Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-18
MAKING FIRECRACKERs.
Interesting Information Regarding a
Great Chinese Industry.


Consul General Goodnow at Shanghai
has made report to the State Department
in regard to the firecracker inductry which
contains much interesting information.
During the past year ri. Io5. 133 pounds of
firecrackers valued at s1.5S4,151 in gold.
were exported from China. mainly from the
province of Kwangtung. Most of the mer-
chandise was shipped to New York, only a
small portion going to England and other
countries.
The exports represent however, only a
small fraction of the amount manufacture
ed and used in China. There are no large
manufacturers. The crackers are made in
small houses and in the shops where they
are sold. In the latter places the proprie-
tor of the shop, his wife Tor wives) and
children do the work The consul general
says no record is kept of the number made
and sold, and no estimate is possible of
their cost.
THE use of crackers" says the consul
general, lis universal in China, and has
been as far back as history records 1t is
most probable that in the beginning they
were used to frighten away evil spirits. Now
they are most frequently an expression OF
good feeling or of ceremonious compliment
They are used at weddings, births and
funerals; at festivals; religious, civil and
military ceremonies; at New Year; to salute
persons about to make a journey, and, in
fact, on all occasions out of the ordinary
routine.
I'm making crackers only the cheapest
kind of straw paper which can be produced
In the immediate locality where the crack
ers are made is used for the body of the
cracker. little finer paper is used for
the wrapper. The powder is also of the
cheapest grade and is made IN the locality
where used. For the fuse paper Called
leather in Shanghai is used. which Is
imported from Japan and is made from the
inner lining of the Da mbOO. In other places
a fine rice paper is used. generally stiffen-
ed slightly with buckwheat-iOur paste,
which. the Chinese say adds to its inf1am-
inability.
AT Canton the ordinary size cracker az
inches long by one-fourth of an inch in di-
ameter) costs one tael (62 cents) for 10000
for export. At Shanghai one tael will pur
chase 5000 of the ordinary size, while the
largest sell for s. per thousand. These
prices are probably only shade above the
actual cost of manufacture. The small
manufacturers sell to Chinese compradores,
who buy as agents of foreign firms and
ship the crackers in bundles to the sea-
coast, where they are packed in boxes
which cost about four taels $3.50 per hum
dred and hold 10000 firecrackers.
ASIDE from the fact that all the material
used is native and produced where the
crackers are manufactured, and that trans
portation does not enter into the cost the
wonderful cheapness of manufacture is &C
counted for by the kind of labor used and
the wages paid. The items of cost of plant
ana interest on 1t are eliminated by the
fact that the crackers are made in the
ZONES of the workmen and in the shops
where they are sold. The hours of labor
are from a. m to IL pm. and there are
seven working days in each week. Four
hfths OF the crackers consumed in China
are made by the families of those who sell
them. these people. of course receiving no
wages. OF the paid work. very large pro-
portion Is done by women and children who
are paid by the piece. 1t is estimated that
thirty women and ten men can make 100
ep crackers per day, for which work the
women will receive D cents each and the
men about cents each. An apprentice is
bound for four years, and during that time
receives only his board. At the end of that
period he Will receive, if he is fairly good
Workman. 1JO cash per day, or cents in
United states money. An expert at the
trade receives 200 cash per day or 10 cents
gold.
Norkmen at this trade receive about the
average rate of wages paid here for COM
mon labor The trade Is considered I'M
heaithE and dangerous. and therefore not
desirable