Evening star., 1901-09-28

as i nave been informed. bred a house
| carpenter, but how far he may be acQuaint-
ed with that business or how far he may
be able to carry on work in a mastery
manner upon a grand scale have no data
but since the war has lived in New York,
where he carries on the business of lum-
Der merchant to q believe) considerable
extent"
JeHerson's Keen HeIpfuIness.
Thomas Jefferson, then Secretary of
State, was no less jealous than his Illus
trious compatriot in helping the work
along, and gave advice willingly and with
| detail that was refreshing. Think of Sec
| retary Of State In these days giving his at
tention to such a thing as stone cutting
and polishing machine! The sage of Mon
| ticello did that very act, however, as will
be shown In what is to follow, and he ap-
proved the idea of the Importation of for
eign labor as well, and gave his advice
on that! In these days politician who
did such thing would find his future, in
all probability, anything but roseate. He
was app ealed to by the commissioners to
assist them in securing labor from abroad
and In reply inclosed them letter to
Messrs. Van Shaphorsts and Hubbard of
Amsterdam, and suggested that they corre-
spond through them with Mr.. Damen,
evidently labor exporter.
July 4, 1792-such a letter on such day!
the following was sent to Mr.. Herman
Hend Damen:
''Sir:
ITO facilitate the erection of the publick
buildings in the new city which is COM
mitted to our care, we have thought 1t
advisable to introduce a number of me-
chanicks and labourerS from abroad, and
wish about one hundred Germans, single
men, and as many Of them stone masons,
stone cutters and bricklayers as may be of
the number.
obtained with you has advised us to apply
to you for your assistance. We under
stand the terms on which you would fur
nish Mr.. Jefferson men the payment of 10
guineas at Amsterdam or IL guineas at the
port of delivery in lieu of all charges of
procuring and transporting them. We ex-
pect the best men may be inclined to come
to US. They will be employed in publick work
only, and their living found as free men,
We desire the mechanicks to work only
sixteen months and the iabourers two
years from their arrival at this port.
1--WE will pay down the eleven guineas for
each on their arrival. The small number
proposed may not perhaps open field enough
alone, but we have no difficulty In assuring
you there is no port in America where Ger
man passengers may be disposed of more
readily than here to the profit of the I'M
porter, and IL you chuse to add to the num-
her on your own account to the address
of any merchant here none more proper
than William DeakinS, junior, We VIII make
it our pleasure to see that the emigrants
are placed with those who will use them
well and can pass our honour that your in
tereSt VIII be ATTENDED TO.
IF this essay proves satisfactory 1t Is
probable a like importation may be re-
quested annually for several years.
Efforts In Other Directions.
They wanted Irishmen also, as the fol-
lowing letter addressed August 8, 1892, to
William Prout esq, testifies:
I'VE have observed in the papers that
you had several vessels arrive from Ireland
with emigrants Amongst them there are
no doubt many who pay their own passage.
AS they would be at some loss for en-
ployment we think it would greatly pro-
mote the interests of the city if they could
be informed of the prospect which the busi-
ness in which We are engaged offers for
constant employment in every line AS
there is no one more deeply interested in
the success of the business than yourself
we have ventured to request you will take
every opportunity of giving them this in
formation as they arrive and directing their
attention this way"
Proposition to Buy Redemptioners.
Walk, October 8, 1892, would indicate a de-
sire on the part of the commissioners to
buy mechanics outright If the letter of the
communication is strictly followed
Mr.. Colin Williamson will deliver you
this letter." they wrote He wishes you
to see II there are among your redemption
ers any stone cutters or masons. We would
from fifteen to twenty. II he should make
contract with you for that many we will
see it fulfilled
Union Evidently Existed.
Just how native labor regarded the for
eign importation in those days is not de-
,veloped in those old records, but that the
former already knew the advantage of
combining for higher wages Is indicated in
a letter written by the commissioners to
Mr.. Colin Williamson, March IL, 1893. May
be there was already stone cutters union
in existence, but in any event here is the
epistle:
ION considering the demand of the stone
cutters to have their wages advanced to
10 shillings a day, though we think the
crown very handsome, considering the en-
ployment they have had all winter, and the
certainty and manner of payment, yet we
advise you, If necessary to give the ad-
dition rather than part from them, pro-
vided they agree to work till the 10th Sep
tember. and then both parties to be at
liberty to make new agreement or not
at pleasure"
Jefferson ON StOne-Cutting Machine.
They were as anxious to get a stone
cutting machine as they were to get stone
masons, and again they turned to Jeffer-
son. Several letters passed, and in one the
contrivance of Mr. Miliken was de-
scribed. Answering this, Jefferson wrote
as follows, December 13, 1892, from Phila-
delphia:
'I have examined Mr.. Miliken's mill for
polishing and saving stones. 1t is always
an objection that thing is new and un-
tried. His method of giving motion back
ward and forward to a saw frame by a
spiral frame is ingenious, but I confess it
does not appear promising to one. 1t is
certainly inferior to that used in Europe,
OF which there is a drawing in the Ency-
clopedfa MethodiQue.
II have made a rough drawing of the
latter merely to explain to you the prin-
ciple.
You will find that the saw frame is
moved by Brank, as that in a saw mill
for wood, except that the saw frame lies
horizontal instead Of perpendicular. 1t is
more simple than the mill for saving wood
because the part is omitted which brings
the stock up to the saw.
Your workmen seeing the principle will
easily contrive all the details
Il showed this plan, also Milliken's, to
the President. and he prefers the former"
Imagine present premier going into the
mechanism of a stone-sawing machine
The results Of further rummaging will be
given hereafter at intervals in The Even
ing Star.
Coal Was High