Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-04
Population of 100, 900.

Population OF loO,OOO.
The CITY now has population of about
10 600. The ancient walls which inclose it
are in excellent preservation and surround
an area of about two square miles. There
are twelve arched gateways with heavy
lockwood doors studded with long brass
spjkas as a defense against elephants. which
in olden times were taught to batter GOWN
S,ch instructions with their heads.
The commerce of the city has declined OF
late years, but the people are still famous
for objects of taste and ornament, ana ac-
cording to the experts their chopped soio
is the finest archaic jewelry in India, al
most Identical in shape and design with
the ornaments represented upon sculptureo
images in Assyria. The goldsmiths make all
kinds of personal adornments; necklaces,
bracelets anklets, toe, finger, nose ana ear
rings girdles and arm bands of gold, silver,
copper and brass, and this JeWeiry is worn
by the women of India as the best OF invest
ments They turn their money into II IN
stead of patronizing banks. AS Mr.. MicaW-
Der would have expressed 1t, they convert
their assets into portable property.
The manufacture of gold and silver thread
occupies the attention Of thousands or peo-
nile and hundreds more are engaged IN
called skincobs," worn by rich Hindus and
sold by weight instead of by the yard. They
are practically metallic cloth. The warp, or
the threads running one way, are all either
gold or silver. while the woof. or those run
ming the other. are of different colored Silks.
and the patterns are fashioned with great
taste and delicacy. These brocades wear
forever but are very expensive coat
such as a rajah or rich Hindu must wear
unon an occasion of ceremony is worth sew
cral thousand dollars. Indeed. ra1ahs nave
had robes made at Ahmedabad for Wmch
the cloth alone cost 5000 yard
The skill of the wire drawers Is amazing.
So great is their delicacy of touch that
thev can make a thousand yards of silver
thread out of silver dollar; and II you Will
give one Of them sovereign. in rev mo-
ments he will reel off a spool of gold wire
as fine as No. so cotton. and he does II with
the simplest, most primitive of tools
Nearly all the gold. silver ana TIN iosi
used in India is made at AhmedaDad, also
in a primitive way for the metal Is spread
between sheets of paper and beaten with
a heavy hammer The town is famous for
its pottery also, and for many other manu-
featured goods.
Guilds of Artisans.
All of the artisans are organized into
guilds. like those of Europe in ancient
times, with rules and regulations as strict
as those of modern trades unions. The
| magyar seth, or lord mayor of Ahmedabad.
is the titular head OF all the guilds, and
pres,des over central council which has
| jurisdiction of matters of common interest.
But each of the trades has its own organ
izatioD and officers. Membership is heredi-
tary: for in India, as in all oriental conn-
tries. it is customary for children to fol-
low the trade or profess on of their father.
IL an outsider desires to join one of the
guilds he Is compelled to comply with very
rigid regulations and pay heavy fee.
Some of the guilds are rich, their property
having been acquired by fines, fees and
legacies, and they loan money to their own
members.
Just now a serious crisis confronts the
guilds of Ahmedabad in the form of organ
lied capital and labor-saying machinery.
Until a few years ago all of the manufac-
turing was done in the households by hand
work Within recent years five cotton fac
tories. representing a capital of more than
| 81 5oO, coo. have been established. and fur
| nish labor for 5000 men. women and CHI
| dlen. This innovation was not opposed by
! the guilds because its products would come
1 INTO direct competition only with the cot
! ton goods of England. and would give en-
| ployment to many Idle people; but now that
| silk looms and other machinery are pro-
| posed the guilds are becoming alarmed and
arc asking where the intruslons are likely
/ to stop.
| The Tomb Of Ahmed.
| Few strangers think of such things when
1 they come to Ahmedabad. They prefer Ia
visit the multitudes Of mosques ana tomba