The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-07

ceiling and come Into hall where the
floor is covered with great piles OF green
coffee beans.
At each pile are a dozen half naked
negroes in their bare feet. They are
seooping UP the coffee In bowls much
like bread bowl and pouring ii into
the bags. We hear the scratch. scratch.
scratch OF the bowls as they touch the
floor. varied by the sound of the laughter
OF the men at work. Now they burst
out in song. keeping time with their
scoops as they sing. AS soon bag
Is filled II is dragged of to pair OF
scales to be weighed 1t Is next handed
over to the sewers. who sew up its mouth
leaving enough vacant space at the top
that IL may pack well in the steamer
In other factories the bagging is done
by machinery. and in all the work goes
on In a bus!ness-lke way.
Each Of the big American establish
ments Of Rio handles vast amounts ~
coffee in a year. Its manager must have
good business ability and he sharp
trader. He mus, be a good judge OF cof-
fee and must know how To take advantage
OF the rise and fall OF the market. Each
establishment has it's coffee expert who
can tell by the eye ana nose just what
the coffee Is worth. His Judgment is
usually passed without grinding or burn
ing the berries. Samples of about pint
each are spread out ON blue paper. and
the coffee expert will put his price on
each grade by looking at. handling and
smelling the samples. During my stay
here ! have gone through a number OF
the American houses. and among others
have been much indebted 10 John F.
keogh. the manager OF an American ware
house at Rio.
| AZ the Coffee Whnrves.
The most Of the coffee il shipped from
what are known as the coffee wharves
"a.
| mos; interesting Of Rio Come with me
| and look at them. We jump upon A car
| containing about three tons of coffee II
| r. hauled by two mules. who drag IT over
| the street railroad through one narrow
| street after another down Ia the bay We
| stop at the wharves. where a gang OF ne
! groes stand read 10 take In the bags
| They back themselves UP against the
| cars and balance the great sacks on their
| heads. They carry them in on the tro.
| and Ne hear the thua. thud, thudi Of their
bare feet as they SO over the floor They
| run. for they are paid by the piece and
| not 10y the day. Each man receives one
| cent and n half for every bag he brings
| IN, ard the best OF the workmea make
| from thirty-five 10 forty dollars a month
/ which are very high wages here.
| The Coffee stealera OF Rio.
| What a iot q policemen there are ev-
| erywhere. A. the ends Of the wharves
| there are soldiers IN uniform 10 keep o--
| Der. \ customs house Officer Is AWAY
| en- hand 20 see iha, nothing goes on or
| or the ship without paying duty. and
| there are many private detectives 4
| close watch has To as keps to guard
against stealing FOR the wharyes are
! great places toT thieves.
| Tas detectives have 80 look out fer
| stealing below the wharves as we'll as
| above them for sometimes thieves come
tu beats under the soosasa floors and stop
| Just below ore 81 tire tsg piles o. bags
| WITH an augGv they make a hole through
/ tAs 'foor. tAen pifrcsr or pipe IS stuck
| Ep through the hole ard into a bag 81
| thas the coffee pouTs down through N.
/ rir* 81 4 $tr~Atn 20 The boat In A short
I time bait ioxan bags ran be- e.1pti.st
and x ts4s j. taken fvu-a a large rite
ns oo% Wsi4 h. the wsssr without TIE d.
tettsFss sly trs men under the wharv~s
/ stealing - aise done by the negroes
~ee load an4 unload the coffee They
/ sesfs* 10 Their work wssh f,serc.rs In their
sleeves Then. icy = 5sxgercnS thrust
| they drive thr gtercer iato 3 bag as they
/ are carrying x IN an their heads and
/ A1io~ sore - tae cNs@ee II -ali alt si3wr
| thss- sleeves - ,n@.r waists This they
| ch wlta arss bag after another "a they can
during The day. spirS Off az they SAY
- drink aow ard then - secyese their
sssA4.ngs. Such tssttsr Aewessr. are well