Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-05-01

IL Is 30 mucn Eh-irr mere man NJ hoihe
In China Washing In Ice Covered Ponds
and Beating out the Dirt With stones
For Very Small Pay.
Among the thousands of Cinnamon
in this city few, besides the store and
restaurant keepers on Race street, follow
any other calling than that of laundry
man Consequently many Americans
believe that the majority of China
millions are laundrymen, who, when
not squirting water through their teeth
upon shirts and linen, spend their time
eating rats and puppies or indulging III
the questionable enjoyments Of the
flower boats " The truth is that the
Celestial Kingdom $50, 600, 600 Of tea
drinkers do smaller percentage Of
washing than any other large country.
What little washable clothing they wear
is cleansed in the paddy fields near the
wearer's home, and only the Europeans
and richer class Of natives require the
assistance of washman.
That important item of expense, the
wash bill, IL reduced 10 a minimum in
China, where the European clothing is
eagerly sought by young and old male
natives, who are glad TO do up in first
class order white shirts, white waist
coats or anything at all for 10 cents per
hundred. This will partly explain why
our Chinese residents prefer TO do our
laundry work 10 waiting ON our tables
or sweating on farm, as the money re-
ceived for ironing and finishing single
white shirt viii support him two days
in his native country. Another reason is
that when at work behind his ironing
board, breathing the close air Of his lit
tie shop he appreciates the one hundred
and one cOnveniences that he could not
afford in China. Tubs, hot water, self
acting soaps and washboards have not
yet been introduced in his native home
and have never been thought Of by the
poor beggars doing up shirts at three
quarters Of cent apiece. There they
stand on the low shores Of paddy field,
ankle deep in the mud and ooze, and
after soaking the clothes slap them
against the smooth stones put there for
this purpose until the dirt becomes
loosened and can be rubbed out with the
hands.
Within the limits Of the American
settlement of the treaty port of Shang-
hal are several ponds filled with from
two 20 four feet Of rainwater. In sum
mer these ponds are used by the wash
men and for irrigating neighboring
paddy and rice fields, while in winter
the ice accommodating is carefully pre-
served
The Chinese themselves do not use ice
for any purpose, the most refreshing
drink TO them in the hot spells being
boiling hot tea without milk or sugar.
Since the advent of the foreigner the
Chinaman has found that it pays TO pre-
serve the scanty ice Of Shanghai during
the short winters. The icehouses sur
rounding the ponds are low structures
formed Of wood, mud and thick layers
Of salt hay, with the floors raised slight
ly above the level of the water.
Adhering to his general rule of doing
everything directly opposite to US bar
barians, John Chinaman does not be-
lieve in allowing the ice TO form three
or more inches, but as SOON as thin
skin has formed he breaks il mp and
pushes it all through the narrow open
ings of the stOrehouses. The breaking
of this thin ice makes it necessary for
the poor natives 70 wade up TO the hips
in the water of the ponds and with
rakes and hooks manage the ice so that
it can reach the storehouses.
But TO return to the workmen. who
must work and live in winter as we'll
as in summer Not having hot water
boilers and other luxuries, he must re-
sort 70 the dirty ponds no matter how
cold the weather The ice, broken in the
center of the pond, is allowed to get
quite thick along the edges, making il
necessary very often for the washman
to cut through it before he can immerse
his washing. The stiffened linen is then
slammed up against the smooth stone,
which soon turns into small mound
of ice a. layer after layer Of water Is
thrown upon it. The native keeps his
feet incased in covering Of old cloth
ing, rags and hay, while around his
DOuy are wrapped one or more blankets.
As he goes through his cherries as well
as soapless operation he is gradually
covered by the ice, which forms as soon
as the water reaches his clothing TAX
ing into consideration all the trouble,
hardship and inconvenience the laundry
man in the Flowery Kingdom is com.
PEELED TO endure while rendering white
the foreign devils linen, he does it
much better than his more fortunate
brother in this country, who returns our
laundry in such careless and independ-
ent fashion, and who receives after de-
Quoting rent and all expenses, eight
times more pay in return. philadelphia
Times.
His Hat Spoke.