es have long, curved handles and
broad, curved blades. When the Jap
anCse carpenter wants to cut with his
adZc he holds the end of the curved
handle with both hands, turns the
blade edge upward and chops as brisk
ly as if he really were working the
right way instead Of upside down.
But the handsaws are the great curios
of he collection. They are about as
long as butchers cleavcr and the
teeth are set with slant toward the
handle which is only a strong, round
piece of " ood bound to the saw with
a fiber wrap.
For all their implements seem but
toys the men achieve surprising re-
suits. They already have the founda-
tions of the three japanese temples
ready for the upright columns and
Wcru uusy yesterday asserting tho m
ishinS material that was shipped from
Japan TO go into tho perstructurc.
Tho working costumes of the men
were as curious as their implements
A blue colorcd cap with ear-muflers,
a heavy blouse over n tight fitting
shirt; trousers that would do beauti-
fully for bicycling, they fit so close;
felt or cloth shoes, some with tapping
solcs, and all devoid of hcels-that is
the garb of the laborer from chrysan-
thcmum land.
Watching tho japanese at their
work, one can understand why they
captivatc 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 lmpreca,ion. Tho laborcrS
move about as serenely as If it were
pleasure to work. When they address
each other 1t is with an infection of
courtesy and good nature that would
drive an American "boss" into frantic
suspicion of an impending strike.
While the artist was skctcling some
of the men, the others quit work long
enough to pass Judgment on the
sketches and then went back to sort
ing timbers as though such pauses
were the proper thing, even in rush.