The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-07-14
THE WHEELBARROW.
USED EXTENSIVELY IN CHINA AS A
MEANS OF TRANSPORT.

They Each Garry Six Passengers ar 600
Pounds of Merchandise Licensed and
Regulated Hard on the Streets How
They Differ From Our Wheeibarrows.
The whCelharrow affords ono of tho
chief means of travel and transport in
China, especially i'll tho northern part
of tho empire and throughout the Great
plain. The Chinese form is IA decided
Improvement on the types used i'll west
ern countries, for it is so constructed
that tho load, which sometimes IL very
great i'll bulk and weight, In carried
over the wheel, and not between it and
the man who propels 1t. Tho high cost
of timber and tho bad roads through
out tho country necossitate tho wheel
barrows being both rude and strong,
with axles and wheels able to bear the
strains which they experience. The
whoelharrow is generally constructed
of oak, mt n cost of about 10 shillings.
Its weight is 40 pounds extreme
length, 6 feet inches Including shafts) :;
extreme breadth. 3 feet , inches. and
height, 3 feet q inches Tho wheel is 3
feet i'll diameter and has an iron tire
| inches wide by II quarter inch thick.
To aid III steadying and propelling
the vehicle the wheclbnrrow man wears
strap across his shoulders, which is
attached to tho shafts ON each side.
Boxes, bales of goods, or whatever the
loads may consist of, are secured To the
wheelbarrow by ropes. The charge for
carrying an average load is about IL.
3D. per mile, but varies according To
tho load and the state of the road to be
travelled over The wheelbarrow has
seating accommodation for four people,
two ON each side, and the fare for four
people is I'D. per mile.
Passenger fares are lower thnn those
for merchandise on account of the avoid
anco of labor i'll loading and unloading
A cushioned seat is provided for the
passenger. who generally sits with one
leg resting ON tho front of the barrow
and the other hanging over the side in
II rope loop, which serves us foot rest
Thus II native is wheeled for miles over
the rough roads of tho ooulfsy, with
severe iolting, accompanied by pccul
ihi vi Aht hAlt III iiif fhht VI liihi
barrowa. Immediately behind the wheel
barrow. between tho shafts, there is
long, oblong shaped basket, i'll which
the wheolbarrow man keeps his few be
longings. On the Great plain whpelbar
rows are occasionally seen with sail
set, when II fair wind proves great help
to tho truudlipg Of tho barrow over II
level way.
Since the institution of cotton mills
Mt Shanghai (foreign settlements) the
wheelbarrow has been extensively used
as passenger vehicle, especially for car
rying workwomen to and from the
mills. One man can wheel six women
| for distance Of about three miles,
morning and evening, the charge being
Is. bd. per month. Tho average earn
inga of wheelbarrow man are abou
S1pd. per day. About 4, 600 licenses are
issued monthly 10 tho same number oi
wheelbarrows plying for hire in the
streets of tho foreign settlements ut
Shanghai. where. being under tho mu-
nicipal regulations, they nro perhaps
tho best in China. The fec for II license
IL I'd. month, and no whoelbnrrow
is allowed, according To the regulations,
to curry more than 90 chests of tea or
80 boxes of kerosene oil or 20iy boxes
Of soan $50 pounds each) or 10 boxes of
sonp t52 pounds eaCh) or bnlcs of
Ameiie lean piece goods, The width Of
the packages must not exceed four feet
that is, two feet on each side of the
barIoW-and no whcelbair0w in allowed
under any circumstances to carry more
than 600 pounds Of dead weight
These regulations are, however, not
strictly adhered to. Sometimes in the
streets of the foreign settlements Mt
Shanghai about 90 whcclbarrows may
bo seen travelling one behind the other,
each carrying two barrels of English
portland cement and pushed by one
man. Very frequently, however, load
IL carried ON ono side of the barrow on
ly 80 that the edge of the !. inch tire
cuts into the maeadam roadway like II
knife. The bales sometimes project
three feet ON each side, the man push.
ing tho barrow being almost invisible
from the front Tho municipal roads
are chiefly Of macadam, and the dam.
ago they sustain from this traffic is
very great. II has been found after TO
peated experiments that granite broken
to pass through three-q quarter inch
ring and rolled in the usual manner is
tho only kind Of macndam roadway
that will stand this severe traffic. 1t is
extraordinary To see IA Chnamnn skill
fully balancing and prUpelling heavy
load on ono side Of IL barrow, and, con.
sidering that there are about 1. 600 Of
these vehicles travelling through the
streets Of the settlements. in addition to
4 large traffic Of other kinds, the upscts
ind accidents are remarkably few -
Tr.u Aup